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Canada·Canada Votes 2025

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

We all vote for different reasons. You might not agree with some of these perspectives. But perhaps after reading, you might understand why some Canadians are voting the way they do.

You might not agree with some of them, but it might help you understand their choice

Tamara Baluja · CBC News ·
A person stands over a yellow sticker saying Vote.
A voter queues at a polling station to cast a ballot in Toronto's Spadina-Fort York riding on Sept. 20, 2021. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press)

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

A portrait of a woman with gray hair and a gray sweater.
Gale Uhlmann says she wears a mask in public these days, not because of COVID, but to cover the fact that for she has no teeth. (Submitted by Gale Uhlmann)

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

A close-up of a blue-eyed woman wearing a red tuque.
Anna-Ise Dutka-Stainbrook says high rental costs cause her a lot of stress and uncertainty about whether she will be able to afford her one-bedroom apartment. (Submitted by Anna-Ise Dutka-Stainbrook)

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 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tamara Baluja

Producer, CBC First Person

Tamara Baluja produces columns for CBC First Person, which showcases the personal stories and experiences of Canadians in their own words. She is based in Vancouver. She has previously worked as a social media editor and reporter for CBC British Columbia. She's also been part of the social media editorial teams for CBC Indigenous and CBC Olympics during Tokyo 2020. You can email her at tamara.baluja@cbc.ca.

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