Election day

Yesterday was the election day. As a first-generation immigrant, this was my first time voting in a Canadian federal election. I’ve participated in local elections before— Toronto ’s mayoral race and the Ontario provincial election a few years back—but the federal one feels different. I have participated in local elections before — Toronto’s mayoral election and the Ontario provincial election — a few years back, but the federal one feels a bit different. It carries a different weight, given all the recent events and drama from our southern neighbour.

As the election result getting unfolded, it becomes clear that the Liberals is going to form a minority government, not the majority that many projections had predicted and I hoped for. However, I don’t mind the idea of the Liberals working with either the NDP or the Bloc in a coalition. Mark Carney looks capable enough to handle the tough situation where we are at.

For me, voting always feels like a privilege instead of rights. I was born and raised in China, where elections don’t even exist. Nobody has a choice — we know nothing about the political leaders. The wiki might tell you that there’s a committee called The National People’s Congress, well…we don’t actually know any of them and have no idea who’s representing us. I had never seen a ballot in my life until I came to Canada. As for the so-called Congress, the representatives are just voting machines that act as a cover up for the fact that China is still a authoritarian regime.

When I received the ballot, it’s just a thin piece of paper, even thinner than my printer paper. But when you have never had that paper in your hands before in your home country, it feels like a lot more. Now I have a choice.