MONTREAL, April 20, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Canada's election authority said Saturday that high early turnout was a sign of "enthusiasm for the ballot" in an election campaign overshadowed by tensions with its American neighbor.

More than two million Canadians cast ballots on the first day of early voting Friday, according to initial Elections Canada data provided to AFP, a 36 percent increase from 2021.

Voters have until Monday evening to file early ballots ahead of the April 28 election.

On Friday, long queues formed outside polling stations in several large cities, with some people waiting up to two hours, local supervisors told AFP.

This year is a "special" election given "what's going on with the United States," said Josee Fournier outside a polling station in Montreal on Saturday.

The 60-year-old human resources worker said she had weighed her choice until the very last moment given the "serious" cross-border tensions.

Raphael Collomb, 35, said he had been "following all of the media and the candidates' platforms" as he prepared to vote.

He wanted "the economy to do better and more peace and quiet for everyone," he told AFP.

US President Donald Trump has issued a slew of threats to impose tariffs and undermine Canadian sovereignty since returning to office in January.

The perceived menace from abroad has prompted many Canadians to vote based on which party leader and prospective prime minister they think is best suited to stand up to Trump.

Recent polling puts the Liberals led by incumbent Mark Carney at around 44 percent support, leading the Conservative opposition under Pierre Poilievre at around 38 percent.

Smaller contenders include the left-wing New Democratic Party at eight percent, and the Quebec separatist party Bloc Quebecois at five.