New Canadians Learn

The 2025 Election Is Over. Now What?

Canadians Vote

By David Suzuki

Now that the election’s over, it’s no time to be complacent. Our democratic duty doesn’t end at the ballot box. We must create the society we want. And doesn’t want cleaner air and water, healthier food, better jobs and economic opportunities and greater equity?

We elect governments to serve us and our interests. Too often, politicians don’t see it that way. Many serve their wealthy corporate donors and allies, at our expense. It’s up to us to make sure they get their priorities straight. Regardless of which candidate or party you voted for, we need to communicate with our members of Parliament and government officials; to let them know we want a clean environment and social justice. With so many politicians worldwide abandoning the important but inadequate progress we’ve made on tackling serious environmental crises, Canada must step up and lead.

Our election is over, but our work is just beginning.

David Suzuki is a scientist, broadcaster, author and co-founder of the David Suzuki Foundation. Written with David Suzuki Foundation Senior Writer and Editor Ian Hanington. Learn more at

(This is part of an article from Haida Gwaii News 8 May 2025 edition)

Go To David Suzuki's Website

Learning to Vote

Voting in Canada

One of the most important things to do as a Canadian is to communicate well with other Canadians. This site will help you find out where to go to learn to speak, to read, to write in both official languages, English and French. This will be added to regularly so keep watching/ This learning will result in an understanding of the cultures and laws in Canada. Another important part of being Canadian is to vote at the local, provincial and federal level. That means voting when there is an election called for the town or city where you live, the province or the federal level. There are other elections too, such as for Chief and Council on a first Nations. Voting is both a right and a responsibility and doing them well means learning about the voting process. Voting is basic to democracy, the system of governance used in Canada. If it’s your first time voting as a newly adult Canadian, check out the Vote on Campus link: https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=vot&dir=bkg&document=campu&lang=e

The legal age is completely different from the age of majority. It is an age where you are allowed to do a certain activity or have a certain responsibility. For example, the legal age in Ontario to purchase alcohol is 19, and it is 16 to get a driver’s license. When you are at either 18 or 19 years of age, you can vote because you are at the age of majority.