The 2025 federal election promises to be not only one of the most important campaigns for Canada in recent years, but also one of the most divisive and hard-fought popular votes on record.
Whether the race will end up being largely about the burgeoning trade war with the U.S. and what the next federal government can do to address and meet the potentially disastrous tariff threat remains an open question.
What is already known is that the two main contenders – Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney – appear bound and determined to vilify and demean their rivals at every turn on each and every issue.
For his part, Poilievre has already ramped up his attacks on the newly-elected Liberal Party leader.
“Working for Trudeau, Carney made Canada weaker and poorer,” said Poilievre said. “Working for himself, Carney made the United States richer and stronger. And make no mistake, Donald Trump will have a big smile on his face as he exploits all of Carney’s many conflicts to attack Canadian workers and Canadian jobs.”
On the other side, Carney has also been quick to go after his chief rival, saying the Conservative leader is enamoured with the U.S. president.
“Pierre Poilievre’s plan will leave us divided and ready to be conquered because a person who worships at the alter of Donald Trump will knee before him and not stand up to him,” Carney said. “Pierre Poiliever’s slogans are not solutions, his anger is inaction, his division isn’t strength. Divisions won’t make Canada strong.”
Federal elections are traditionally nasty affairs and the upcoming campaign seems set to follow the same pattern.
Albertans and their fellow Canadians are facing many challenges, including the cost-of-living crisis, shortfalls in government funding for schools, hospitals and many other infrastructure needs, and employment and housing shortages for many, many families.
As such, voters will want the election campaign, when it comes, to be about finding and offering concrete solutions – and not about politicians hurling insults at each other from coast to coast.
Dan Singleton is an editor with the Albertan.
