Hello,
Canadians are anxiously looking south of the border as U.S. voters head to the polls.
The vote caps off an American election campaign marked by significant challenges including voter intimidation and threats of violence after the election.
A new poll from the firm Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies reported by The Canadian Press found that three-quarters of those surveyed in Canada are worried about the U.S. election, and 68 per cent worry that there will be a “complete breakdown of the political system in the U.S. leading to a period of social chaos.”
“It’s a bit like watching your neighbour’s roof catch fire,” said Perrin Beatty, the president of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce told CP. “You’re both fascinated and horrified.”
Four out of five poll respondents said they were concerned that increased racial tension would lead to protests and violence.
At a news conference in Ottawa, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said many people will be watching the election results and he intends to watch himself.
He also acknowledged the possibility that results will not be known right away. The federal government will watch and ensure it is standing up for Canadian interests, he added, noting it will allow for the U.S. election to play out.
“Canada will watch,” he said.
This is the daily Politics Briefing newsletter, written by Chris Hannay. Kristy Kirkup is filling in today. It is available exclusively to our digital subscribers. If you’re reading this on the web, subscribers can sign up for the Politics newsletter and more than 20 others on our newsletter signup page. Have any feedback? Let us know what you think.
TODAY’S HEADLINES
Many Canadians will be gathering tonight to watch the results of the U.S. presidential election roll in. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most gatherings will be conducted online. A spokeswoman for Democrats Abroad says the organization is holding a Canada-wide Zoom viewing party.
Federal regulators have given the green light to the first HIV self-test in Canada. Health Canada granted a medical device licence on Monday to a blood test manufactured by Richmond, B.C.-based bioLytical Laboratories. Canada is following dozens of other countries in approving the technology, which has been endorsed by the World Health Organization as a tool to slash the number of people with undiagnosed HIV.
Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole is urging the Liberals to postpone federal audits of small businesses hit hard by COVID-19. Mr. O’Toole said that too many small and medium-sized businesses are struggling to survive during the pandemic. He says many have been hit by what he describes as unfair audit requests from the Canada Revenue Agency.
Lawrence Martin (special to The Globe and Mail) on why this election is a disaster waiting to happen unless there is a clear-cut verdict: “This President has indicated several times that he may not concede defeat. He has reportedly told aides he’s prepared to declare victory Tuesday night even if millions of votes are still to be counted. If this is not laying the groundwork for an electoral debacle, it’s hard to imagine what is. Unless there is a decisive verdict Tuesday, the election is a disaster waiting to happen."
André Picard (The Globe and Mail) on why Canada is paying the price for being complacent with COVID-19: “If there is one lesson we can learn from countries that have weathered the pandemic best, it is this: Shut down swiftly, and reopen cautiously. That should be our mantra. Yet, time and time again in Canada, we do the opposite. We shut down slowly and reopen prematurely. When cases climb, we watch and fret instead of bringing the hammer down."
Max Fawcett (special to The Globe and Mail) on why oil sands companies are consolidating and why that could spell disaster for Calgary: “The industry’s move toward consolidation is clearly bad news for engineers, accountants and other white-collar head office employees, but it’s not great for the men and women out in the field, either.”
Susan Beaten (special to The Globe and Mail) on why we seem to have forgotten that fishermen are all in the same boat in Nova Scotia: “The identity politics at play, dividing and supporting one side or the other, misses the point. There is no intrinsic good and intrinsic evil here – just humans, living in the messy middle of life, in a single collective industry that needs everyone to work together. We both need to control when lobsters are caught or risk crashing the market price or the stocks.”
Craig Damian Smith (special to The Globe and Mail) on why U.S. election results could influence immigration to Canada: “Tomorrow could bring more significant change. A second Trump term could dismantle the remnants of America’s asylum and resettlement systems. The Supreme Court’s conservative majority could be weaponized against “Dreamers,” Temporary Protected Status recipients, sanctuary jurisdictions and groups that aid migrants. It could mean more immigration raids, incarceration and deportation and may further embolden militarized white supremacists.”
Got a news tip that you’d like us to look into? E-mail us at tips@globeandmail.com. Need to share documents securely? Reach out via SecureDrop
Kristy Kirkup