Explainer - The Canadian federal election: what has happened and what is at stake

FILE PHOTO: Canada's Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during an election campaign stop in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada September 18, 2021. REUTERS/Carlos Osorio

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadians go to the polls on Monday in an election that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called two years early, seeking to turn public approval for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic into a fresh, four-year mandate.

WHY NOW?