With leaders trading barbs over energy, healthcare, and innovation, this campaign is shaping up to be a defining moment for the kind of country Canada wants to be amid global uncertainty.
Election tensions heightened as party leaders sparred over economic resilience, healthcare, and the future of Canada’s social programs. The French leaders’ debate in Montreal set the tone, with Liberal Leader Mark Carney facing sharp criticism from rivals over crisis management, financial plans, and the lack of change from the previous government.
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet cited Carney’s failure to collaborate with the other parties to fight against the Trump administration. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre highlighted similarities with former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s governance. New Democratic Party (NDP) Leader Jagmeet Singh scrutinized the Liberals’ budget proposals and the lack of prioritization for Canadian workers.
Despite the friction, Carney and Poilievre agreed to support new oil and gas pipelines for national security. The Liberal leader shared that the Premiers are aligned to develop a national energy corridor and remove trade barriers to accelerate projects.
Blanchet stated that the counter-tariffs on the U.S. would hurt Quebec, urging the province to be included during negotiations. He also seeks more federal investment in Quebec’s green energy to reduce the country’s reliance on oil.
Meanwhile, Mainstreet Research revealed the Conservatives are slowly inching towards the Liberals, with only a 2.7% gap between the two parties. The Liberals are estimated to secure 193 seats, while the Conservatives could secure 136 seats. The BQ is currently at 3.8% with nine seats, while the NDP has 6.3% with four seats.
Healthcare, however, continues to shape the national conversation beyond the debate stage. Jagmeet Singh unveiled the NDP’s “Health Care Workforce Strategy,” amid increasing calls from medical experts for federal support against the healthcare crisis in Canada. The plan involves requiring provinces to have nurse-to-patient ratios, new federal health strategies for hiring and retention of workers, and incentivizing provinces to accelerate accreditation for internationally educated nurses.
The Canadian Medical Association urged all federal party leaders to outline and detail their strategy for shaping better healthcare in the country. The association highlighted a recent survey result which showed 64% of voters are seeking political debates in healthcare access from the candidates.
Similarly, the Canadian Labour Congress warned against the increasing challenges in public healthcare, prompting calls for a national health workforce strategy, a full pharmacare program, reinvestment in public health, and ending the growth of privatization. The Hospital Employees’ Union shared the sentiment that the Canada Health Act is at risk and must be prioritized in this election.
But as the campaign intensifies, experts argue that Canada’s other weaknesses are being overlooked. Andrew Maxwell, Bergeron Bergeron Chair in Technology Entrepreneurship at York University’s Lassonde School of Engineering, called for the creation of a non-partisan national innovation agency to address its growing economic challenges.
In an analysis published in The Conversation, Maxwell argued that the country faces stagnant productivity and weak innovation performance, particularly in critical sectors like biotech and healthcare. He pointed to international models like those in the U.S., Sweden, and Israel as examples of how long-term, mission-driven innovation strategies can deliver sustained growth. To compete globally and support future prosperity, Canada must adopt a smarter, outcome-focused innovation policy.
Provincial governments are also grappling with these tensions. Ontario’s latest throne speech outlined Premier Doug Ford’s economic strategy to withstand U.S. tariffs, with commitments to infrastructure, trade reforms, and streamlined mineral permitting in the Ring of Fire.
The speech drew criticism for lacking clear housing targets and raising concerns over expanded private healthcare delivery. The Council of Canadian Innovators pushed back, calling for a bolder economic strategy centred on healthcare innovation and digital services, while Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles criticized the government for offering rhetoric over relief. Federal Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland praised Ontario’s internal trade reforms, calling them a step towards a unified national economy.
On another front, the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN) expressed concern about the expansion of private healthcare, noting that over $6 billion was allocated to private services in the 2023-2024 period. The CSN argued that the private sector has not proven to be more cost-effective than the public sector, pointing out that reliance on private services could have been mitigated by employing more public health network workers, potentially saving over $700 million. Those same concerns echo in the dental care system, where gaps in coverage and staffing add another layer to the healthcare strain.
Canada’s dental care system is under increasing pressure due to the exclusion of dental care from the national coverage plan. While recent expansions aimed to cover vulnerable populations, many, particularly the working poor and low-middle class, still lack dental insurance. This gap in coverage has led to more severe health issues, such as cancer and cardiovascular disease, costing the system millions to treat.
The Interim Canada Dental Benefit (CDB), launched in 2022, helped over 408,000 families access care for children under 12, distributing $401 million across two phases. Provinces like Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Ontario, and Saskatchewan saw the highest participation rates, offering a glimpse into how targeted federal programs can bridge coverage gaps.
The stakes for Canada’s economic and healthcare future remain high. Behind the policy promises and polling numbers, questions persist about how leaders plan to sustain the programs and innovations that Canadians rely on.
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