海角社区官网

鈥淚 think there is a widespread agreement that this is going to be one of the most consequential elections in any of our lifetimes,鈥� said John Beebe, founder of the Democratic Engagement Exchange at 海角社区官网Metropolitan University.

As of 11:50 p.m. Monday, with聽46,088 of 75,485 polls across the country reporting, the Liberal party was leading in 164 ridings, and the Conservatives were ahead in 146 ridings. The Bloc Qu茅b茅cois followed with 23 ridings, the New Democratic Party with nine ridings and the Green Party with one.

According to Elections Canada, about 28.5 million registered voters, not including voters who registered on election day, had the opportunity to cast their ballots on Monday at more than 14,500 polling locations across the country.

Unlike the 2015 election where voter enthusiasm among Indigenous and young people led to a turnout rate more than 68 per cent, it was 鈥渟tress, tensions and worry鈥� that drove many Canadians to cast their ballots in Monday’s election, said Laura Stephenson,聽chair of the political science department at Western University.

鈥淚 think people are feeling that we need to get this right,鈥� Stephenson said.

Allyson Bradley, 42, a teacher in Brampton, said聽she received two voter registration cards with two different polling locations. When she showed up at one, Bradley was told she was not registered. It took her聽more than an hour to finally cast her vote.

Bradley said this election felt like a 鈥渉igh stakes game.鈥�

鈥淚t feels to me like we’re standing on the precipice of a real, serious change, and I’m praying that we can continue on the correct side of fascism for at least a little longer,鈥� she said.

Older Canadians, who grew up seeing the United States as a close ally and friend, “are feeling that gut punch even more,鈥� Beebe said,聽and were likely to feel more motivated to vote by the looming threats from the U.S.

Trump’s tariffs and threats of absorbing Canada as the 51st state have upended the national political landscape, turning those issues into a focal point of the election which would typically concern domestic policies, experts said.

Meanwhile, younger voters might be more concerned about domestic issues such as the cost of living, housing and jobs.

鈥淵oung Canadians who grew up with Trump on the scene, this is not as much as a surprise for them鈥� so it doesn’t feel like a betrayal the way it聽may聽have for older Canadians,鈥� Beebe said.

Young people are historically least likely to vote. Turnout rates among voters aged 18 to 24 years stood at 57.1 per cent in 2015 and 53.9 per cent in 2019, lowest among all age groups, according to Elections Canada.

In Toronto, voters were seen lining up at the polling station inside the Sheraton Hotel in the Spadina-Harbourfront riding Monday morning.

Nuvya Babbar, a young voter among them, told the Star: 鈥淭he rise of fascism in other countries has been very terrifying.”

She said it would be irresponsible to not vote, “especially when I feel like the younger generation hasn鈥檛 really been as active in representing themselves in democracy.鈥�