Well done, Canada!
A record number of voters cast their ballots early, and millions more showed up yesterday because they believed this election could be one of the most consequential in recent history. Advance polls topped records with 7.3 million people casting a ballot from April 18 to April 21, a 25 per cent increase in turnout compared to 2021.
These numbers show Canadians from coast to coast to coast felt it was important to have their voices heard; they are engaged and want a government to stand up for them and Canada.
Given the number of close races across the country, Elections Canada paused the vote count overnight, and Canadians woke up this morning not knowing if the new government had a minority or majority mandate. What voters did know is that two federal leaders lost their seats: Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh.
Singh announced he was stepping down while his party faces a major rebuild after losing party status in the House of Commons. And while Poilievre led his party to win more seats in Parliament, questions will be raised about who will lead the Conservatives going forward.
The election results are clear, the new Liberal government will need to work with the opposition to address the challenges that lie ahead, including the global trade upheaval caused by U.S. President Donald Trump and the economic challenges we face.
The new Liberal government must create a broad coalition across party lines that invests in our greatest resource – the people who call Canada home. This will require compromises to address social policies while investing in the future.
First, on social policy, the new government must continue to prioritize policies that benefit all of society. This includes providing housing for those experiencing homelessness and disabilities, providing resources to improve the health care system and accessibility to it, and protecting and promoting diversity and inclusion. These are policies that define Canada and who we are.
Second, when Mark Carney is officially sworn in as Prime Minister, he will be leading a government that will face many challenges stemming from Trump’s tariffs and navigating the shift in the global order while addressing the economic strain this will have on our country.
As I wrote last month, there are some trade solutions in front of us to help with the global trade upheaval, including prioritizing our Indo-Pacific Strategy and specifically re-engaging India. In addition, the Canada-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) must be signed this year to increase trade between our two countries, which was valued at $5.1 billion in 2023. We cannot afford to let another missed trade opportunity pass us by.
We need to push the 10 European member states to fully ratify the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) to increase trade with Europe, which will also give us leverage in dealing with the Trump administration. CETA was signed on October 30, 2016, and approved by the European Parliament with member states ratifying independently before it is fully applied. We cannot afford to politely wait while nations continue to delay implementation. It’s time to change our tactics, roll up our sleeves and get this deal done with the holdouts.
And this brings us to the Trump challenge. While we can breathe a bit easier as Trump slaps tariffs on nations around the world, with a specific focus on China, Trump recently suggested he might impose more reciprocal tariffs on some countries in the next few weeks. As one of many nations now subject to Trump’s tariff wall, we must be strategic and leverage the weapons of nations impacted by tariffs to our benefit. We are a trading nation, and for us to weather the global trade upheaval, we must be aggressive in seeking out arrangements that will work for Canada; no stone can be left unturned.
The Liberal government must also continue to engage the U.S. We cannot afford to walk away from our biggest trading partner, nor can we trust Trump and his administration. Our friend south of the border is gone—the next government must build a transactional relationship, doing deals that are necessary while looking further afield for new alliances.
We also must continue to invest in climate solutions and provide incentives for innovation. Investing in our natural resources and getting those resources to market is key for Canada’s economic future.
The election results show Canadians want a government to push for Canada on the world stage, securing strong trade partnerships, keeping our sovereignty intact and providing support to all Canadians.The Liberal government must reach out to all Canadians, continue to keep our elbows up, so together we can overcome the challenges to come.
