On May 2, 2025, host Manda Aufochs-Gillespie was joined by Ashley Zarbatany to to unpack the outcomes of the recent federal election, explore the roots of confusion around strategic voting, and consider what these results might mean for the future of Canada and Cortes!
Continue reading Folk U: Unpacking the 2025 Election
By Rochelle Baker and Sonal Gupta, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Controversial Conservative candidate Aaron Gunn ended his successful campaign the same way he started it: by keeping his whereabouts secret and avoiding questions from the media.
Gunn, whose inflammatory social media history drew national attention and widespread calls for his removal as candidate, was elected in North Island-Powell River with 39% of the vote. He flipped the riding, defeating NDP candidate Tanille Johnston, who garnered 33% of the vote. Liberal Jennifer Lash carried 26% and Green Jessica Wegg drew 2%.
Continue reading Split vote lifted Gunn to victory despite controversy
By Nora O’Malley, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
As the dust settles from the 2025 federal election, the Liberals have retained a minority government – but amid a growing Conservative presence in Ottawa and a devasted NDP party.
Under the new leadership of Mark Carney, the April 28 vote has resulted in the Liberals earning a projected 169 seats in the House of Commons – just three shy of the representation needed to for a majority. This is more than the 153 the Liberals previously held in the last Parliament, but Conservatives saw their representation grow more markedly, increasing from the 120 seats at the last sitting of the House to a projected 144. Meanwhile the Bloc Quebecois kept 22 seats – losing 11 from the last Parliament – and the New Democrats saw their representation fall from 25 to just seven. The Green Party’s representation fell from two to one.
Continue reading Election sees transformation of Vancouver Island representation
By Jeremy Appel, Alberta Native News, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter.
Less than a week before Billy Morin was elected as the Conservative MP for Edmonton Northwest in the Canadian federal election, the former elected chief of Enoch Cree Nation moderated a panel on Indigenous opportunities in hydrogen.
The Canadian Hydrogen Convention was held on April 23 and 24 at the Edmonton Convention Centre, with the second day including the panel, “Indigenous Partnerships for a Clean Energy Future.”
Grand Chief Greg Desjarlais of the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations, Salish Elements chairman and co-founder Reuben George, and Xaxli’p (Fountain First Nation) executive director Andrew Mercer spoke on the Morin-moderated panel.
Salish Elements, an Indigenous-run company that produces green hydrogen—meaning hydrogen that is made with water, rather than natural gas—signed a May 2024 agreement to build a 25-megawatt hydrogen production facility on the Xaxli’p reserve in Lillooet, British Columbia.
Continue reading First Nations leaders push for energy wealth and ownership at Canadian Hydrogen Convention
The Liberal Party’s anticipated landslide failed to materialize on election night. Mark Carney has been elected Prime Minister of Canada, but up until this afternoon it was not clear that he will form a majority or minority government.
Fair Vote Canada described the results of this election as a ‘tsunami of strategic voting.’
Green Party leader Elizabeth May was re-elected in Saanich–Gulf Islands and is now her party’s only remaining Member of Parliament.
Two days ago, the NDP held six ridings on Vancouver Island; after election night, only Courtenay–Alberni remains in NDP hands.
The expected Conservative surge on the islands was weaker than what the projections had suggested. They only captured three ridings from the NDP: North Island–Powell River, Nanaimo–Ladysmith, and Cowichan–Malahat–Langford.
The Liberals won the NDP’s old southern Vancouver Island seats in Esquimalt–Saanich–Sooke and Victoria.
In North Island–Powell River, Conservative Aaron Gunn won with 31,356 votes (38.8%).
Continue reading Liberal Minority; the Race in North Island Powell River
