Editorial

March 26 2025

Highly consequential election calls for increased engagement, awareness

You may have read the comments on social media or heard them from family, friends and neighbours: Many Canadians are feeling anxiety and stress over the upcoming federal election — and even their vote in it.

It’s not an overstatement to say that this is the most consequential election in a generation. Many see our very existence as a country at risk, due to the expansionist bent of the Donald Trump administration. An election doesn’t get more serious than that.

The other big ballot box question is around affordability. The increased cost of food, rising rents and the elusive dream of home ownership will be top factors in the voting decisions of many.

With the race suddenly a tight contest, parties and candidates will be fighting hard for every vote. That was an unlikely scenario just a few months ago, when a Tory majority looked like a foregone conclusion. But now, largely thanks to the annexation and tariff threats from the American president, we have a horse race between the two front-runners, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and Liberal Mark Carney.

Canadians appear to be feeling the weight of responsibility on their shoulders. People are engaged in this first week of campaigning, listening to candidates and party leaders, and considering their options.

It’s vital that this level of interest and engagement continues and results in a high turnout on voting day. We now know that President Trump isn’t joking about making Canada the 51st state. We all have a role to play in making sure that never happens. And voting is vital to that effort.

We must also be mindful of the misinformation threat. Canada’s cyber intelligence agency has warned that countries, including China, Russia and Iran are “very likely” to use artificial intelligence in efforts to undermine the integrity of our election. Falsehoods circulated on social media will be harder to detect. For example, fake news reports are sometimes made to look like reports from well-known news outlets.

This all means we need to be cautious, especially when it comes to social media. It’s so important to verify the reliability of sources before sharing posts making claims about the parties and leaders seeking our support.

April 28 will be fast upon us. Now is a good time to commit to voting — and to preparing to make an informed vote.