Will 2025 be known as the strangest election in Canada’s history?

We have just experienced probably the strangest federal election in Canada ever, with an equally strange outcome.

Although it isn’t over just yet, it seems that by some strange occurrence never before experienced in a Canadian election, numerous recounts of initially tagged spoiled ballots changed the outcomes for one or several winners after recounts. Or incorrect postal codes on Elections Canada mail envelopes led to ‘returns to sender’ and uncounted ballots. It started with a single incorrect postal code – which obviously was improbable – and proved to be so when the numbers grew. So far, one such ballot likely led to a by-election in Quebec. And will there be more? It makes sense that more than a few would carry the ‘wrong return postal code.’

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Without question, Elections Canada will have a lot of explaining to do.

Why do I label this the strangest Election in Canada? When in the past was a democratic election mostly conducted by making the President of United States the campaign? And when in the past has an imported replacement – largely unknown to most voters, with few policies of his own – emerged as the worthiest candidate almost overnight and become Prime Minister?I’m having trouble with the whole campaign being one big coincidence.

Another strange occurrence in this election is that it was campaigned using some of the opposing party’s campaign policies and the reference to Canada becoming the 51^st state. And only one candidate was billed as capable of saving us. This reference unexpectedly caused extreme reactions by some of the most surprising and often disinterested voters. Some even resorted to pushing petitions against the USA, who didn’t know they were in an election, while others started flying Canadian flags. The most embarrassing reaction for Canada was the booing of the USA national anthem at hockey games and the tough talk by ‘show hosts.’ I suspect they were some of the same people who chanted ‘Elbows Up’ on the way to the voting booth.