Why Canadian voters living in the Big Apple have a growing interest in the federal election
In a Manhattan bar, there's a shrine to all things Canadian: a giant stuffed moose head, licence plates from every province, a gold maple leaf embossed on the floor and other memorabilia.
The Canuck, which bills itself as New York City's "premier Canadian hockey and sports bar," is a familiar place to many Canadians living in the Big Apple — especially if they're looking for a hockey or baseball game that's not airing on a U.S. television network.
It's where CBC News met a group of New Yorkers who also happen to be voters in Canada's upcoming federal election — a race that's been dominated by the country's relationship with the United States following the imposition of tariffs on Canadian goods and threats by the Trump administration to make Canada the 51st state.
They're just a few of the respondents from a campaign organized by the Canadian Association of New York (CANY), a networking, social and charitable group. It has been getting the word out on how expats from Canada can register to vote and cast their ballots from abroad.
"Canadians living abroad have to vote by mail, and they need to do it early — either by sending it directly to Elections Canada or dropping it off at the consulate," said Reena Bhatt, a vice-president of the group.
A completed ballot must arrive at Elections Canada by 6 p.m. ET on April 28, election day, although the application to vote by special ballot must be received by April 22 at 6 p.m.
Christine Hutton, Sandra Pike and Sanjay Gopal didn't talk about who they're voting for, but they enthusiastically shared why they're voting in this election.
"I think, because Canada's identity is being challenged at this particular time, it's hard to sit back and not be a part of things and to show up and to pick up for Canada," said Pike, a publishing professional who's originally from Newfoundland and has lived in New York for more than two decades.
Gopal, an engineer, has been in New York for 28 years, but his parents still live in Halifax. He said he's voting with their interests in mind.
"I just feel very vested in being able to help them with, you know, the choice that they prefer in their particular riding."
Hutton, a biopharmaceutical consultant, subscribes to a Canadian newspaper and keeps up with daily headlines. She said she cares more than ever about Canada's role in the world, no matter how long she's been living in the United States.
"I really am looking at foreign policy, and I'm looking at how Canada and the U.S. will have relations," said Hutton, who's originally from Ontario but has lived in New York for 25 years. "And also vis-a-vis China, vis-a-vis India, vis-a-vis Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Gaza. Those things I feel are important."
There are an estimated four million Canadians living abroad — with about 800,000 in the U.S. and thousands in New York City alone. According to Elections Canada, only 27,000 Canadians living outside the country voted in the last federal election.
As of Saturday, 92,000 voting kits have been sent out to Canadians living abroad, and some 20,000 have already been returned, Elections Canada says.
'Canada is kind of having a moment'Bhatt of CANY said she's noticed an uptick in interest and engagement in this election.
The massive spotlight on Canada-U.S. relations means she's getting asked more about Canada, even by her American peers.
"We were definitely getting more outreach from our membership, asking if we knew of how they could vote," Bhatt said, adding that others wanted to know how to watch the leaders' debate or the election results.
It's not often that Canadians living outside the country are part of the larger national conversation in Canada. Just ask John Stackhouse, who wrote a book about it in 2020 called Planet Canada: How Our Expats Are Shaping the Future.
In his book, he wrote that we may be the only major country — or minor one, for that matter — that doesn't think strategically about its diaspora.
"I think we need to be much more strategic in terms of maintaining ties with this population and subtly helping them help Canada around the world," he said in an interview with CBC News.
Stackhouse said the Canadian expat community is an untapped resource, one that could be particularly useful as Canada forges a new path forward in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's threats.
"Carrying out that Canadian conversation, not just within Canada but with Canadians around the world, could be very powerful for the country," he said. "They want to help the country. They want to be engaged."
That's certainly how Pike, the publishing professional, feels.
"Canada is kind of having a moment," she said. "And those of us living abroad want to be part of that moment, to expand on it and make it louder."
Bhatt, who already mailed in her ballot, has this message for her fellow Canadians: "We're with you, shoulder to shoulder," she said. "We care about the same issues, and we want to be your ambassadors around the world."
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