The leader of Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, has kicked off his provincial election campaign, saying he needs a strong mandate to fight the tariffs threatened by U.S.

Ontario voters are set to head to the polls in a rare winter election. Premier Doug Ford has already been framing the snap election, coming right before an anticipated federal vote, as necessary for a strong mandate in order to best represent Ontario’s interests on the national and world stage.

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