(AFP) – Canadians are going to the polls on April 28 to elect a new government at a time of unprecedented turmoil with the United States, as President Donald Trump threatens the country’s economy and sovereignty. Here is how voters, most of whom expressed concern over the US leader, viewed the first week of campaigning between Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney and his main rival, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre.
– Avoid a recession – Monika Wetzel, a health sector policy analyst, has voted for different parties in the past and has not yet made up her mind for this election. “I’d be a happier person without Trump in my life at the moment,” said the 34-year-old from Winnipeg, Manitoba in the western Canadian Prairies region. “Everyone is so fixated on Trump. He’s everywhere. It’s overwhelming. I just don’t want to hear anything more about him.” At the same time, she said she wants candidates “to provide reassurance to Canadians that we’ll get through this,” as well as to keep the country united and prevent it from going into a recession.
– Economist needed, not politician – Rob Vandertogt is an executive living just north of Toronto in Alliston, Ontario, the nation’s most populous province. For him, the top issue in this campaign is the economy and US tariffs on Canadian products. “The Conservatives seem completely disconnected from what’s really happening in the country. The election has been all about Donald Trump and they’re focused on everything else,” said the 62-year-old voter. “We don’t need a politician right now to lead the country. We need someone who understands economics,” he said, and so he’s throwing his support behind Carney, who is a former central banker.
– Make ends meet – Conservative supporter Valerie Orr, 81, is most concerned about high costs of living and believes Trump’s dominance in the campaign is counterproductive. “This threat from the south has diverted too much attention,” she told AFP at a Poilievre event in a Toronto suburb. “Who ever heard of a state the size of Canada… Come on, be real,” she added, praising Poilievre for focusing on the challenges people face trying to “make it through the week.”
– ‘One-two punch’ – Matthew Bishop, 27, usually votes for the leftist New Democratic Party, but when Carney took over from Justin Trudeau as prime minister and Liberal leader earlier this month, his plans changed. The bar owner from Nanaimo in the westernmost province of British Columbia said he has high hopes that Carney will get the economy back on track after several years of small business closures. “He has experience leading central banks and solving crises. I think he has a good grasp of our financial situation,” he said. He also wants the next prime minister to “respond in kind” to US tariffs. “They put a tariff on us. We give it right back, one-two punch.”
– Too much like Trump – Nathalie Guibert, who lives in rural Quebec, an hour and a half from Montreal, hasn’t made her choice yet. “I think it’s good that Mark Carney went to Europe, that he’s saying the United States is no longer our ally and is seeking new trade partnerships,” said the 56-year-old housewife. “I associate Pierre Poilievre with Trump. I don’t like his belligerent tone, his Trumpist manner.”
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