Earth Day and the Upcoming Federal Elections

Since 1970, inspired by the student-led Vietnam anti-war protests, Earth Day has been globally celebrated on April 22. This year the Earth Day campaign invites us all to unite behind their theme, “Our power, Our planet”, by encouraging us to take collective action – educate, advocate, and mobilize.

With the federal elections scheduled just a few days after, on April 28, 2025, Canadians across the country will have the opportunity to vote for what matters to them, their community, and the planet. As many have rightly said, every election is a climate election.This Earth Day, Green Neighbours Network (GNN) encourages voters to be actively climate-informed ahead of the elections.

Not sure where to start? Here are three key ways to be a climate-informed voter in the upcoming elections:

Center Indigenous and Climate justice organizations – Indigenous communities and local grassroots organizations have been actively leading the fight for climate justice long before it became the hot topic that it is today. They have on the ground, first-hand knowledge and experience to educate, advocate, and mobilize us towards meaningful climate action. Following their lead on the upcoming elections and joining their efforts is a great place to start. Here are a few of the many activists and organizations that are leading the way @indigenousclimateaction, @wearetcan , @theclimatejusticeorganizinghub , @leadnowca , and @climatejusticeto
Get to know the Different Parties and their positions on the climate – Many of the political parties will have their climate plans or policies published on their official website. This can give you detailed information about various party’s views and plans (or lack of) to address climate change. To get a well-rounded understanding of their position, go beyond their stated plans by looking into their past legislative actions, voting records, and statements. And most importantly consider how Indigenous communities and climate justice organizations are responding to their positions—whether through support, critiques, or calls for stronger action. CBC news has put together a summary on each of the six main party’s policies across various issues including climate change. If you are looking for a resource that breaks down each party’s position specifically on key environmental issues, check out this article by The Narwhal.
Follow the Funding sources of the Candidates – One of the most effective ways to assess a candidate’s priorities is to look into the sources of their campaign funds. This can give you more insight into whose interest they are likely to prioritize. Elections Canada has a tool that enables you to access funding information and filter it by different criteria including the candidate, Party, or type of funding (Individuals, corporations, trade unions, unincorporated associations).