While over 65 million votes have already been cast, much of the Western world will have their eyes on the United States tomorrow, Nov. 5, as voting concludes at last with Election Day 2024.
Tens of millions more will cast their votes for new leaders at the municipal, state and federal levels, including the leading decision of who will be their 47th president.
Despite the many relevant and timely developments in Canadian politics that will evolve this week, for the next 72 hours (and I would argue for most of the last two weeks) the leading political story locally will still be whoever is elected to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Wait…locally? Really? Why would anyone living in Oakville, Ontario, Canada care about the result of a presidential election for a country they don’t live in - and more importantly, why should they?
Whether we as locals in Oakville like it or not, there will be a tangible impact to our lives here in town. The simplified truth is that we as Canadians are directly affected by what happens in the democratic superpower to our south.
Yet having lived in Halton for nearly 30 years, the influence of American federal politics - especially in the last decade - has undeniably had an effect on how both Oakville and all of Canada addresses politics at all levels. That includes our own federal government and that of our town and region, which this news outlet covers.
These impacts affect everyone in Oakville in at minimum some small ways, so it’s enough of a credible reason to care sincerely about the results of tomorrow's Presidential election.
There are hundreds of thousands of American citizens who live in Canada. Stats Canada estimates there are nearly 380,000 Canada/U.S. dual citizens, and AARO (Association of Americans Overseas) estimates there are nearly 1.1 million people in Canada that are either partial or dual citizens of the United States.
And did you know there are over 665,000 eligible voters in the 2020 election who reside in Canada? That’s more than one quarter of the U.S. government’s estimated 2.8 million people eligible to vote abroad.
If that number were distributed proportionally across Canada (which it absolutely isn’t), that would mean nearly 3,500 of those voters would live just in the town of Oakville. That’s thousands of people! It’s likely you as an Oakvillean know someone eligible to vote in this election within one or two degrees of separation.
I wrote a long (perhaps overlong) story here in Oakville News back in October 2020 about the seriousness of Americans (including Americans in Oakville!) voting responsibly during the previous presidential race. Back then, I wrote “there will be dire consequences if we don’t invest the time and effort to actualize why this race is so important.”
Read more here: Oakville needs to talk about the 2020 U.S. election
That story was published here before the Capitol siege and riots on January 6, 2021. That was before the “Stop the Steal” movement exploded, undermining democratic processes not just in the U.S., but in Canada too. That was before the People’s Party of Canada (PPC) tripled their share of the popular vote between our 2019 and 2021 federal elections.
The impact of Donald Trump’s political influences have done severe and possibly permanent damage to the integrity, trust and civility of politics. So what would happen if he won again - or lost again? Will he at last accept defeat or spur further chaos?
I’ve been fascinated by this question since I began writing for Oakville News in 2016. More than eight years later, I’m still curious how the American election results will impact Oakville.
Maybe the result isn't about politics at all. I stand by the same leading idea I first wrote about here in Oakville News four years ago: what happens next is about a basic understanding of what is right and wrong.
What do Oakville's local politicians have to say?
To start looking for a fact-based answer to the question of, “What is the state of civility in politics like, and what is our relationship to the U.S. election?”, it quickly became clear the research for this story needed to expand on the work Oakville News did in fall 2020.
To write about and understand politics, it therefore makes sense that we should interview our local experts: the politicians. Our goal was to speak with all five local representatives of Oakville’s government at various levels: municipal, provincial and federal. This would hopefully give us as many varied voices as possible.
Having bipartisan opinions had me particularly excited because this really isn’t a conversation about how parties in Canada align or don’t with the mayhem of American’s gridlock between Republicans and Democrats. It’s about how our countries conduct politics differently.
Strangely, the exact same five representatives who were in Oakville offices four years ago are all still in office today:
- Mayor Rob Burton
- Anita Anand, Oakville’s Member of Parliament
- Stephen Crawford, Oakville’s Member of Provincial Parliament
- Pam Damoff, Oakville / North Burlington’s Member of Parliament
- Effie Triantafilopoulos, Oakville / North Burlington’s Member of Provincial Parliament
In 2020, only Mr. Crawford agreed to speak with Oakville News, in which he gave a thoughtful and gracious interview. (You can read that full story at this link here.)
This time, however, I was pleased that Mayor Burton, MPs Anand and Damoff all agreed to participate - with Mayor Burton and MP Anand even making time for extended, in-person interviews. This meant 4/5 responding was a vast improvement over just one.
(MPP Crawford allowed us to share remarks from his 2020 story here, but unfortunately, despite several inquiries by email and phone, MPP Triantafilopoulos did not respond to Oakville News’ interview requests - again.)
So what was the commonality in these interviews? The common theme was that regardless of party or policy stances, empathy and character remain vitally important when choosing a candidate for any level of office.
According to MP Anand, “The most importantly quality in a candidate is honesty. If you have no trustworthiness, or no one believes you, then your ability to be accountable is weakened.”
“Voters are placing your trust in you,” Anand continues, “and if they can’t trust you to represent them, or trust you to speak honestly when you can or can’t accomplish your goals, your service isn’t as powerful.”
Anand’s position is particularly relevant as the discourse in the 2016 U.S. election was one of the leading motivators for Anand to run for federal office in the first place.
“One of the reasons I ran was seeing that 2016 election, and I thought, 'Maybe I could make a difference in electoral politics. Maybe I could be a reasoned and professional voice.' And that was something I talked about when campaigning in 2019 and 2021.”
On the same subject, Mayor Burton says he “likes empathy in a leader,” and mentions it as one of the leading qualities in gaining respect from constituents.”
“I’m drawn when it appears to me that the person is a reasonable human being who can listen, sympathize and can feel me. I think leaders like that are generally who we get here [meaning Oakville].”
Burton continues saying that, “local politics are different here than the United States. When we have to decide something, there’s a tendency here in Oakville to meet in the middle. We seek consensus on council - we don’t get it every time, but we do a remarkable job getting to answers that actually might work.”
MPP Crawford affirms the same idea: “There is more division in American society. In Canada today, what you see is more unity.” Referring to his municipal and federal colleagues Rob Burton and Anita Anand, he calls them “his partners,” saying they “like to focus on what they have in common so they can work together.”
Knowing this, what then is the value of Canada and Oakville’s relationship to the United States and their presidential candidates?
“People in Oakville care about and pay attention to the United States election because the U.S. is not only our neighbour, but our closest friend and ally,” says MP Damoff.
“Canadians can have confidence that our government will continue to put their best interest at the core of everything we do,” Damoff continues, “including our continued engagement and partnership with our closest ally and trading partner.”
MPP Crawford too points out that, “The U.S. are our, neighbours and it’s the world’s largest economy. What happens in the U.S. and its policies affects companies here in Canada.” He points out too that includes Oakville - such as the U.S. owned Ford motors plant here in town.
“Any change in government policy in the United States can have a major effect in Canada but also right here in our community of Oakville.”
That trade relationship alone should be reason enough to care about who next wins the White House; according to MP Anand, $3.3 billion in goods and services pass across the Canada/U.S. border every day.
“We have the longest undefended border in the world,” says Anand. "Our countries’ proximity means that, in terms of our media, tourism and business, we have an extremely close bond with the U.S., so there is no mistaking the results will impact Canada.”
She finished by saying, “The question really is how can we advance Canada’s interest regardless of who’s in the White House next.”
Both Anand and Damoff mentioned initiatives at the federal level that have strengthened our relationship with the U.S in the last four years, including renegotiating NAFTA, announcing nearly $40 billion for NORAD modernization, and providing support to Ukraine in their war against Russia.
Anand also mentions her success from cross-country round table meetings on how they’ve made cross-border trade more efficient, like their current project of moving to digital manifests instead of the legacy paper ones.
All four of them agreed that Oakville is a mostly cordial and collaborative town, with a track record of teamwork and co-ordination between different levels of government.
But what if that changed? If Donald Trump were re-elected, I believe the former, inescapable influence of destructive and violent rhetoric would return - even here at home.
Could America’s results really impact Canada?
I myself have witnessed what election fervour is like in America. Aside from the fact I once spent six months living in Florida while in university, I also have relatives and friends in Texas, New York, Arizona and Georgia.
Between October and November 2016, I took three separate trips to America for various purposes. I spoke with locals from New York, Florida, Pennsylvania, California, and New Jersey first-hand in their own states.
Their opinions between urban and rural or red and blue could not have been more different - and in the eight years since then, it’s only become even more divisive. That growing divide between parties and ideologies has intensified in Canada’s politics too.
With only two choices of major parties in America, it’s easy to classify the race as a one vs. another battleground. And if the way parties are portrayed opposite each other fuels the fire, what started it?
The elitist, exclusionary behaviour begins with Donald Trump, America’s most contentious modern president.
Something changed when his original campaign began almost ten years ago (yes, it really was that long ago.) The division isn’t about party membership - we in Canada also have starkly different opinions between parties.
The division is about an attitude of dominance in defiance of proven facts - in a courtroom, business room, on TV, or even in the oval office. That attitude is the problem.
Trump’s attitude is one based in fear because that’s how he exploits people who are (or who he thinks are) poorer than him. The root problem with Donald Trump is that he’s an evil, dangerous person and a pathological liar.
His policies have corrupted the integrity of American democracy and repeatedly threatened the lives of his own citizens. In some cases, like the Capitol riots or his first assassination attempts, his rhetoric has led to the loss of actual human life.
Is this an extreme statement? I don’t think so. In a separate story from October 2020, I went into details about the awful things he’s said and done. You can read it here below if you still aren’t convinced of what Trump’s character truly is.
Read more here: Opinion: does Donald Trump matter to us?
And this is just the beginning. None of this includes the horrible things he’s said and done since leaving office four years ago. There's an endless list of reasons why he's unfit to be the President:
- He's been found liable for fraud and sexual abuse
- He's been banned from conducting business in the state of New York
- He personally owes over $500 million USD in fines and unpaid legal bills
- He's admitted in court to accepting financial gifts from foreign countries
- He withheld resources during COVID-19 to extort the passing of his bills in congress, leading to thousands of deaths
- He violated section 60 of America's federal law by campaigning at Arlington National Cemetary in August
- and of course, he orchestrated a months-long coup attempt to overthrow the certification of his loss in the 2020 election, followed by years of lying about the results before admitting he lost in a September interview this year
On top of all that, he's also the only President who's been impeached twice and he's a four time criminal indictee, for crimes including from sexual assault, financial fraud and election interference.
Donald Trump isn’t really a politician. Politicians understand systems and reasons why and policies should and/or shouldn’t be implemented to benefit who they represent.
They do this by finding accurate facts, data, science and research to understand problems and try to find solutions. Democracy, then, is the process of streamlining how we agree on the best way of doing this.
But that’s not how Donald Trump works. The primary characteristic that qualifies you to do any of what I’ve described above is being a good listener. Watch any clip of Donald Trump on television or online - he doesn’t listen because he’s too proud to do so.
Instead of being a politician, he’s abused America’s systems and its global standing to benefit him, his businesses and his bank account. The only time he moves away from these behaviours is when he sometimes abuses these systems to aid his family or associates who helped him steal.
If an effective democracy is a governed state having influence into how their society runs, then Donald has rebuffed all effectiveness to instead steal money and freedom from the citizens of the very country that elected him. Then he uses money from the Republican party to lie to American voters and blame someone, anyone, other than himself.
Heck, that’s how he was found guilty of 34 felony charges just six months ago - for falsifying records to influence his 2016 presidential election win! And he’s still under investigation in four states for trying to cheat in the 2020 race!
So if Donald Trump has popularized this kind of criminal activity, it matters to us in Oakville because our own politicians at all levels and from all parties unanimously agree our existence and lifestyles are intertwined with the States.
Whatever is possible in America is possible in Canada. And this kind of behaviour from any politician has to stop. The PPC’s share of federal votes rose more than 3 per cent nationally between the 2019 and 2021 votes, a figure no other party in Canada came close to. Where else did that empowerment come from?!
Now that we understand why this election matters to us and that Donald Trump, and not politics at its root is the problem, what are we going to do about it?
How will the 2024 U.S. election end?
It’s clear we as locals, both as townspeople locally and as citizens of Canada who believe in the health of democracy for all, need to avoid the kind of political action Donald Trump inspires.
And guess what? There are things we can do. It’s important we do them because if we do, we can override the fear that’s captivated the world in America’s 2020 election in the first place.
It’s likely you know at least one if not several people who will have a voice and a vote in terms of who America’s next president will be. And it’s critical to our own political health that you tell them how dangerous Donald Trump is.
I’ve had this conversation with countless people I know. I have friends who are American, both in America and living here in Canada. Even my own two stepbrothers are dual citizens, and they’re both registered to vote in the state of Arizona - a key “battleground” state in the Electoral College. I’m proud in both of their decisions to vote against Donald Trump.
These conversations are initially anxious. They are also necessary to Canada’s own democratic health. And Trump is just the beginning - he also has the support of an extremist agenda with “Project 2025” backing him.
I will admit there is some small personal bias in my condemnation of Trump: aside from his violent calls against racial minorities, women and political enemies, just yesterday at his Nov. 3 rally in Lilitz, Pennsylvania, he told the crowd he “wouldn’t mind” if the news reporters at the rally were shot in the head and killed. As a news reporter myself, I have a hard time relating to any world leader who jokes about and endorses my assassination.
This isn’t a question of politics. It’s a question of whether an evil man is entitled to the power and influence he has knowingly exploited to steal, murder, lie and avoid criminal prosecution for crimes he’s being investigated for and has already been found guilt of.
Is Donald Trump entitled to that power over others? To me, the answer is a resounding no.
Some would argue we shouldn’t talk about another country’s race as common people so it doesn’t appear we’re “interfering” with their election. That’s inane. If the results impacts us, we have a right to discuss it.
When I interviewed MPP Crawford in 2020, he said, "Stability, honesty and integrity are so important in democracy. We will have to deal with whoever is elected President as a town, province and a country.”
Talking about Kamala Harris’ policies and attractive ideas as a motivator for one’s vote is secondary to the borderline evil that Trump’s words, actions and threats pose to the U.S., Canada and the world. It’s similar to talking about what colour to paint your new boat while it’s actively sinking in shark infested waters.
A significant percentage of Republicans in America are aware of how destructive Trump is too. Back in February, 2012 Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney went on CNN and said he wouldn’t vote for Trump, saying, “For me, character is most important thing.”
After nine years of listening to Donald Trump during his political career, the question is no longer whether you understand Trump’s character or not. The question is whether or not Trump’s character (or clear lack thereof) matters to you.
We as Canadians - collaborative, just, and compassionate - are afraid Trump’s damage to politics at all levels could one day happen here. Him winning the 2024 presidential election dramatically increases the chance that will happen.
That’s why I believe the U.S. race tomorrow matters to us here in Oakville, and it’s the best reason I can ascertain it matters to all those discussing it here at home.
But having spoken with Mayor Burton, MPs Anand and Damoff and MPP Crawford, what I felt most empowered by was a confidence that regardless of what I personally agree and disagree with them each about, they are empathetic leaders. They’re listeners. And they mean well for our town.
We should be proud of these four Oakville leaders for the work they’ve done to temper politics and remain optimistic for what’s ahead for us locally.
Maybe the U.S. could learn a thing or two.
Some interview quotes in this story have been edited for length and clarity.
While the lead author of this story is the editor for Oakville News, the views of this story are that of the author exclusively and not of the organization. Other members of the Oakville News staff contributed reporting to this story.
