As 2025 nears, so does the federal election in election. Here’s a summary of what you missed happening.
Kate Henderson (she/they) // Crew Writer
Cassie VP (she/her) // Illustrator
American politics, with their absurd twists and turns, have a way of holding people’s attention. More than that: it’s distracting. The Capilano Courier asked Capilano University students how “in touch” they felt about federal Canadian politics in an attempt to understand how people understand the current landscape. The consensus among the interviewed was: well, not much. Still, not all students are completely alienated from politics. Abbey Patton, for one, expressed concern over reproductive rights and gender equality. Another student, Josee Smith worries about the genocide perpetrated in Gaza by Israel. But, they’re not quite up to date on federal Canadian politics. People follow American politics, and plan to learn about whatever is going on in Ottawa closer to the polls. But, an election almost happened in October 2024.
Now, back in 2022, the minority liberal government made a Supply and Confidence with the New Democratic Party under Jaghmeet Singh—an agreement that would guarantee NDP votes for Liberal bills, in exchange for the implementation of NDP policies which mainly consists fo broadening of worker protection rights, and improving services for the lower class. However, in September of this year Singh announced the choice to dissolve this agreement with the statement that “Justin Trudeau has proven again and again he will always cave to corporate greed.” The deal died in a time of crisis for the governing party. The Liberals have been performing poorly at the polls, while support for the Conservatives, led by Pierre Polievre, rises. The end of the NDP-Liberal alliance gave way to a non-confidence motion, brought by the Conservatives. Less than 24 hours after it failed, Polievre motioned for a second vote, which the Liberals also survived. More might come, and it’s time to catch up. But (and this is a fact of lived experience) it’s overwhelming to learn about years of past scandals, broken and made alliances, promises kept and broken. So, here’s a crash course of what’s been happening recently.
People have grown frustrated with Justin Trudeau’s Liberals after nine years. Daniel Pinate Cabullero, a CapU student, said “I would want to vote for someone that doesn’t just prioritize the upper class.” Josee Smith, also a CapU student, explained that the NDP’s commitment to supporting low income families is attractive because of high the cost of living has become. But, it’s not the NDP that reaping the rewards of the Liberals’s unpopularity: The Conservatives are too. During the pandemic and its immediate aftermath, Polievre was rallying people by questioning Trudeau’s Covid mandates. Now, his focus has shifted and he’s attacking carbon pricing and tax.
Canada’s response to Covid-19 was not perfect, but it was swift – especially compared to the USA’s. Canadians witnessed Trudeau’s promises readily convert into action with mass distribution of vaccines and lockdowns. But, not everybody appreciated the restrictions on movement for the good of public safety – anti masks and anti vaccinations movements grew larger. The most famous example is the Freedom Convoy. Truck drivers created blockades in protest to government vaccine mandates. The situation escalated to the point Trudeau enacted the Emergencies Act for the first time in Canadian history, to dismantle the event as a “last resort.” Poilievre’s rally of making Canada the “freest country on Earth” resonates in such an atmosphere. Poilievre’s past proposals of a ban on vaccine mandates.
Carbon pricing and taxes hits another Canadian soft spot: gas expenses. The proposed goal of the bill is discouraging large companies’ emissions in the face of climate change by making it more expensive to pollute; which means it make gas prices spike. It is not active in all provinces, and, where it’s applied, individuals (that is people, and corporations) affected have a right to obtain a refund through Canada Carbon Rebate program. The Carbon tax is not an unreasonable or thoughtless policy to combat climate change, but it is a confusing one. People’s rebates are different depending on their situation and it’s effects seem to be positive but not overwhelmingly so. Plus, the employees of the businesses that rely on gas are not thrilled. The Conservatives cry to “axe the tax” has an appeal that conquers people easily.
Trudeau’s personal image as a leader has also taken a nose dive. Public’s distrust in Trudeau’s personal and corporate interest started in 2017, when Trudeau’s gifts and trip from Aga Khan’s (federal lobby groups) island were made public. In 2019, a report by Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion alleged Trudeau of having pressured attorney general Jody-Wilson Raybolt to spare SNC-Lavilln’s from criminal investigation. In 2020, the government decided that We Charity would be responsible for managing a $900-million student grant program. This sparked criticism: both Trudeau and then–finance Minister Bill Morneau have familial ties to the organization. Paired with the public release of his instances of brown and blackface, Trudeau’s image is in tatters.
The result of all of this is: if an election were to happen tomorrow, the B.C. conservatives would most likely win. And that affects all the issues that students care about: cost of living, gender discrimination, and foreign relations with Israel.