Canadians expected to respond at ballot box to Donald Trump's threats
Donald Trump has dominated the federal election campaign and some voters say the U.S. president's rhetoric is motivating them to cast a ballot this year.
Trump's tariffs on Canadian imports and comments about making Canada the 51st state have provoked a range of feelings among voters in this country.
Some in downtown Halifax say it's the reason they will be heading to the polls next month.
"I would say yes. I believe that everyone should vote this time around," Calum Ryan said.
"Totally," said Tanner Messenger. "I think it's a pretty important topic. It's something that I feel like will have a big impact on who I would want leading our country to deal with this stuff."
Kate Ervine said she always votes but the circumstances surrounding this federal election are making her reconsider the party she typically supports.
"I think the context that we're confronted with right now requires us to think seriously about who we're voting for and the implications down the road," she said.
Some voters said Trump's constant comments about Canada weren't affecting how they were going to vote, but they do think it's going to drive more Canadians to the polls on April 28.
"For sure," said Brad Ruggles. "I think it's a big enough deal. It affects everybody and it has some real implications."
2025 reminiscent of past 'existential' elections
Tom Urbaniak, a political science professor at Cape Breton University in Sydney, N.S., agrees Trump's comments will lead to a response at the ballot box.
"I think we will see a voter turnout that is noticeably higher than in the last federal election and absolutely higher than in the recent provincial election," he said.
Turnout for the 2021 federal election was 62.3 per cent. Nova Scotia and Ontario saw less than half of the electorate cast a ballot in their last provincial elections.
But Urbaniak said he sees similarities between this year's election and the 1988 vote where free trade with the United States was framed by some people "as by some of the political actors as being almost existential, as defining the future of Canada for generations."
"I'm seeing a little bit of that in this election," he said.
Trump is the main ballot box issue in 2025 which has many Canadians who may typically not be interested in politics paying closer attention.
"Canadians are looking for patriotism," Urbaniak said. "That includes expressions of patriotism, but also a willingness to defend and articulate those things that Canadians see as making our country unique from the United States."
MORE TOP STORIES
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
28 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Gavin Newsom Just Launched His Presidential Campaign, Scott Jennings Says
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Former George W. Bush adviser Scott Jennings said that Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom just launched his presidential campaign Tuesday night amid the ongoing protests and riots over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in California. Newsweek reached out to Newsom's office via email for comment on Tuesday. Why It Matters Since his January 20 inauguration, President Donald Trump has implemented sweeping change, mainly through executive orders, and has prioritized immigration control as a key pillar within the administration. Trump last month utilized the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a wartime law that grants the commander in chief authority to detain or deport non-citizens. The implementation was originally blocked in federal court and sparked a contentious legal back-and-forth. The president also campaigned on the promise of mass deportations and appointed Tom Homan as his administration's border czar to execute his agenda. What To Know Protests broke out on Friday in reaction to numerous ICE raids throughout Los Angeles. Amid the ongoing tumult, city officials including Mayor Karen Bass implemented a curfew for portions of downtown, from 8 p.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. Wednesday, and it could continue throughout the coming days if warranted. Los Angeles police warn that people who break the curfew and who are not exempt—like first responders, credentialed media and those who live in the affected area—will be subject to arrest. During a news conference, the officials displayed a map of the curfew zone. Newsom then followed with a formal address to the Golden State, ripping Trump and his administration for inflaming an already combustible situation. "Trump and his loyalists, they thrive on division because it allows them to take more power and exert even more control. And by the way, Trump, he's not opposed to lawlessness and violence as long as it serves him. What more evidence do we need than January 6th," Newsom said in part. The Democratic governor also denounced any violence or harm to law enforcement, vowing to prosecute any lawlessness. Reacting to the formal address, Jennings, opinion contributor on CNN, told the outlet's Kaitlan Collins, "It's amazing to me, first of all, this guy's the governor of a state and ... it's got one of its most important cities burning, on his watch, and he's out here launching a presidential campaign." Jennings added, "I mean, there is no other way to listen to what happened," he said, still reacting to Newsom's address. "I conclude that he just launched his presidential campaign on top of this lawlessness that's going on in California. He governs a failed state, he sits atop of a failed state, and he sits, I guess, at the leadership right now of a political party that's wanting to coddle the illegal invasion of our country that's causing what's happening." "It's not particularly controversial for Donald Trump to enforce federal law," Jennings said, later adding that Newsom spouted off a "litany of complaints" and it will "look opportunistic" and not "resonate." California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom is pictured on June 10 in a formal address to his state. (Photo from Governor Newsom's Facebook) California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom is pictured on June 10 in a formal address to his state. (Photo from Governor Newsom's Facebook) What People Are Saying Trump posted to his Truth Social on Tuesday: "If we didn't send out the National Guard—Los Angeles would be burning right now!" Newsom, in a video segment of his speech on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday: "Donald Trump deployed more than 700 active U.S. Marines — men and women trained in foreign combat, not domestic law enforcement. We honor their service and bravery. But we do not want our streets militarized by our own Armed Forces. Not in L.A. Not in California. Not anywhere." Vice President JD Vance posted to X on Tuesday: "Gavin Newsom says he didn't have a problem until Trump got involved. Both of these photos were taken before the president authorized the national guard to go protect our border patrol in California. Does this look like 'no problem'? "Newsom and his stooge Karen Bass fomented and encouraged the riots, because their entire political movement exists for one purpose: to promote mass migration into our country. It is their reason for being. Democratic leadership has no solution for the economy, for prosperity, or for security. They use their power when they're in the majority to import millions of illegal immigrants and when they're in opposition they do everything possible to prevent deportations," Vance continued. "Under Newsom's leadership, medicaid was extended to all illegal immigrants in 2024. This means that he elected to take healthcare from impoverished and disabled Californians and give it to illegal aliens. And now, everything is President Trump's fault? Give me a break. If you want to know why illegal aliens flocked to your state, stop accusing Donald Trump. Look in the mirror. Concluding, Vance said, "If you want to know why border patrol fear for their lives over enforcing the law, look in the mirror. It was your policies that encouraged mass migration into California. Your policies that protected those migrants from common sense law enforcement. Your policies that offered massive welfare benefits to reward illegal immigrants. Your policies that allowed those illegal migrants (and their sympathizers) to assault our law enforcement. Your policies that allowed Los Angeles to turn into a war zone. You sure as hell had a problem before President Trump came along. The problem is YOU." What Happens Next It is immediately unclear if the curfew for a portion of downtown will continue for the rest of the week as the protest and riots continue to unfold.
Los Angeles Times
33 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
Amid fears of pending California education cuts, top Trump official says state is ‘at risk'
As concerns heighten among officials and educators about possible pending federal funding cuts to California, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said Tuesday that the state is at risk, but did not elaborate on when a decision would be made or what the cuts could be. McMahon, in a videotaped interview with Bloomberg, was responding to a question about the possible termination of grant funding to California public universities by referencing issues related to Title IX, which prohibits discrimination based on gender. President Trump has repeatedly threatened to withhold unspecified federal funding from California because it allows transgender athletes to compete with cisgender athletes in girls' and women's sporting events. 'Well in California I think we saw pretty flagrant violations of Title IX,' McMahon said, 'and that is why this ... focus ... was put on them.... We have, you know, men participating in women's sports, which is clearly against Title IX, and the president has made it very clear that he is definitely going to uphold Title IX.' If the Trump administration did not 'address' violations 'as they occur then it's sort of by acquiescence that it's OK to continue and it's not,' she said. The remarks were made during a Bloomberg event in which McMahon addressed a variety of topics, including the mass Education Department layoffs under her leadership — halted by federal courts and appealed to the Supreme Court — and an ongoing battle with Harvard University. Trump has stripped billions of dollars from Harvard and tried to ban foreign-born students and the university has launched multiple lawsuits in response. Reports, including one Friday by CNN, have emerged in recent days that the Trump administration is preparing to withhold wide swaths of federal funding from the Golden State's universities, scientific researchers and K-12 schools. The California State University and University of California systems already face hundreds of millions of dollars in grant cuts from multiple federal agencies, including the Education and Health and Human Services departments. These cuts too are the subject of litigation, and some have been put on hold by the courts. The possibility of further cuts have alarmed some California legislators. In a letter sent Friday to the administration, Rep. Dave Min (D-Irvine) called talk of cuts 'targeted political vengeance' and said 'any significant move to cut federal funding to California would be outrageous, illegal and set a dangerous precedent. It would also have devastating impacts for our residents, whether they are Democrats, Republicans or independents.' He also raised a constitutional issue. 'Your withholding of funds that have been appropriated would constitute a direct attack on the separation of powers that is at the heart of our democratic republic,' Min wrote. The White House did not immediately respond to a request Tuesday related to McMahon's remarks, but in a statement Friday said that 'no final decisions' had been made on funding cuts. 'No taxpayer should be forced to fund the demise of our country, and that's what California is doing through its lunatic anti-energy, soft-on-crime, pro-child mutilation, and pro-sanctuary policies. The Trump administration is committed to ending this nightmare and restoring the California Dream,' the statement said. 'No final decisions, however, on any potential future action by the Administration have been made, and any discussion suggesting otherwise should be considered pure speculation.' Madison Biedermann, a spokesperson for McMahon, on Tuesday affirmed the last part: No decision had been made. Biedermann said it would be incorrect to interpret McMahon's remarks as confirming imminent cuts. McMahon was restating the department's position: California is at serious risk of losing funds if it does not comply with Trump administration policies, including banning transgender athletes from women's and girls' sports. Biedermann said any reports about the timing or extent of any cuts is, at this point, 'speculation.' To date, she said, California is under investigation but has not been penalized based on its actions. Reports of imminent — but unconfirmed — cuts have appeared in Politico and the Washington Post. Among the areas of funding potentially at risk are the so-called formula funding programs that are approved and mandated by Congress. This includes Title I dollars that the federal government provides to schools to offset the effects of poverty. These funds alone are worth about $2.1 billion a year to California and about $460 million to Los Angeles Unified, the state's largest school system, where about 80% of students have family income low enough to qualify them for a free or reduced-price lunch. Aid for school meals — totaling $363 million to L.A. Unified alone — also is a potential lever of influence for the Trump administration. These dollars are administered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, outside McMahon's jurisdiction. Another potentially affected funding stream is $1.33 billion annually to offset part of the cost of educating students with disabilities — of which $177 million goes to L.A. Unified. When asked Tuesday about withholding formula funding, McMahon again raised the issue of Title IX compliance. 'I think that is part of what we found with the state of California just blatantly refusing to be in compliance with Title IX regulations,' McMahon said. 'So that is one of the tools and the other options that we have with California and I think it's right that we make them aware that that is a risk that they run.' California officials have defended their policy as consistent with state and federal law, prioritizing rights based on gender identity. California sued the U.S. Justice Department on Monday over its demand last week that local school districts ban transgender youth from competing in sports, arguing the federal agency had overstepped its authority in violation of both state and federal law. Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi (D-Rolling Hills Estates), chair of the California State Assembly's Education Committee, told The Times that he has kept a close eye on the Trump administration's attacks on public education. 'We know that the hardest hit would be our students with special needs and our disabled students,' he said. 'Also, Title I funding for our low-income students is a big concern.' Muratsuchi said that California's 'best defense' against Trump's actions 'is our Constitution and the rule of law.... The president should not have a unilateral power to cut funding appropriated by Congress.' Muratsuchi also stressed the importance of federal funding to the UC and CSU systems. 'To have the federal research funds cut is tremendously impactful,' he said. The Times' Washington bureau chief Michael Wilner and Bloomberg News contributed to this report.
Bloomberg
35 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
California's Newsom Says Democracy Is Under Assault
'Democracy is under assault." California Governor Gavin Newsom has accused Trump of misusing his power and warned rest of the country to prepare for unrest as LA imposes a curfew after protests over immigration raids. (Source: Bloomberg)
