Strategic voting isn’t working. Let’s fix the system.
Eric Cherpit
5-28-2025
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The 2025 federal election didn’t just show us what’s broken in Canadian democracy—it showed us who’s breaking it.
Once again, Canadians were bombarded with calls for “strategic voting.” But let’s be honest: this isn't a real strategy. It’s a multi-million-dollar propaganda campaign designed to funnel votes away from one political party—often at the direct expense of the very outcomes voters intended.
Here’s what some of that looked like on the ground:
Riding Province Former MP Winner
North Island–Powell River BC Rachel Blaney (NDP) Aaron Gunn (CON)
London–Fanshawe Ontario Lindsay Mathyssen (NDP) Kurt Holman (CON)
Windsor West Ontario Brian Masse (NDP) Harb Gill (CON)
Elmwood–Transcona Manitoba Daniel Blaikie (NDP) Colin Reynolds (CON)
Skeena–Bulkley Valley BC Taylor Bachrach (NDP Ellis Ross (CON)
Cowichan–Malahat–Langford BC Alistair MacGregor (NDP) Jeff Kibble (CON)
Nanaimo–Ladysmith BC Lisa Marie Barron (NDP) Tamara Kronis (CON)
Edmonton Griesbach Alberta Blake Desjarlais (NDP) Kerry Diotte (CON)
Kitchener Centre Ontario Mike Morrice (Green) Kelly DeRidder (CON)
In every one of these ridings, so-called “strategic” voting from privately owned and operated websites helped elect the opposite of what voters wanted. Votes were diverted from strong NDP or Green incumbents to Liberal candidates who had no chance of winning—splitting the progressive vote.
That’s not strategic. That’s manipulation of votes through fear.
At the Douglas Coldwell Layton Foundation, we’re not here to tell people how to vote. But we are here to make sure people understand what they’re voting for—and how our electoral system too often distorts their intent.
It’s clear Canadians are being misled:
• Misled by political parties invested in keeping power.
• Misled by third-party organizations masquerading as “non-partisan”.
• And misled by a media structure that refuses to challenge the narrative.
We deserve better. Luckily, it’s still a minority government—and there’s hope. The Bloc Québécois, the NDP, and the Green Party all support Proportional Representation. But they’ll need massive public pressure to force Mark Carney’s Liberals to act.
That’s where we come in.
Donate Now to Support Electoral Reform
We’re launching an ambitious civic education and electoral reform campaign to push for a system where your vote actually counts. But we need your help.
* Donate now to our Protect Democracy Campaign
* Share our materials and events on social media
* Talk to your friends and neighbours—get them involved
Enough is enough. If we want a real democracy, we have to build it together. People should feel comfortable and confident voting for the candidate they most prefer - not out of fear.
In solidarity,
Eric Cherpit
Director of Development
https://www.douglascoldwelllayton.ca/
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