It’s the first official day of the federal election campaign.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with Gov. Gen. Mary Simon yesterday and asked her to dissolve Parliament, triggering Canada’s 44th federal election.
Election Day will be Sept. 20th and voters will have the same opportunities and methods for voting as they did in the last campaign: mail-in ballot, advance polls, or in-person voting.
Trudeau said Canadians need to choose how they want to finish the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole has quickly criticized the decision to send Canadians out to the polls in the midst of the COVID-19 fourth wave, while NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh called the election “selfish”.
On the campaign trail today, Justin Trudeau will be making an announcement in Quebec, before heading to Cobourg, with a few stops along the way.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is scheduled to make his own announcement in Toronto, while Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole is sticking to Ottawa today, with “virtual telephone town halls” tonight in Ontario and Newfoundland.
Today, #GGSimon signed the proclamations to dissolve Parliament and call a general election, carrying out one of her constitutional duties as The Queen’s representative in Canada. pic.twitter.com/SCRKpDNIdO
— Governor General of Canada (@GGCanada) August 15, 2021