Hello, welcome to Politics Insider, election edition. There are three days until voting day. Let’s look at what happened today.
Jagmeet Singh says he ruled out helping precipitate an election last fall because he “couldn’t stomach the idea” of Pierre Poilievre and his Conservatives winning a majority as a result.
During an appearance in Toronto today, the federal NDP Leader also said he preferred to allow more time for pharmacare and dental care to be developed instead of joining with other parties to bring down the minority Liberal government.
“Those are really important things I fought for. I wanted people to benefit from that,” Singh said, as he took media questions at the convention of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union.
And he added, “Because I couldn’t stomach the idea of Pierre Poilievre forming a majority government, I made that decision.”
Heading into the last weekend of campaigning, Singh said he was confident that voters are going to support New Democrats, despite the party behind their political rivals in public-opinion polling,
At dissolution, the NDP ranked fourth among parties in the House of Commons with 24 seats. That put them behind the third-place Bloc Québécois, which has 33 seats.
Meanwhile, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre laid out his plans for the first 100 days if his party forms government Monday, promising a tough stand against U.S. President Donald Trump and a trio of bills to immediately move ahead on his key priorities.
One bill would cut income and sales taxes on certain homes, as well as fully repeal the consumer price on carbon; one would target faster development of natural resources and the third would impose new or stronger criminal penalties for serious offences including drug smuggling and trafficking.
And Liberal Leader Mark Carney took his campaign to the northern Ontario border city of Sault Ste. Marie, where he pledged in a stop at Algoma Steel to help workers and businesses affected by American tariffs on steel.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left to right, Liberal Leader Mark Carney and New Democratic Party Leader Jagmeet Singh participate in the English-language federal leaders' debate in Montreal on April 17, 2025.Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press
Elsewhere on the campaign trail
Shopify offered Mark Carney a job as president in 2020, before he went to Brookfield: “We were super eager to recruit him at the company,” recalls Craig Miller, who, as Shopify’s chief product officer, interviewed the current Liberal Leader for the position.
Poilievre’s Nova Scotia campaign stop highlights growing rift between federal Conservatives, provincial PCs: The federal Conservative Leader’s trip to Nova Scotia this week followed six months of strained relations between his office and Premier Tim Houston, dating back to an incident during last fall’s provincial election campaign.
Newfoundland and Labrador offshore oil industry hoping election brings sea change: Charlene Johnson, chief executive of the sector’s industry association, Energy N.L., says energy security is now top of mind for Canadians as trade tensions persist with Trump, and there are untapped oil and gas resources in Newfoundland and Labrador.
‘It feels dystopian:’ AI-generated content about federal election flooded online news void: But Aengus Bridgman from the Ontario-based Media Ecosystem Observatory says the good news is that a large amount of sophisticated and false online content has seemingly had a low impact on Canadian electors so far.
On our election radar
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet campaigned in Shawinigan, Trois-Rivières, and Victoriaville. He was scheduled to end the day in Châteauguay, watching the third game of the Montreal Canadiens playoff series.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre held a news conference in Saskatoon and was scheduled to hold an evening rally in the Vancouver Island community of Nanoose Bay.
Green Party Co-Leader Elizabeth May held a news conference on poverty in Victoria, canvassed in the district of Saanich and also participated in a pair of sign-waving events. Party Co-Leader Jonathan Pedneault campaigned in the Montreal riding of Outremont, where he is a candidate.
Liberal Leader Mark Carney delivered remarks and took media questions in the Ontario city of Sault Ste. Marie, then visited a small business and participated in a virtual Assembly of First Nations forum. He was scheduled to meet with community members in Georgetown, west of Toronto, then travel to Cambridge to deliver remarks, and, finally, hold an evening rally in London.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh began his day in Toronto, where he made an announcement, attended the 2025 Ontario Public Service Employees Union and held campaign events in Hamilton and London.
Poll tracker
The poll by Nanos Research, conducted for The Globe and Mail and CTV, surveyed 1,221 Canadians aged 18 and older from the past three days. The interviews are compiled into a three-night rolling average. It has a margin of error of 2.7 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. Respondents were asked: “For those parties you would consider voting for federally, could you please rank your top two current local preferences?” The full methodology for all surveys can be found at: tgam.ca/polls.
Campaign quote
“Some of you sat through what, maybe, was the least interesting speech that I have given, and I know there’s competition for that” - Liberal Leader Mark Carney, in Sault. Ste Marie, answering a journalists’ question during a news conference today.
Question period
Under what circumstances would Elections Canada conduct investigations?
Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answer.
Perspectives
There are some interesting ideas in the party platforms. It’s a pity no one will read them
By releasing their platforms so late in the campaign, the Conservatives and Liberals have conspired to ensure both will largely be ignored. I’ll be astonished if more than one Canadian in 100,000 has read either document by election day.
— Andrew Coyne, Columnist
A modest, if unlikely, proposal for a better government: a grand coalition
For instance, as much as Mr. Poilievre’s attack-dog countenance can rankle, wouldn’t it be great to see him go full bulldog on Canada’s behalf – in conjunction with the more diplomatic approach of Mr. Carney? And with Jagmeet Singh’s genuine compassion, and the Greens’? And even with Yves-François Blanchet’s blunt authenticity, as he advocates for Quebec?
— Marsha Lederman, Columnist
The Stanley Cup playoffs offer Canadians a welcome refuge from politics
The playoffs also provide a refuge from politics. You find common cause in your city. There is joy in the air. We are all cheering for the same team. We are cheering for hope, for success, for the ultimate prize. Politics does none of that.
— Sheema Khan is the author of Of Hockey and Hijab: Reflections of a Canadian Muslim Woman.
Go deeper
- Stay informed ahead of voting day with the latest updates.
- The Decibel: The latest episode of The Globe and Mail podcast, available here, has feature writer Shannon Proudfoot and columnists Robyn Urback and Marsha Lederman discussing how the leaders’ final pitches are sitting with Canadians. Economics reporter Nojoud Al Mallees is also on the podcast to break down the costed platforms of the Liberals and Conservatives and explain why some people are questioning the math.
- Follow along for our stories on Canada-U.S. relations as news develops
- Like a long read? Check out the fall of Justin Trudeau and the making of Pierre Poilievre
- Take a look at the history of immigration reporting and great political scandals from A Nation’s Paper, a book about The Globe and Mail’s role in Canadian history
Got a news tip that you’d like us to look into? E-mail us at tips@globeandmail.com. Need to share documents securely? Reach out via SecureDrop.
The answer to today’s question: Elections Canada never conducts investigations. Its mandate, under the Canada Elections Act, is to manage and conduct elections and referendums as well as political financing. The Commissioner of Canada Elections, an independent officer, conducts investigations into potential wrongdoing in federal elections. Caroline J. Simard is the current commissioner.