COLUMN: Think Again – Canadian democracy remains strong

The 2025 election is now over. In a remarkable political resurrection, the Liberals came back from what looked like certain political oblivion just a few months ago to win government yet again—albeit only a minority government.

Obviously, I’m not happy with the national result. While I’m pleased that Provencher MP Ted Falk was solidly reelected, I’m disappointed that the Conservatives won’t form government. It’s frustrating that we are stuck with the same Liberal cabinet ministers and MPs who got us into this economic mess in the first place.

However, while I disagree with the way most other Canadians voted, I accept the result. Elections Canada runs one of the best voting systems in the world. I have no doubt that ballots were counted accurately and tabulated correctly—regardless of whether they were filled out in pen or in pencil. There is no reason to cast doubt on the integrity of our electoral system.

Democracy is a messy process and debates frequently get heated. While this can lead to disputes between neighbours, I’m glad to live in a country where disagreements are settled at the ballot box rather than through armed conflict.

Mark Carney was not my choice for prime minister, but he is the person Canadians have chosen to fill that role. It is my responsibility to honour that choice and to treat him with the respect he deserves. He has many difficult decisions to make in the weeks and months ahead and he needs all the help he can get.

This doesn’t mean that I won’t criticize Carney or his government. Not only is it appropriate to criticize the government, but this is something we should expect in a healthy democracy. Canadians should never be afraid of expressing their opinions publicly.

In fact, criticism of the government is so important in our parliamentary system that the leader of the party with the second largest numbers of seats (in this case the Conservatives) takes on the role of leader of His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition. The leader of the opposition is expected, and even required, to criticize the government and propose alternatives during each parliamentary session.

Let me close with some friendly advice to both Liberals and Conservatives. For those who support the Liberal party, don’t assume that criticism of your party equals disloyalty to Canada. There are many Canadians who disagree with your party’s policies, and they deserve a voice as well. Avoid the temptation to equate Liberal values with Canadian values. They are not the same thing.

To my fellow Conservatives, don’t assume that everything that the Liberals do is bad. Be prepared to give credit where it is due. For example, I will be very happy if Prime Minister Carney manages to negotiate an end to President Trump’s destructive tariff war. These tariffs have the potential to cripple our economy and the sooner they end, the better.

Now that this election is over, I feel both optimistic and pessimistic. I’m pessimistic about the next few years because I believe that Liberal economic and social policies are bad for our country. I’m not looking forward to more budget deficits, soft-on-crime policies, and muddled foreign policy decisions. Nevertheless, I’m optimistic about the long-term future of our country because our democratic system remains strong.

Former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill said it best when he noted that democracy was the worst form of government ever invented, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time. This is true in our country as well.

Whatever your political persuasion, never forget how fortunate we are to live in a country like Canada.

Michael Zwaagstra is a high school teacher and deputy mayor of Steinbach. He can be reached at mzwaagstra@shaw.ca.