We’re days away from knowing who will form Canada’s next government, and in case this race has left you a bit lost, just a reminder: we’ve created a video to help you better understand why we’re having an election and what’s at stake when Canada heads to the polls. But beyond the video, we have news to discuss!
The Debate
Hopefully you were able to join us for our live question-and-answer session during the English federal election debate last week, but in case you missed it, here’s a recap of what happened when the leaders of Canada’s four major parties squared off before the nation:
Canada’s first election debate opens with sparring over Trump
6 big moments and takeaways from the final leaders’ debate
What does it all mean? One of Canada’s leading political analysts, Paul Wells, offers his thoughts:
The Platforms
After the debates – and after advanced polling opened – the two major parties vying to form Canada’s next government finally released their costed platforms (which we discussed in length during our debate Q&A!):
TL;DR? No worries! Here are a few takes on what the parties are promising, and what it will cost Canadian taxpayers:
Here’s how the Liberal and Conservative platforms stack up on key issues
John Ivison: Mark Carney’s platform relies on fiscal alchemy and hopeful assumptions
Poilievre’s election platform sure looks good. But are the numbers real?
Election promises add up to a lot of red ink — but reality could be even worse
Voting
Most Canadians will head to the polls Monday, but advanced polling opened over the long weekend and the turnout? It was exceptional.
Record 7.3 million Canadians voted during advance polls: Elections Canada
Here’s hoping this is the election that sets a new high-water mark for voter turnout, especially given the stakes for our nation.
Trust and the Ballot Question
As we discussed in our video, party leaders – and voter trust in their abilities and promises – play a major role in how Canadians cast their ballots. On the issue of trust, two stories caught our eye and are worthy of your attention:
Why is Pierre Poilievre covering up the coming US civil war?
Canada election: Carney confirms Trump made ‘51st state’ comment during 1st call
And then there is the ballot question. Though cost-of-living is a major issue in this campaign, for many Canadian voters, that issues is tied directly to the other big issue: Trump and his threats to Canada. And on that count? We have some news!
Trump reinserts himself into Canadian politics, saying ‘as a state, it works great’
The Dividing Line
How best to safeguard our economy from US President Donald Trump’s trade war and annexation threats is increasingly being boiled down to a debate over the value of pipelines and resource extraction. Again.
Both major Canadian political parties are making big promises, but how realistic are they? The Globe and Mail explores this question:
Regardless of the analysis, many in Alberta have made up their mind about which party is the right party to grow our economy and protect Alberta’s place in our confederation:
Preston Manning: Spike in secession support inevitable if Carney wins election
If that sounds like an ultimatum, Premier Danielle Smith says it’s more of a warning:
Whether a Liberal win threatens national unity depends on Albertans, Danielle Smith says
What are Albertans saying? Well, some aren’t just talking; they’re acting.
Alberta separatists getting organized — a unity challenge for Canada and Danielle Smith’s party
The rise of an Alberta separatist movement has led some to complicated feelings in many corners of the province:
Kenney warns against letting ‘small minority’ of Alberta separatists dominate political agenda
Keith Gerein: Edmontonians have dual anger — at Liberal policies but also at secession ultimatums
And it’s also led to anger and division in BC:
In other words, the vision and values of one province continues to clash with those of others, and that’s a big problem for Canada – and our next federal government.
Earth Day
We hope you enjoyed our special Earth Day coverage, but if Earth Day completely passed you by, you’re not alone. With a devolving international rules-based order, a global trade war, and a federal election on the home front, Earth Day felt more like an afterthought than ever before. Does it matter?
Dr. Jane Goodall’s 2025 Earth Day Message
Of course, our understanding of environmental issues isn’t exactly solid, and here’s one reason why:
Eight of the top 10 online shows are spreading climate misinformation
Is environmental misinformation the reason why the environment hasn’t played a major role in this election campaign? Some environmental researchers argue no, with good reason. But there is a caveat:
Without Canada, there is no Canadian environment to protect
Regardless of where you stand on environmental issues, where do the parties stand? Well, The Narwhal – an environmentally-focused online news site with a centre-left bias – analyzed the party promises:
Your mileage may vary on the validity of that analysis, depending on how you weigh these two realities:
Opinion: We should start acting like the energy superpower we are
Canada’s climate fight hinges on industrial carbon price, say experts
The challenge for our next government? Meaningfully address both environmental and economic concerns that threaten our nation, often in more ways than we assume:
Dire Wolves
Speaking of the environment, the tech-meets-science community continued their push to de-extinct long vanished species, this time bringing back the dire wolf. Kind of.
Is this a scientific breakthrough that can offer hope for our struggling biodiversity? The broad consensus is a resounding no.
Why is de-extinction a problem? Here are two important takes:
‘De-extinction’ of dire wolves promotes false hope: technology can’t undo extinction
Why ‘de-extinct’ dire wolves are a Trojan horse to hide humanity’s destruction of nature
Red flags, fact, and a lack of regulatory oversight isn’t likely to stop the de-extinction trend, leaving some to make this case:
If we must bring back extinct species, let’s focus on the giant herbivores
Others, however, are taking a firmer stand:
The Passing of the Pope
Regardless of whether you’re Catholic or not, the passing of the Pope is a major world event, especially given that Pope Francis impacted our world in many ways, including through his advocacy for nature. What is the legacy of Pope Francis and what happens next? Start here:
Pope Francis, committed to service, humility and healing, dead at 88
What happens after the death of Pope Francis and when is the funeral?
Better Than You Think
You’re not alone if you feel like the world is going off-the-rails, quickly and decisively. But here’s the thing: according to the Globe and Mail, who analyzed volumes of data, we’re better off than many of us assume:
Why the world is better than you think
Without question, that’s hopeful news we must not forget, even if we must also remember that hope – and continued positive trends – isn’t a given; only we can determine what tomorrow will bring, for better or worse.
Final Thoughts
With the election days away, this two-part article from journalist Paul Wells is a good place to conclude our news round-up. Why? Well, as Wells argues, elections and governments don’t happen to us; we’re active participants in the outcome. If we want a better Canada and a healthier democracy, we need to realize that casting our ballot must be our first (rather than final) step in fulfilling our civic duty.
Tune in Monday night for our special election night coverage, as we go beyond the news and help you understand exactly what happened and how it relates to what you’re learning in class. More than that, we’ll do our best to answer your questions and explain what the results will mean for your communities and our nation. Until then!