Polls Open In Canada After Trump And Tariffs Dominate Election Campaign

The first polls open in Canada’s federal election

It’s now 08:30 in Newfoundland and parts of Labrador, which means the first polls in Canada are now opening.

Of course, some have already opted to vote via post or through advance polling stations.

But the majority of Canadians will be voting today.

The provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and the rest of Labrador are next to join in as polling stations continue to open across Canada.

It’s 08:30 local time there now, and people are beginning to make their way to cast their votes.

It’s pretty simple. To vote in a Canadian election you must:be a Canadian citizenbe at least 18-years-old, andhave proof of your identity and address.

Early voting for this election has shattered records with about 7.3 million people already casting their ballots nationwide, according to Elections Canada – the independent agency that administers the polls.

That is about a quarter of all eligible voters.In the 2021 federal election, 5.8 million Canadians voted early.Advance voting began 18 April and ended 22 April.

Those who didn’t vote will have the chance to do so today.

Early votes are counted after polls close, but election workers can request to start counting one hour before polls close, if the volume is high.

How many seats are there in the provinces opened for polls?

In Prince Edward Island, there are four seats up for grabs. New Brunswick has 10, and in Nova Scotia, there are 11 seats.As we mentioned earlier, there are seven seats in Newfoundland and Labrador, which is where the first polls in Canada opened today.

The next set of polling stations will open in just under two hours, with people in Ontario, Quebec and Nunavut and others stretching all the way to British Columbia getting ready to vote.

In Canadian elections, voters don’t directly vote for a prime minister but they choose between political parties.

Here’s a quick summary of the main parties:

Liberals – a centre-left party that has been in power for much of Canada’s recent history. It is progressive on some social issues, like abortion and LGBT rights, but is also supportive of free markets.

Conservatives – the other major player in Canadian politics is led by Pierre Poilievre. They stand for low taxes and government regulation in the economy.

This cycle, their stance has mirrored other right-wing parties around the world, speaking against “woke” agendas and calling for reduced immigration.

New Democratic Party – sits a little to the left of the Liberals and champions a social democratic society with some government regulation of the economy.

The party takes progressive stances on social issues, such as immigration and the environment.

Bloc Québécois – a Quebec-sovereigntist party that only runs candidates in the French-speaking province.

Green Party – holds the fifth-largest amount of seats in the House of Common. They focus on championing a fairer future for all and protecting the climate.