These regular Canadians share the personal experience that shapes how they will vote

What's the one issue that matters the most to you in this federal election?

CBC News asked Canadians to share the personal experience that shaped how they will vote in 2025. And you responded in overwhelming numbers. We heard from hundreds of people from across the country. 

Now, we've selected several of them to share their perspectives with you, in their own words. Among the writers are students, farmers, seniors, parents, office workers, oilpatch workers, truck drivers — just regular people from across the country and the political spectrum. Not the same political talking heads, but real people with real stakes.

You might not agree with some of them. But perhaps after reading their pieces, you might understand why they intend to vote the way they do.

Over the next four weeks of the federal election campaign, we'll add more columns to this page as they're published.

Keep in mind, these pieces should not be taken as endorsements of any particular political party by CBC News. Rather, they are expressions of the writers' points of view at the time of publication, and a look at how those perspectives came to be formed. CBC News was involved in fact-checking and editing their writing efforts. For more background, check out our website and FAQ here.

Take a read and consider, was there a perspective that helped you understand Canadians better?

I'm a teenager, and this election, I care about how expensive life is for young people

As an 18-year-old, Thivya Jeyapalan is starting to understand the fuss about the cost of living, particularly for things like school supplies and transportation. As a first-time voter, she's looking at what the parties are doing to make life less expensive for young people like her. Read more.

I've seen Ukraine's scars. As a Canadian veteran, military spending will decide my vote

When Andriy Tovstiuk, a Ukrainian Canadian veteran, returned to wartime Ukraine in 2023, it caused him to consider important questions about Canada's defence policies in an increasingly uncertain world. Read more

I promised my American wife Canada was safe for queer couples. I'll vote to keep it that way

Kiva-Marie Belt and their wife have seen the anti-transgender sentiment that's on the rise in the U.S. spilling over to this country. That's why acceptance and inclusion of transgender people will be guiding their vote in the federal election. Read more.

I want to buy Canadian, but can't always afford to. Cost of living is my election priority

Crystal MacCormac wants to support Canadian businesses and producers, but the Charlottetown woman is shopping on a budget. She wants a leader who will to address the rising cost of living for voters like her. Read more.

I didn't vote for 21 years. Trump's attacks on my homeland and Canada changed everything

Fernando Ameth Pinzon has been a Canadian citizen since 2004 but has never voted. After fleeing his native Panama following the U.S. invasion in 1989, life in Montreal felt safe and stable. Voting for change seemed unnecessary. At 41, he's casting his ballot for the first time, spurred by Trump's threats to Canada's sovereignty and to Panama's, once again. Read more.

I lean centre-left. But as a gun owner, I feel my only choice is the Conservatives

Patrick Osborne is frustrated by the federal Liberals' gun control measures, arguing they unfairly target law-abiding Canadians like himself while doing little to reduce gun violence in the country. As a gun owner, he's looking for a party that understands his perspective. Read more.

Trump is coming after Canada's dairy farmers, so I want a leader who stands up for us

Zachary Wood, 16, wants to take over his family's dairy farm one day. Although he's too young to vote in the 2025 federal election, he shares the issues that are important to him. Read more.

The oil patch gave me a great career. I want a party that sees its potential for national unity

Ex-oil engineer Kiran Somanchi says oil and gas launched his career, helped him buy a house and gave him a sense of purpose. That's why it feels personal when politicians condemn the oil patch and use it as a political tool to score points by blocking pipelines. He wants to vote for a party that sees oil and gas as a platform for nation-building. Read more.

My baby girl almost died. That's why national pharmacare will decide my vote

Scott MacMillan was relieved when doctors were able to save the life of his daughter, Rosemary, who was in diabetic ketoacidosis. But when the hospital staff asked about insurance, he was filled with dread that he might not be able to cover the cost of her life-sustaining medications. That's why in this federal election, he's looking for political leaders who are committed to expanding Canada's pharmacare plan. Read more.

Trying to fix my combine, I need politicians who really get what farmers are facing

For Prairie farmer Jason Jackson, right-to-repair legislation is a key election issue. That's because he wants a government that understands the complexity of the issues facing Canadian farmers. Read more.

Indigenous child welfare is a part of my family and is shaping my vote

For Jolene Saulis Dione, a recent conversation with her 12-year-old daughter Gwen, helped put in focus why Indigenous child welfare, and the system that has impacted her both personally and professionally, is top of mind at the ballot box. Read more.

As a pastor, I preach forgiveness. As a concerned dad, I see the need for bail reform

Jason McAllister lives near a house where there is a constant police presence. People have been arrested for drug crimes, and a homicide has occurred at this residence in Prince George, B.C. Worse, the police describe the people arrested as repeat offenders. As a father to five children, it's pushing McAllister to vote for a party that supports bail reform. Read more

It took 7 years to get my family to Canada. I'm unsure if any party truly supports immigrants

Yasmeen Awadh is a proud Canadian who sponsored her family successfully to also move to Canada. Whether it was Stephen Harper's bill to distinguish between naturalized and Canadian-born citizens or the housing crisis facing newcomers under Justin Trudeau, she has reservations about how genuinely federal parties care about the plight of the newcomers. Read more.

The tariff war threatens my parents' auto jobs. As a new voter, I worry about my future job security

Harman Banga is an 18-year-old voter from Brampton, Ont. Both her parents work in Ontario's auto industry, and her dad was laid off. She's due to start university in the fall, and the first-time voter worries about the expense of her education, the cost of living, and the impact of the U.S.-Canada trade war on her parents and her job future security. Read more.

I'm a proud Anishinaabe who asserts my Indigenous sovereignty. That's why I won't vote

Some people choose on principle not to vote. Meet Andrea Landy, an Anishinabee woman from northern Ontario. Her mother often reminded her that she was Indigenous — and not Canadian, despite what her passport says. While Landry advocates for her people and speaks out for treaty rights, she says she has not and will not participate in the colonial political system by voting in federal elections. Read more.

I'm 74, still working and can't afford new teeth. Dental care is my election issue

In January, Gale Uhlmann had to have all her teeth pulled, a procedure that cost $5,400. Though the Canadian Dental Care Plan would cover the costs, she didn't qualify because she still works — to make ends meet — and has a small, employer-covered insurance plan. The Ontario woman wants a federal party that will see the program expanded to include people like her. Read her column.

My son and I live with the constant threat of being homeless. Housing is my election priority

The Liberals announced a national housing strategy, but progress has been hard to see for Anna-Ise Dutka-Stainbrook. The Saskatoon resident was unhoused for several months and the experience has left her unsettled about voting. She's waiting for a federal party to deliver a platform she thinks will meaningfully address Canada's housing crisis for low-income renters. Read her column.

More to come