Ontario premier Doug Ford has triggered an early election in the province, saying he needs a strong mandate to take on the tariff threat.

TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford officially set a provincial election in motion Tuesday for Feb. 27, more than a year before the next fixed election date. The election had been set for June 2026, but Ford said he needs a new mandate to deal with four years of a Donald Trump presidency in the United States.

Toronto Sun politics reporter Bryan Passifiume joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss why Ford is calling an election now, how he hopes it plays into his response to the tariffs threat, and how opposition parties responded to the election call.