Hello, welcome to Politics Insider, election edition. There are six days until voting day. Let’s look at what happened today.
A record 7.3 million people voted in advance polls in the current federal campaign, Elections Canada said today – marking a 25-per-cent increase from 2021.
It also represents one quarter of voters registered for the April 28 election, Emily Haws reports.
Advance polls were open across the country from April 18 to April 21, over the Easter long weekend. Overall, about 28.2 million people are registered to vote in this election as of March, Elections Canada said.
Also, the Conservatives have released an election platform that pledges 34-billion in new spending and $75-billion in tax cuts over the next four years.
The party says it would help fund i projected expenditures with $56-billion in spending reductions over the same period, Steven Chase, Stephanie Levitz, and Bill Curry report.
“This is my plan for change,” Mr. Poilievre said today at a news conference Vaughan, Ont.
The Conservatives are also promising to “never hike taxes” while in power unless a referendum allows.
They are promising a “Taxpayer Protection Act to ban new or higher federal taxes without asking taxpayers first in a referendum.” Such legislation could be overturned, however, by a future government.
The Conservatives are the last of the major parties to release a platform document ahead of voting day in the election.
Elections Canada signage is seen at an advance polling location in Toronto on April 18.Laura Proctor/The Canadian Press
Elsewhere on the campaign trail
Professors urge party leaders to offer “academic refugees” from the U.S. a safe haven: An open letter signed by more than 500 faculty members says that a well-funded system in Canada should be a safe haven for students and professors fleeing the U.S.
Meeting his moment: Shannon Proudfoot profiles Mark Carney, the charming, meticulous and sometimes prickly economist leading the federal Liberals in the current election.
This election was supposed to be about restoring hope for young Canadians. What happened?: Political parties have said more about protecting seniors’ retirements than helping young Canadians get a head start.
How a trade war upended Poilievre’s push to attract union workers: As the Conservatives vie for the support of unionized workers, it’s unclear how much will materialize at the ballot box.
On our election radar
- Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet met with regional mayors in the Charlevoix region, held a news conference marking Earth Day in nearby La Malbaie and attended an Earth-Day rally in Quebec City.
- Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre unveiled his platform in Vaughan, Ont., and was scheduled to hold an evening rally in nthe city.
- Green Party Leader Elizabeth May held a news conference in Victoria on her party’s economic proposals, and campaigned in the Saanich-Gulf Islands riding where she is seeking re-election. In Ottawa, party co-leader Jonathan Pedneault was scheduled to participate in an evening debate on francophone issued held by Radio Canada.
- Liberal Leader Mark Carney campaigned in Quebec, starting with a visit to a Quebec City business. Later he made an announcement in Trois-Rivières, took media questions, and visited the Quebec township of Shefford and another small business in Saint-Bruno.
- NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh made an announcement in Burnaby, B.C. and held a campaign event, then travelled to Edmonton to hold an evening event with former Alberta premier Rachel Notley.
- End of an era: TVO ending The Agenda with Steve Paikin after 19th season : Paikin says the long-running current affairs TVO show, which he co-hosts on Ontario’s publicly funded English-language educational television network, will end in June.
Poll tracker
The poll by Nanos Research, conducted for The Globe and Mail and CTV, surveyed 1,195 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
“Whenever I spend money, I will think of it as my mother’s money, a retired teacher. If she would not be happy with it coming out of her retirement funds then I should not be happy spending it.” -Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre at the release of his party’s platform in Woodbridge, Ont.
Question period
How long has Elections Canada been using automatic ballot-counting machines to tally votes in federal elections?
Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answer.
Perspectives
One election, two law and order parties
For years, there has been one consistent difference in the crime policies of the Liberals and the Conservatives. It can be summed up in a simple idea: guns versus gangs.
— The Globe and Mail Editorial Board
This is why it’s worth trusting the polls
Before he puts too much weight on the attendance of his political rallies, Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre might want to talk to Beyoncé. Specifically, he might want to ask her about the 30,000-person rally for former Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris that the pop superstar spoke at, just days before Ms. Harris lost the 2024 election.
— Kaleigh Rogers, a Canadian freelance journalist based in New York who reported on the Stop the Steal movement in the United States.
Mass murderers spending life in prison is good, actually. But we don’t need the notwithstanding clause to make it happen
That said, the notwithstanding clause should not be used in this case (or in many other cases). That’s because of the bluntness of the instrument – overriding Charter rights should be a last resort, not a first proposal – and also because other options exist.
— Robyn Urback, Columnist
Go deeper
- Stay informed ahead of voting day with the latest updates.
- Follow along for our stories on Canada-U.S. relations as news develops
- The Decibel: Today’s edition of The Globe and Mail podcast features innovation reporter Pippa Norman, who explains how Canadian companies are betting on Canada despite U.S. tariffs.
- 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: In fact, Elections Canada does not use automatic ballot-counting machines to count ballots or tabulate results. According to Elections Canada, workers the agency hires count votes in front of candidates, their representatives and other designated observers.