Just over a week after being signed into office, Prime Minister Mark Carney called a federal election for April 28. Despite a short campaign period, this election feels like it’s been a long time coming. Since Justin Trudeau’s resignation announcement back in January, all parties have been rolling out strategies to amass public support.
And while each election is important, there’s a tension in the air around this one. U.S. tariffs and the presence of President Donald Trump loom large, there’s continued increases in the cost of living, the climate is rapidly declining, and global conflicts in both Ukraine and Palestine are at the forefront of voters’ minds.
It’s a lot to consider. To help smooth the way, here’s a breakdown of what cottagers should keep in mind when heading to the polls.
How does the vote work?
Unlike our southern neighbours, Canada doesn’t vote directly for its head of government. We vote for members of Parliament (MP). That’s because our system is modelled after the United Kingdom. In fact, as a member of the Commonwealth, Canada is still considered a constitutional monarchy, meaning the U.K.’s King Charles III is our Head of State, represented in Canada by the Governor General. Charles, however, plays a symbolic role, acting on the advice of the Canadian government, with his powers limited by the Canadian constitution.
Instead, it’s our Prime Minister that makes the meaningful decisions. In Canada, the Prime Minister is the leader of the party that wins the most seats in the House of Commons. There are 343 seats in the House of Commons. Each one is occupied by a MP. Canadian citizens vote for MPs in their ridings, with MPs representing different parties. Elections Canada tallies the votes, and the party with the most elected MPs forms the government. The Governor General then asks the leader of that party to be Prime Minister.
Who’s eligible to vote?
Canada has two simple rules for voting: you must be a Canadian citizen, and you must be at least 18 years old on election day. This applies to Canadian citizens living abroad as well. Permanent residents, refugees, and temporary work visa holders aren’t eligible to vote.
And no, just because you own both a cottage and a home doesn’t mean you get to vote twice. Your voter registration card will be sent to your primary residence.
How do you vote?
There are four ways to vote. The most straightforward is to vote on election day (April 28) at the polling station specified on the voter information card sent to you in the mail.
If, for some reason, you’re busy on election day—maybe a planned trip north to open the cottage for the spring season—then you can vote in advance. Advance polling stations are open on Friday, April 18; Saturday, April 19; Sunday, April 20; and Monday, April 21 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. You can find your advance polling station on your voter information card, or search for it here.
If those days don’t work, you can vote at any of the 500 Elections Canada offices spread across the country. They’re open Monday to Fridays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. These offices will offer advance polling until April 22 at 6 p.m. You can search for an Elections Canada office here.
Finally, if you’re out of the country or won’t be able to make it to a polling station, you can vote by mail. You can register to do this online or at any Elections Canada office across the country. The deadline to apply is April 22 at 6 p.m. Once you apply to vote by mail, you can’t change your mind and vote at an advance poll or on election day.
Who’s running?
Canada has an assortment of political parties, but in the House of Commons, there are currently four recognized parties. To be recognized for parliamentary proceedings, a party must have at least 12 MPs in the House of Commons. These parties are the Liberals with 152 seats, the Conservative Party with 120, Bloc Quebecois with 33, and the New Democratic Party (NDP) with 24.
Mark Carney is the leader of the Liberal Party. While he’s new to the political scene, he spent a lengthy career in finance navigating the Bank of Canada through the 2008 financial crisis and the Bank of England through Brexit.
Pierre Poilievre leads the Conservative Party. He’s a lifelong politician, first elected to the House of Commons when he was 25. He leans into confrontational-style politics advocating for low taxes and a small government.
Yves-François Blanchet leads the Bloc Quebecois. This is Quebec’s nationalist party, which only includes candidates from the French-speaking province.
Jagmeet Singh leads the NDP. He’s been head of the left-leaning party since 2017. The NDP entered an alliance with the Trudeau Liberal government in 2021 to provide much needed votes in Parliament. But Singh ended the alliance in 2024.
What are the main issues?
Voting issues have seen significant change over the last few months. Under the Trudeau government, Poilievre hammered the Liberals on their poor handling of housing prices, taxes, inflation, crime, healthcare, and immigration. But Trump’s election in the U.S. has shaken priorities. The U.S. President’s talks of annexing Canada to create the 51st State have made this election about nationalism.
In response to Trump, Carney has already taken steps to strengthen Canada, including reversing the capital gains increase (a win for cottagers), offering free access to national parks and historic sites for all Canadians this summer, strengthening Canada’s military defense relationship with France and the U.K., and striking a new trade agreement with the European Union.
Poilievre, meanwhile, has pledged to cut income tax by 15 to 12.75 per cent, build more homes, lock up criminals, and secure the border.
To put it bluntly, this election will come down to which candidate seems better prepared to stand up to Trump and his tariffs.
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