Noureldein GhanemWashington, DC — Canadians will vote on Monday to elect a government capable of addressing domestic issues and navigating the challenges posed by US tariffs and threats of annexation from US President Donald Trump.
Amid a global trade war, Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney (Liberal) and his rival Pierre Poilievre (Conservative) have proposed major reforms to stimulate economic growth, fix local issues and fight back against policies of Trump, who has indirectly galvanised the Canadian voters.
Polls indicate the Liberals are likely to secure the most seats, though the competition is becoming more intense.
"I think Canadians are being forced to decide between the (Liberal Party), which really let them down financially, and the alternative party (The Conservative Party), being so focused on war, weapons manufacturing and privatisation (Americanisation) of healthcare and basically all things that set Canadians apart from Americans," Dunia Hamou, who is originally from Ontario but lives in California, tells TRT World.
Hamou, who works in a pharmaceutical firm, recently mailed her vote for Liberals because she believes Conservatives do not have the "best interest of Canadians at heart."
"They care about capitalism, imperialism and weapons manufacturing, which combines the two. This has been made violently clear over the past year and a half, supporting funding for the genocide in Gaza as much as they could."
She states that housing and education are also key factors in the election.
Snap poll on April 28 has set the stage for one of Canada's most closely contested elections in recent memory. At stake: the country's direction on critical fronts — trade relations, housing crisis, soaring inflation, and sovereignty.
Trump's tariffs on Canada and vows of making it America's "51st state" have turned "dealing with Trump" into a major election issue, overshadowing economic concerns and increasing support for Liberal Party led by Mark Carney.
Immigration, housing, and economy
A record 7.3 million Canadians have already cast their votes in advance polling. More voters are expected at the polls on April 28, spurred by interest in the election due to Trump's trade policies.
Trevor Franklin, 59, a rehab worker from British Columbia, voted Green under Elizabeth May for "strategic reasons": to help Carney win.
Franklin, a past voter for former PM Justin Trudeau, plans to support the Liberals again, fearing healthcare could suffer under Conservative leadership.
Franklin, who operates three recovery homes for individuals with drug and alcohol addiction, says Conservatives "tend to cut those (healthcare) programmes quickly, and the Liberals are much easier to work with."
He shares a personal story about a motorcycle accident years ago, where he broke two bones but incurred no out-of-pocket expenses.
"I was in the hospital for two weeks and it never, never cost me a dime," he says. "I went to over 1000 rehab appointments in two years, never cost me a dime, all paid for by us collectively as Canadians, and I think a just society, that's the way it should be."
Franklin asserts that immigration — one of the major issues raised by campaigners — significantly drives up house prices in Canada and believes Carney can rein in irregular immigration while making it sure that immigrants and refugees are still welcomed.
"They (Conservatives) would be like the (US) Republicans and say nobody comes here anymore. Done. Whereas I don't think that's a compassionate way to treat immigration," he adds.
Robert Copeland, a 60-year-old equipment sales worker in Ontario, tells TRT World he voted for Carney, calling him an "economic genius."
"I think he's led other countries, including ours, to great things, and I think he's the man to keep us in the right spot in the right lane and get us past these next four disastrous years of Donald Trump," Copeland says.
He says his primary concern is foreign policy, especially regarding the US.
Unlike Liberal voters, Conservative supporters prioritise economic issues, believing that resolving these will address most other problems.
"I've already voted Conservative, not because I expect them to win in my riding, which votes around 65 percent Liberal and is represented by an 83-year-old MP who’s been in office since the 1990s. My vote is symbolic and a protest to the status quo," Patrick Gervais, a 41-year-old lawyer from Ottawa, tells TRT World.
"We need a change in Ottawa: smaller government, less red tape, and a serious reckoning with our fiscal reality. The Liberals have doubled the federal debt in just a decade," he says.
He states the primary concern is securing a better trade deal with the US, while issues like climate costs, tax reforms, and the budget have become secondary.
Wayne Richardson, 63, in the automotive industry, links immigration to economic issues. He plans to vote Conservative on April 28, criticising Liberals for allowing mass immigration amid Canadian struggles.
"The Liberals have been in power basically for 10 years and they've taken our country down a s***hole," Richardson tells TRT World.
Liberals "give them (immigrants) basically a free ride. While everyone else is struggling, and the prices of everything have gone berserk. My kids, they can't afford to buy a house, you know, that dream's over," Richardson claims.
"Everything, the interest rates, the whole economy, is going to hell in a handbasket."
Former central banker turned Liberal leader is poised to become Canada's next PM. With soaring odds and a calm persona, he faces test of politics' chaos and tightening race to the finish.
Once a runaway favourite, Conservative leader now trails as Trump's trade threats revive Liberal hopes. The fire's still there as polls approach — but the fight may no longer be his alone.
Trump 'looms large over this election'
This election is notable due to a new concern overshadowing voters: Trump.
On February 1, the US leader initiated a trade war with China, Mexico, and Canada. Since his November election win, he has suggested annexing Canada as the 51st state. Trump's comments have united Canadians, despite differing opinions on who should oppose the Republican.
"I think a lot of the bitterness coming from the Conservatives towards Trump’s comments on Canada becoming the 51st state is particularly hurtful to them since they tried so hard to be just as violent and imperialist as the US. Dumb, insecure babies playing with literal fire," says Hamou.
"Also, it brought so much unity once Canadians felt they were under threat… I think most people equate the Conservative Party with the US Republican Party and thus may move away from voting that way if they historically did. Here's hoping!" she adds.
Copeland says Carney is "the best man to get us through the next four years of Donald Trump."
"The Conservatives are more in line with Trump type policies," he says, adding that even if they push back, it will be "limited." "As much as he (Poilievre) said Canada is never for sale, I think he would sell us down the river."
Franklin regrets that, despite Trump's disrespect, Americans never defended them.
"In 9/11, they diverted planes to Canada, and we took in Americans. We've been in every war with the Americans (except for Vietnam)," he says.
"So, we want a leader here that's going to be able to deal best with Trump, and I believe that Mark Carney is the smart man to do that."
Richardson notes Trump is a hot topic but argues voting for the Liberals again is "astronomically stupid."
"I'm voting Conservative, my wife's voting Conservative, and everyone I know is too," he says, implying Canadian exit polls might also be inaccurate.
Gervais notes that the US President, though largely uninvolved in the race, has expressed a preference for the Liberal leader over the Conservative.
"Canadians are watching closely and voting for whoever they believe won't get steamrolled in future trade negotiations. The US President looms large over this election."
Polls show Liberals are ahead in public support nationally, with 42%, followed by the Conservatives at 37.1%.
In a tight race, votes in a few Canadian electoral districts, known as "ridings," could determine the next prime minister.
