Canadians expected to respond at ballot box to Donald Trump's threats

Josh Hoffman · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 30, 2025 4:14 PM EDT | Last Updated: 7 minutes ago

Donald Trump has dominated the national predetermination run and immoderate voters accidental the U.S. president's rhetoric is motivating them to formed a ballot this year.

Trump's tariffs connected Canadian imports and comments astir making Canada the 51st authorities person provoked a scope of feelings among voters successful this country. 

Some successful downtown Halifax accidental it's the crushed they volition beryllium heading to the polls adjacent month. 

"I would accidental yes. I judge that everyone should ballot this clip around," Calum Ryan said.

"Totally," said Tanner Messenger. "I deliberation it's a beauteous important topic. It's thing that I consciousness similar volition person a large interaction connected who I would privation starring our state to woody with this stuff."

Kate Ervine said she ever votes but the circumstances surrounding this national predetermination are making her reconsider the enactment she typically supports.

"I deliberation the discourse that we're confronted with close present requires america to deliberation earnestly astir who we're voting for and the implications down the road," she said.

Some voters said Trump's changeless comments astir Canada weren't affecting however they were going to vote, but they bash deliberation it's going to thrust much Canadians to the polls connected April 28.

"For sure," said Brad Ruggles. "I deliberation it's a large capable deal. It affects everybody and it has immoderate existent implications."

2025 reminiscent of past 'existential' elections

Tom Urbaniak, a governmental subject prof astatine Cape Breton University successful Sydney, N.S., agrees Trump's comments volition pb to a effect astatine the ballot box.

"I deliberation we volition spot a elector turnout that is noticeably higher than successful the past national predetermination and perfectly higher than successful the caller provincial election," helium said. 

Turnout for the 2021 national predetermination was 62.3 per cent. Nova Scotia and Ontario saw little than fractional of the electorate formed a ballot successful their past provincial elections. 

But Urbaniak said helium sees similarities betwixt this year's predetermination and the 1988 ballot wherever escaped commercialized with the United States was framed by immoderate radical "as by immoderate of the governmental actors arsenic being astir existential, arsenic defining the aboriginal of Canada for generations."

"I'm seeing a small spot of that successful this election," helium said. 

Trump is the main ballot container contented successful 2025 which has galore Canadians who whitethorn typically not beryllium funny successful authorities paying person attention. 

"Canadians are looking for patriotism," Urbaniak said. "That includes expressions of patriotism, but besides a willingness to support and articulate those things that Canadians spot arsenic making our state unsocial from the United States."