BTPM Canadian Beat Reporter Dan Karpenchuk joined BTPM's Jay Moran on 'Morning Edition' on Monday, April 28, 2025. The two laid out how the pivotal federal election is shaping up.
Click the listen button above the photo to hear the conversation. Below is a transcription of that segment:
Jay Moran: In our studios, I'm Jay Moran, and we now reach out to Dan Karpenchuk in Toronto. Good morning to you, Dan.
Dan Karpenchuk: Good morning, Jay. How are you?
Jay Moran: I'm well. Thank you very much, and thanks for taking some time with us this morning. First of all, Canadian listeners understand how the country's electoral process works. It's worth noting the differences between the US and Canada. What or who will voters be voting for when they go to the polls today?
Dan Karpenchuk: They'll be voting for their local candidates of whatever party it is there are, there are 343 seats in the Canadian Parliament. To win a majority, you need to win 171 of those seats and then the leader of the party that wins that majority becomes the prime minister. So, voters are voting for their local candidate, but in essence, that local candidate will also be a big factor in who will become prime minister.
Jay Moran: As you mentioned in your reporting, we're focused on the liberals and the conservatives, Mark Carney and Pierre Poilievre, maybe just quickly a thumbnail sketch of the two candidates.
Dan Karpenchuk: Yeah, it’s been a real two-horse race. Nobody else really matters in this election. The polling numbers going into the weekend were very high for both parties. Only 3 or four points separated them, depending on which pollster you looked at. Mark Carney, who was basically new to politics, but not the public service, took a campaign, and he took his campaign full circle. It started on a Saturday, he went back to Windsor, where it started, at a campaign rally before auto workers, because Windsor is Canada's auto capital. He said he gave the slogan that he's been giving throughout the campaign, and that is, “America is trying to break us, or Trump is trying to break us so America can own us.” The crowd responded to that, and it was in his message right through the campaign. He is trying to convince people that he is best placed to deal with Trump and tariffs and any rhetoric about the 51st state by Canada becoming the 51st state
Jay Moran: We've talked about the liberals and conservatives, but is there something at stake for perhaps other parties as well?
Dan Karpenchuk: Well, the other parties, the NDP, the New Democratic Party, Bloc Québécois, the Separatist Party in Quebec, and the Green Party have all lost support at the expense of Carney's liberals. People have gone to the Liberals over fears of what will happen with the tariffs, and what will happen with the rhetoric about the 51st state, and some of these parties are in real trouble. The Greens, for instance, have two seats in Parliament, and they are fighting for their lives. They could be wiped off the map. Also, the NDP, under its leader, Jagmeet Singh, is in big trouble. They're also fighting for their lives and party status, so that could spell trouble for them.
Jay Moran: Well, Dan Karpenchuk, excellent reporting throughout this election, we look forward to hearing the results from you tomorrow. Thanks very much for joining us this morning.
