麻豆影视

Politics

    • Ready or not? Canadians apprehensive as parties brace for an election call

    Share
    OTTAWA -

    Behind the scenes, federal political parties are finalizing campaign plans in anticipation of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calling an election this month. But, with the latest national modelling warning that the country may be on the verge of a fourth wave of COVID-19 infections, Canadians and the opposition parties are expressing concerns about hitting the trail.

    鈥淚t鈥檚 not the right time to have an election,鈥 said NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh on Tuesday. He thinks the prime minister鈥檚 focus right now should be on supporting those still feeling the pandemic鈥檚 impacts and seeing as many Canadians receive vaccines as possible.

    National modelling issued by the Public Health Agency of Canada on Friday indicated that with reopening plans underway the country is seeing an increase in new cases, with thousands more predicted.

    How severe the 鈥淒elta-driven鈥 influx in new infections will be come September depends on how much higher Canada can get its vaccination rate, officials said. 

    The same day, the federal government announced it鈥檇 be extending the COVID-19 aid programs into October, removing the potential for them to expire amid a fall federal election. 

    鈥淚 can鈥檛 comment about the speculation about an election鈥 We all have a responsibility as leaders, elected leaders, to act appropriately based on the disease epidemiology in our region,鈥 said Health Minister Patty Hajdu on Tuesday when asked about whether it would be responsible or safe for Trudeau to call an election.

    Singh has been outspoken about his opposition to an election throughout the pandemic, and recently tried to make the case in a letter to newly-installed Gov. Gen. Mary Simon, arguing that there is 鈥渘o reason鈥 to call an election right now, other than Trudeau wanting more power.

    鈥淪ure, people might say 鈥榯hat that's what governments do.鈥欌 I don't think that's what governments do when you're in the middle of a pandemic, when you're up against a potential fourth wave, when you're up against such serious problems,鈥 Singh said.

    While he said the NDP is ready for an election, Singh is offering to continue to prop up the Liberals on key legislation, should they return to Parliament in the fall.

    鈥淲e're confident that we can show Canadians that we've been there for them and that we fought for them and will continue to fight for them in the recovery, I just don't think it's the right time,鈥 Singh said.

    While Conservative Leader Erin O鈥橳oole has said he enjoyed getting to go to Alberta in July to meet people and is: 鈥渆xcited to keep the momentum going and a few of his top staffers took to twitter to voice their concerns this past long weekend to question the timing of Trudeau鈥檚 widely-rumoured election call. 

    鈥淎 Delta-driven 4th Wave is a clear, immediate, and foreseeable threat to Canada. Its mitigation should be the exclusive focus of the government right now, not an election,鈥

    Jetting off across the country over the last few weeks and resuming in-person announcements, Trudeau deflected suggestions that he鈥檚 conducting a pre-campaign test run or eyeing a visit to Rideau Hall to ask that the writs of election be drawn up.

    鈥淲e鈥檙e announcing a lot this summer because over the last year and a half, we all spent a lot of time on Zoom and it's nice to be here in-person to talk about the work that we've done,鈥 he said when asked outright at an event on July 20 when the next election was going to be called.

    Despite his deflections, recent polls from various public opinion outlets have signalled that the Liberals could be within reach of a majority government if a vote was held soon, which could also be feeding into the arguments from opposition parties to hold off.

    WHERE DO CANADIANS STAND?

    While political junkies may be getting ready for a federal race, new data from Nanos Research suggests that the majority of Canadians aren鈥檛 that enthusiastic about an election right now.

    Building off July survey data from Nanos Research that indicated that more respondents were either neutral or upset about the prospect of a federal election than were happy about it, a new survey is shedding light on how folks are feeling.

    According to the poll by Nanos Research and commissioned by 麻豆影视, three in five Canadians surveyed over this past long weekend felt an election in the fall might not be necessary.

    Specifically, 34.8 per cent of respondents said it was unimportant to have an election and 22.8 per cent said it would be somewhat unimportant.

    As for those who are more on-side with an election this fall, just 15 per cent said it would be important, while another 23.1 per cent said it would be somewhat important. Further, 4.2 per cent of those asked were unsure.

    鈥淭here's not a lot of enthusiasm to have a federal election at this particular point in time, and I think the fact of the matter is, for most Canadians, they're just happy to try to put the pandemic behind them, and to start to connect with loved ones, [rather than] think about listening to politicians ask for their votes,鈥 said Nanos Research's Nik Nanos in an interview with 麻豆影视.

    Nanos said that Canadians are aware of the risks of an election amid a pandemic, calling it an 鈥渦neasiness鈥 that could 鈥渢urn into resistance to an election,鈥 if the COVID-19 situation worsens.

    鈥淭he question of whether it's necessary or not is a big question,鈥 he said.

    The survey also indicated that less than three in 10 Canadians want a majority Liberal government right now.

    Specifically, when asked which fall election outcome would be the best outcome for Canada, 27.7 per cent of respondents said a Liberal majority, 20.7 per cent said a Conservative majority, 17.4 per cent said a Liberal minority, 9.7 per cent said an NDP majority, and 8.4 per cent said a Conservative minority.

    鈥淭he conditions for an election usually involve some sort of parliamentary or political crisis: A government gets defeated in the House of Commons, it's not workable, it can't pass legislation, there's a scandal of some sort, and that's when parties usually clamor for elections. That's usually when Canadians want to vote in order to cast judgment on the government of the day,鈥 said Nanos. 鈥淚n this situation, there is no crisis鈥 So the question for Canadians is: What is the crisis? And what is the urgency? And I think that's probably the first question that the Liberals will have to answer if they decide to call an election.鈥

    Political campaign strategist Zain Velji noted that there is some good news in the numbers that indicate Canadians don鈥檛 want an election: 鈥淚t kind of indicates that many Canadians are fine with the status quo,鈥 he said in an interview with 麻豆影视, cautioning that there is also a risk in Trudeau waiting to call an election.

    鈥淚f he waits from a political standpoint, here's what could be on the table: The ballot box question could change, the halo of vaccinations and the last leg of COVID that the Liberals are getting high marks on will dissipate, and fundamentally you give Erin O'Toole more time to perhaps entrench himself with the public, find his footing, find a convenient or accessible ballot box question, and expand his constituency,鈥 he said.

    CAMPAIGNS BRACING FOR CALL

    Amid the ongoing speculation, all federal parties are pushing ahead with rapidly nominating candidates, putting in place key campaign staff and sorting logistics like renting planes and busses to crisscross the country.

    鈥淲hile Justin Trudeau is focused on an election instead of an economic recovery, we will take the steps needed to be ready if he forces Canadians to the polls including having travel arrangements on standby in terms of both buses and a plane,鈥 said Conservative Party of Canada spokesperson Cory Hann in an email to 麻豆影视.

    As of Tuesday, the Liberals have nominated 226 candidates, the Conservatives have nominated 275 candidates, the NDP have nominated 126 candidates, and the Greens have 97 candidates nominated.

    Asked for details on their COVID-19 precautions, all parties said they plan to follow the necessary local health guidelines in each place they travel.

    鈥淲hile we don鈥檛 comment on the specifics of election readiness preparations, we鈥檙e looking forward to safely sharing our strong plan with Canadians across the country during the next campaign, whenever that may be 鈥 and our teams will continue to monitor and follow all applicable public health guidance,鈥 said Liberal Party of Canada spokesperson Matteo Rossi in an email.

    Rossi said that already Liberal party supporters have been door-knocking and holding small events and the party is 鈥渉opeful that we will be able to continue building on that progress safely in the weeks ahead.鈥

    Further, Rossi said that Liberal national campaign director Azam Ishmael and Liberal Party president Suzanne Cowan have been leading regular briefing calls with local riding staff and volunteers on virtual organizing tools and latest COVID-19 protocols.

    The New Democrats are requiring that everyone on the leader鈥檚 tour be fully vaccinated, and the party says they plan to use both outdoor and virtual events to supplement the in-person aspect of the campaign.

    Green Party Leader Annamie Paul and all candidates will 鈥渟trive to hold outdoor rallies whenever possible, and will utilize virtual town hall options as well,鈥 spokesperson Rosie Emery said in an email.

    ELECTIONS CANADA LIMITATIONS?

    If the vote is called, and case counts keep rising, Elections Canada may have to amend its plans to accommodate shifting local public health restrictions, but already the agency says it鈥檚 ready to conduct an election should one be called while COVID-19 is still a threat.

    In June, Canada's Chief Electoral Officer Stephane Perrault outlined how his agency has taken steps to prepare for people to go to the polls safely during a pandemic. 

    This has included stocking up on personal protective gear for electors and staff at polling places; implementing capacity limits and rapid testing at voting locations; and planning out how votes could be cast in high-risk institutions like long-term care homes.

    The biggest change that Elections Canada is bracing for is a surge in mail-in voting. The agency says it has increased the capacity to process mail-in ballots, including implementing an online vote-by-mail application system.

    The agency also plans to deploy drop boxes for mail-in ballots inside all polling places to allow any voter who may be cutting it too close to send it by mail an option to still cast their ballot and have it counted.

    In the last federal election, out of 18.3 million ballots cast, approximately 55,000 were done by mail. Based on recent polling done by Nanos Research, that number could be far greater if there鈥檚 a 2021 election.

    鈥淚t might not sound like a big number, [but] 37 per cent of Canadians outright said that they're interested in voting by mail,鈥 said Nanos on the latest episode of the Trend Line podcast. 

    That means Elections Canada potentially could be counting millions, not thousands, of mail-in ballots.

    One proposed change that isn鈥檛 expected to come to fruition would be setting up weekend voting, essentially a three-day election period rather than just one voting day, as the legislation to implement this didn鈥檛 pass this spring. Advanced polling days would still be arranged and would be subject to when the timing of the election would be.

    Under current law, a federal election has to be at least 36 days in length, and no more than 50 days long. For context, the 2019 vote was held 41 days after the campaign kicked off. The maximum length capacity was set after the 78-day 2015 federal election.

    If an election was called in August, depending on when and how long of a campaign period there would be, election day would likely be sometime in mid to late September.

    Perrault has spoken favourably of having a longer writ period, as that would allow Elections Canada to have a longer runway to get all measures in place. Though, the longer the race the riskier it becomes that unforeseen events could upend the government鈥檚 fortunes and so it remains to be seen if we鈥檙e soon off to the races, and how long it鈥檒l be before ballots are cast.

    NANOS鈥 METHODOLOGY

    Nanos conducted an RDD dual frame (land-and cell-lines) hybrid telephone and online random survey of 1,002 Canadians, 18 years of age or older, between July 30thand August 2nd, 2021, as part of an omnibus survey.

    Participants were randomly recruited by telephone using live agents and administered a survey online. The sample included both land-and cell-lines across Canada. The results were statistically checked and weighted by age and gender using the latest Census information and the sample is geographically stratified to be representative of Canada.

    Individuals randomly called using random digit dialling with a maximum of five call backs.

    The margin of error for this survey is 卤3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

    This study was commissioned by 麻豆影视 and the research was conducted by Nanos Research.

    This story was edited by CTVNews.ca producer Adam Ward. 

    IN DEPTH

    Opinion

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

    When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.

    Unusual flippered feet are making their way into the Saint Lawrence River this weekend. Led by underwater explorer and filmmaker Nathalie Lasselin, volunteer divers are combing the riverbed near Beauharnois in Mont茅r茅gie to remove hundreds of tires that have been polluting the aquatic environment for decades.

    Canada

    • A man is facing numerous drug trafficking charges after Dufferin OPP seized a large assortment of drugs and weapons in Orangeville earlier this week.

    • The London Police Service (LPS) is currently investigating a suspicious death in the east end.

    • Unusual flippered feet are making their way into the Saint Lawrence River this weekend. Led by underwater explorer and filmmaker Nathalie Lasselin, volunteer divers are combing the riverbed near Beauharnois in Mont茅r茅gie to remove hundreds of tires that have been polluting the aquatic environment for decades.

    • The 75-year-old building, formerly the Waskesiu Chamber of Commerce building, was relocated to the Parks Canada compound on the edge of the townsite.

    • Mattea Roach among the Maritimers honoured with the King Charles III Coronation Medal Friday.

    • Montrealers can get used to taking a stroll on several car-free streets during the summer in the years to come thanks to a new commitment from the city.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    • Tattoos are becoming more common in today's society and, as a result, appear to be more acceptable in the workplace than they used to be.

    • How to win the fight with kids over phone use

      The end of the day 鈥 when school, extracurricular activities and homework are (hopefully) finally done 鈥 is the window that many kids have for downtime. It can be a struggle to convince them not to go on their phones.

    • While slang may come and go, experts say the phenomenon behind them, which constantly churns out brand-new bon mots, is as old as language itself.

    Sports

    • Kiefer Sherwood spent several nights last spring chasing Quinn Hughes around the ice and generally pestering the Vancouver Canucks.

    • Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

    Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

    An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

    They say a dog is a man鈥檚 best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

    A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

    Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

    The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

    The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

    It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.

    • A six-year-old girl who was reported missing in northern B.C. earlier this week remains unaccounted for, and "significant resources from across the province" have joined in the search, police said Saturday.

    • A man who was found dead behind a curling rink in Nanaimo, B.C., earlier this month was the victim of a homicide, police confirmed.

    • No one was injured when a large fire destroyed a home in a rural part of Surrey overnight.

    • A suspect wanted in a homicide in Richmond Hill has been arrested, York Regional Police say.

    • Toronto police say they have now identified a third person who they believe was involved in a shooting that left two men dead in North York earlier this week.

    • A man is fighting for his life in hospital a day after a vehicle smashed into several others in and around an intersection in Milton before flipping over.

    • The water coming from your taps might be a bit murky Saturday, but Calgary remains on schedule to end all water restrictions on Sunday.

    • An estimated 8,000 volunteers mobilized across the city Saturday as the Calgary Food Bank went door-to-door collecting food and funds.

    • The man charged with fatally stabbing lifelong Banff resident Ethan Enns-Goneau in 2022 has been convicted of second-degree murder.

    • A woman who went missing on the Ottawa River near Pembroke, Ont. while kayaking Tuesday night has been found dead, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

    • A joint police operation to promote safe driving on Highway 417 in the Ottawa area has resulted in laying dozens of charges in three hours Friday, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

    • Whether it was a big truck, or a small one, the construction trucks rolling past the Children鈥檚 Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) on Saturday had a very important job, and it's putting smiles on the faces of little ones.

    • Montrealers can get used to taking a stroll on several car-free streets during the summer in the years to come thanks to a new commitment from the city.

    • Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.

    • Unusual flippered feet are making their way into the Saint Lawrence River this weekend. Led by underwater explorer and filmmaker Nathalie Lasselin, volunteer divers are combing the riverbed near Beauharnois in Mont茅r茅gie to remove hundreds of tires that have been polluting the aquatic environment for decades.

    • Tattoos are becoming more common in today's society and, as a result, appear to be more acceptable in the workplace than they used to be.

    • The Edmonton Police Service is looking for a person of interest in connection with a suspicious fire that destroyed a multi-unit building and damaged several townhomes earlier this week.

    • Former Edmonton Oiler Zack Kassian has rejoined the team as a pro scout, the Oilers announced on Saturday.

    • Halifax Regional Police warned the public of a series of high-value thefts targeting retail stores Friday.

    • Pictou County District RCMP is investigating a fatal crash that occurred in Thorburn, N.S., Saturday.

    • A proposal for additional parking to accommodate upgrades at the Irving Pulp & Paper Mill in Saint John, N.B., would add an estimated 500 parking spots at Wolastoq Park.

    • The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.

    • A herd of dogs paid visit to patients and residents at Riverview Health Centre during an annual event that lifts spirits and wags tails.

    • While slang may come and go, experts say the phenomenon behind them, which constantly churns out brand-new bon mots, is as old as language itself.

    • The last two months after losing her daughter Bella have been extremely difficult for Kyla Thomson.

    • Regina police arrested three youths in connection to a bear mace incident at a Regina high school on Friday.

    • Heading into Friday's game against the Calgary Stampeders, quarterback Trevor Harris said he and his Saskatchewan Roughriders were "ready to rock."

    • The Cambridge Professional Fire Fighters鈥 Association held their annual Muscular Dystrophy Boot Drive on Saturday.

    • Protests were held in front of Kitchener City Hall on Friday, both for and against LGBTQ2S+ inclusive education and queer rights in schools.

    • The provincial government is considering new rules to restrict a municipality鈥檚 ability to install new bike lanes if it means traffic lanes would be removed.

    • Heading into Friday's game against the Calgary Stampeders, quarterback Trevor Harris said he and his Saskatchewan Roughriders were "ready to rock."

    • The City of Saskatoon is proposing changes to the proposed downtown shelter site plan following feedback from nearby residents and businesses.

    • The 75-year-old building, formerly the Waskesiu Chamber of Commerce building, was relocated to the Parks Canada compound on the edge of the townsite.

    • A motorcyclist has died following a serious collision that took place in London鈥檚 south end on Friday afternoon.

    • The London Police Service (LPS) is currently investigating a suspicious death in the east end.

    • The St. Thomas police is asking the public for help locating a missing man.

    • A man is facing numerous drug trafficking charges after Dufferin OPP seized a large assortment of drugs and weapons in Orangeville earlier this week.

    • One person is in hospital after an e-bike crash in Orillia on Thursday.

    • On Saturday, OPP officers responded to a call after a car hit a tree in a parking lot at 8:00 a.m. on West St. S and King St in Orillia.

    • The Amherstburg Freedom Museum is celebrating a year of festivities in anticipation of its 50th anniversary in 2025.

    • The St. Clair College golf teams were successful at the Niagara Knights Invitational tournament on Friday.

    • A LaSalle high school is celebrating its emerald anniversary this weekend, with everyone who has ever walked its halls invited to return.

    • A man who was found dead behind a curling rink in Nanaimo, B.C., earlier this month was the victim of a homicide, police confirmed.

    • A six-year-old girl who was reported missing in northern B.C. earlier this week remains unaccounted for, and "significant resources from across the province" have joined in the search, police said Saturday.

    • The British Columbia election campaign is set to officially start today, with Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin issuing the writ for the Oct. 19 vote.

    • A pair of runaway pigs are in the custody of an animal sanctuary in the Okanagan after evading police and volunteers for hours earlier this week.

    • The Red Bridge, a historic landmark in Kamloops, B.C., was completely destroyed by fire early Thursday morning.

    • Animal protection officers in British Columbia have rescued three pit bulls 鈥 including one that gave birth to 10 puppies 鈥 from a rat-infested home in Kelowna.

    • Despite the heavy rain, plenty of muscle turned up for United Way鈥檚 annual Pull the Bus fundraiser in Lethbridge Friday.

    • Lethbridge County has rescinded its fire restriction as a result of the recent cool, wet weathr.

    • The Lethbridge Hurricanes kicked off the 2024-25 season on a winning note Friday night, defeating the Edmonton Oil Kings 3-1 in a game played at VisitLethbridge.com Arena.

    • Following an outbreak of COVID-19 on its continuing care floor and just ahead of the flu season, St. Joseph鈥檚 General Hospital in Elliot Lake has opted to re-introduce a universal masking policy until further notice.

    • A 26-year-old driver from Surrey, B.C., has been charged with three counts of criminal negligence causing death and bodily harm in a crash that killed two youths in northern Ontario last year.

    • Ontario Provincial Police say three suspects from southern Ontario have been charged and drugs worth $300,000 have been seized following a traffic stop Sept. 16.

    N.L.

    Stay Connected
    Follow 麻豆影视