EDIT: If the elections.ca website is down for you, see here
Election Information
I recommend that you check the links yourself! I’ve copied some of the information below:
Ways to vote
See this page for full details.
Vote on election day (April 28)
- Check the hours for your timezone
- Check your polling station on your voter information card or by using the Voter Information Service website.
Vote by mail
- This method is for those who requested mail-in ballots a while back.
- Make sure that you get in your ballot on time: elections.ca/voting-by-mail
- uses the special ballot process
Special Ballots
Remember: Once you apply to vote by special ballot, you can’t change your mind and vote at advance polls or on election day.
See this page for deadlines for when you can apply for one, and when they must receive it by. It also has information on what you must do differently when filling out this ballot: https://www.elections.ca/content2.aspx?section=vote&dir=spe&document=index&lang=e
If you are having any issues, reach out to your local Elections Canada office to know your options.
Data on your district:
Find your riding, your local Elections Canada office, and your candidates by using the search on the homepage: elections.ca
You can also use the detailed search at: elections.ca/scripts/vis/FindED
As a visible minority … I’m Indigenous Canadian … most of Canada is still bigoted. It’s not as bad as it was 50 years ago or even 20 years ago but it is still very bigoted and racist towards any visible minorities. The difference in our modern world is that the discrimination is more subtle, hidden and discrete … it’s an attitude that is literally baked in the system and fabric of society. I don’t get treated negatively or with racism in my life but from time to time, those attitudes do appear and I am always aware of them.
I’m in northern Ontario and as much as there are a lot of NDP lovers up here, the majority of them still hold Native people in contempt and with negative attitudes … we’re always seen as either incapable of helping ourselves and worthless, while also being seen as people living with free-for-all social welfare. People want to be us but also despise or ridicule actual full blooded Native people living on their lands. They simultaneously see us as powerless while at the same time having too much control or influence over resource development. We either have no money or not allowed to make money for ourselves. Government still has a very hard time balancing between managing our complaints and allowing us enough control to not disturb their corporate friends … which when you think about it has always been the role of government in Native affairs.
The cities might not show their bigots and intolerance so easily … but in the rural, northern and remote areas, it still very much the same as it was decades ago.
I’m in Southern Ontario and I’m definitely not a minority.
I see the racist rhetoric regularly. People see me, a straight white male, and more than a few times, mistake me for a like-minded individual, and they let their racism spew out like bile.
Makes me sick.
It also makes me sick to think that Canadians could be so cruel to the indigenous peoples. I don’t think any amount of time, reparations, or anything else, could make up for what occurred.
We’re Canadians, if you’re not indigenous, then you’re either an immigrant, or the descendant of an immigrant. We’re all here, equal in the eyes of the law (not law enforcement/police, the letter of the law), and there’s no good excuse to act otherwise. United we stand, divided we fall. One country in particular, wants us to be divided. Don’t let them win.
Vive le Canada!
I think most of these attitudes stem from group mentality … and the powers that be love to spread hate and fear because its so easy to sell and manipulate people with.
When I meet most people … any people of any race, colour or creed … people are very decent human beings. I’ve even travelled to Asia, Europe, Caribbean and parts of northern Africa and in every instance, all I met were good decent human beings.
But get them in any group and poison that group with hatred of any kind and the whole mass just moves like an angry mob. It takes courage for any one person in a group to call everyone else out and its far easier for everyone else to just fall into line. I’m even guilty of this as well … Indigenous people can fall into those hateful racist attitudes as easily as any other person.
But when I hear comments like yours … it gives me hope that the world can change and is on its way to changing to better attitudes and perspectives. Stay well my friend.
Right there with you man, it’s hard to imagine that any regular looking white dude in Canada could claim in good faith that they’ve never been in a conversation where they witnessed a bunch of similar looking dudes go hardcore mask-off because they thought the coast was clear.