Americans in Canada urge fellow expats to vote in high-stakes midterm elections
American Democrats living in Canada are prepared to shout their political choices from the rooftops ahead of next month's midterm elections — while some of those who back Republican candidates seem leery of speaking out fearing a backlash from their neighbours.
Tammy Wilsker Mermelstein, a Texas voter who moved to the Greater Toronto Area last year, will be voting in a U.S. election from Canada for the first time.
While she used to be a Republican and voted that way until 2016, Wilsker Mermelstein said she has never voted for U.S. President Donald Trump. She said it's crucial for people to vote this year as "Texas is in play."
"Texas has not elected a Democrat in high office for at least two decades, probably longer, and this is the first solid chance," she said. "They say every vote counts. This is really going to be an election where every vote matters, even in states where people aren't used to having their vote matter if they're in the minority."
Americans head to the polls on Nov. 3 for midterm elections which could see the Democrats seize control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives from the Republicans. Democratic control of one or both chambers could significantly alter the path of Trump's presidency, including the possibility of new impeachment proceedings against him, and investigations of some of his key allies and agency heads.
Expat participation in U.S. elections is typically low, though the Federal Voting Assistance Program estimates there were more than 430,000 eligible U.S. voters in Canada as of 2024.
The organization estimates turnout among Americans in Canada was about 10 per cent in the 2024 general election, while the domestic voting rate that year was about 76 per cent. The organization estimates the overall turnout among all eligible overseas U.S. citizens at 11 per cent.
Kathryn Sikkink, a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School who has volunteered with the U.S. Vote Foundation, said participation in voting abroad may be low because some citizens find it difficult. Some, she said, don't even realize they're eligible to vote.
The U.S. Department of State website says U.S. citizens can get an absentee ballot by mail, email or fax, or by downloading it from the internet, though options vary by state.
Most U.S. citizens can vote absentee for federal office candidates in U.S. primary and general elections. Some states also allow U.S. citizens living abroad to vote for local and state office candidates, and on referendums.
Georganne Burke, the chapter lead for Republicans Overseas in Canada, said it has been a "contentious year" as Americans living in Canada have watched "the back and forth" between the two governments over trade.
"They want to make sure that whatever's going on in the States stays kind of healthy in case they have to go back home. So people, they are more engaged, I think, than they have in the past," she said.
A dual citizen, Burke moved back to the U.S. a few months ago after spending 38 years in Toronto and Ottawa.
A Republican and Trump supporter, Burke said she estimates there is a roughly three-to-one Democrat to Republican ratio among American expats living in Canada.
"I know that most Republicans are very motivated to vote," she said. "They're very quiet about it. They don't talk because they're not received in a very friendly way in Canada, which is kind of unfortunate.
"Democrats are also motivated to vote, especially if they're in one of those toss-up states, like Michigan."
When The Canadian Press sought to speak with various American voters via social media pages and message boards, lots of Democrats stepped forward. Not one Republican did.
Burke said it's a civic duty to vote in elections. She also said while some of the things Trump says and does make her "cringe," she focuses on his accomplishments.
"A lot of the thing that he has done in the United States have made a huge difference for Americans, including dealing with the border problem in Mexico," she said. "And I know it drives people crazy, but he is reshoring, as he puts it, American industry to the United States to employ Americans. That's his job."
Trump's trade war with Canada has become a leading ballot box issue in some key states ahead of the U.S. midterms.
Trump rapidly escalated his trade war and rhetoric against Canada after trade negotiations fell apart in August. The president signed an order to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America and the United States hit an array of Canadian goods with 50 per cent tariffs. A few weeks later, Ottawa responded with its own retaliatory duties.
Jessica Matwick, a dual citizen who lives in Ottawa and is involved with Democrats Abroad and Indivisible Ottawa, said every eligible voter should get out and vote "to put a stop to an unhinged administration and a legislative body that has abdicated their responsibility to keep the executive in check."
"The attacks on Canadian sovereignty and destructive tariff war are actions I cannot remain silent about," said Matwick, who moved back to Canada in late 2016 and votes in Virginia. "I still have family living in the U.S. and many friends who I am concerned about.
"My heart hurts knowing that the damage that has been done in a relatively short period of time will take years and years to repair."
Cody Littlefield, who moved to Canada from the U.S. in 2019 and now lives in Calgary, said he tries to vote in every election. A California voter, he said this election presents an opportunity for voters to send a message that what's happening in the U.S. "is not acceptable."
"The future of the country really matters to me," said Littlefield, adding that he and his family may eventually move back to the U.S.
"There are some people who will never go back and maybe they just really don't care about the domestic stuff, but I would say the foreign policy still does affect them."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2026.
By Catherine Morrison | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Maisons à moins de 100 000 $ : Voici ce que tu peux acheter au Québec selon ta région
Attends de voir la dernière! 🤯
Pour ceux et celles qui rêvent de devenir propriétaires, mais qui croient leurs chances plutôt minces en raison d'un marché immobilier de moins en moins accessible, on t'a déniché une liste de maisons à vendre à moins de 100 000 $ dans plusieurs régions du Québec, question de te redonner espoir.
À lire également : Cette maison à vendre pour 395 000$ à 1 h 15 de Montréal est digne d’un roman
Bien sûr, à ce prix-là, ne t'attends pas à de gros manoirs ni à une belle résidence unifamiliale dans un quartier prisé de Montréal ou de Québec. Tu pourrais toutefois tomber sur de petites perles dans lesquelles il est facile de se projeter.
Selon l'Association professionnelle des courtiers immobiliers du Québec (APCIQ), le prix médian des maisons unifamiliales vendues aux quatre coins de la Belle Province en septembre 2026 atteignait 498 500 $, contre 400 000 $ pour un condo.
Pour bien des gens, ces prix sont hors de portée, notamment pour les personnes dont la préautorisation hypothécaire ne dépasse pas les 300 000 $.
Alors, que peut-on réellement s'offrir avec un budget de 100 000 $? Voici quelques propriétés à vendre dans cinq régions différentes du Québec.
Maison mobile à vendre dans les Laurentides
Cette maison mobile à vendre dans les Laurentides est située sur un terrain de camping.
Brigitte Pilon | RE/MAX du Cartier
Prix : 79 000 $
Adresse : 94, rue Beausoleil, Mont-Tremblant, QC
Description : Les maisons mobiles sont de plus en plus populaires depuis la pandémie, notamment parce qu'elles sont plus abordables que les maisons traditionnelles, tout en offrant des commodités similaires. Attention, toutefois : certaines ne sont accessibles que trois saisons par année, ce qui n'est pas toujours idéal.
Ce n'est pas le cas de cette maison située dans les Laurentides, au cœur d'un camping de Mont-Tremblant, qui est accessible à l'année. Il faut toutefois prévoir 400 $ par mois pour la location du terrain.
Maison à vendre en Gaspésie
Cette maison à étage à vendre en Gaspésie ne demandera pas beaucoup de rénovations.
Nicko Joncas | RE/MAX Avant Tout
Prix : 95 000 $
Adresse : 21-A, rue des Touristes, Gaspé, QC
Description : Si tu cherches une maison loin de la ville, celle-ci, qui compte trois chambres, pourrait être l'occasion idéale de devenir proprio.
Comme l'indique l'annonce, « pour le prix, les pièces sont spacieuses et bien disposées ». On y retrouve également une aire ouverte au rez-de-chaussée. Autre bonne nouvelle : peu de rénovations seraient à prévoir, selon l'annonce.
Maison à vendre dans Chaudière-Appalaches
Cette maison à vendre à Thetford Mines se trouve à moins de 1 h 30 des ponts de Québec.
Jean-Félix Doyon et Audrey Sévigny | RE/MAX Accès Inc.
Prix : 100 000 $
Adresse : 57, rue St-Télesphore, Thetford Mines, QC
Description : Quoi de mieux qu'une petite maisonnette à étage pour devenir propriétaire et faire le grand saut dans le monde immobilier? Avec toutes les fenêtres qu'on y retrouve, bonjour la luminosité!
À noter que quelques rénovations pourraient s'imposer pour la mettre au goût du jour. Somme toute, pour ce prix, ce n'est pas grand-chose.
En plus, elle est située à moins d'une heure et demie des ponts de Québec.
Maison à vendre dans Chaudière-Appalaches
Avec ses multitudes de pièces, il y a de la place en masse pour diverses idées, dont une salle de jeux.
Patrick Fournier | Via Capitale Sélect
Prix : 99 900 $
Adresse : 116, rue Principale, Armagh, QC
Description : L’agence immobilière Via Capitale compte dans son listing une maison à étages affichée à 99 900 $, située dans la petite municipalité d’Armagh, dans Chaudière-Appalaches.
Comme l’indique l’annonce, cette demeure de six chambres à coucher, deux salles de bains et un salon double propose « un potentiel exceptionnel » pour les personnes qui ont de grands projets.
Mis à part quelques rénovations ici et là, les futures personnes propriétaires devront aussi réaménager le sous-sol, qui semble avoir servi jusqu’à récemment de vide sanitaire.
Maison à vendre dans le Centre-du-Québec
Cette maison à vendre dans le Centre-du-Québec est accessible trois saisons par an, mais a du potentiel pour les familles à la recherche d'un chalet.
Michel Drouin | RE/MAX Extra Inc.
Prix : 99 999 $
Adresse : 205-308, ch. Allard, L'Avenir, QC
Description : On parlait plus tôt de maisons accessibles trois saisons par année, puisqu'elles se trouvent sur des terrains ouverts du printemps à l'automne. C'est justement le cas de celle-ci.
Si elle n'est pas idéale pour les personnes qui souhaitent acheter leur première propriété, elle mérite tout de même l'attention des familles à la recherche d'un chalet estival loin de la ville.
Cette maison préfabriquée comprend notamment une grande véranda et un vaste espace de vie intérieur.
Stationnement à vendre à Montréal
Ce stationnement spacieux à vendre à Montréal pour 65 000 $ n'attend que ta voiture.
Prix : 65 000 $
Adresse : 3100, rue Rachel E, Montréal, QC
Description : Tu comprendras que ce stationnement en plein cœur de Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie n'est pas à vendre pour y installer ta maison mobile.
Il s'agit plutôt d'une place de stationnement destinée à toute personne à la recherche d'un endroit où garer sa voiture beau temps, mauvais temps, et ce, à l'année.
C'est un petit clin d'œil, puisqu'à moins de 100 000 $, on ne trouve pratiquement aucune propriété résidentielle dans la région de Montréal.
- Où acheter une maison pas chère en 2026? 9 villes du Québec parmi un top 10 canadien ›
- 6 signes que tu es prêt (ou pas) à acheter ta première maison au Québec, selon un expert ›
- Achat d'une 1re maison au Québec : Voici pourquoi les experts disent de ne pas attendre ›
- J’ai acheté ma première maison en 2026 et voici 9 choses que j’aurais voulu savoir avant ›
First Nations prepare for historic meeting with Carney and the premiers
Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak is feeling the weight of the moment as she approaches something her predecessors sought for years: a sit-down meeting with the prime minister and premiers.
"I look at some of our former leaders that had to really push and pull just to open these doors, and I wish they could see that today," Woodhouse Nepinak said recently between last-minute meetings with chiefs to prepare for the First Nations-First Ministers meeting in Ottawa on Monday.
"It is historic, but at the same time we don't want it to be one-and-done. We don't want it to fall flat and not offer hope again."
The meeting comes as Prime Minister Mark Carney works to speed up major project approvals and development — efforts some First Nations chiefs say threaten their rights.
Tensions between Ottawa and First Nations spiked soon after Carney was elected in 2025 when his government passed legislation to create a new office tasked with streamlining major project developments and approving projects within one year.
First Nations leaders warned the compressed timelines would interfere with their rights and lead to court challenges. Provincial governments have enacted similar legislation.
But tensions are boiling over for a number of other reasons as well, including the lands claim process in British Columbia, the newly announced Pacific Link pipeline project in Alberta and development of the mineral-rich Ring of Fire in Ontario.
The Assembly of First Nations has been preparing for the meeting for months by holding town halls with chiefs to discuss actions they want to see governments take. Gina Wilson, who recently served as deputy minister at Indigenous Services Canada, helped to advise chiefs as they lined up their priorities for the meeting.
The AFN released a handful of position papers last week on economic development, policing and public safety, employment and health.
One of the main goals for First Nations leaders going into the meeting is a First Nations sovereign wealth fund. The fund, proposed by Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, would pool capital to ensure First Nations can build long-term wealth in their communities and invest in projects.
Chippewas of the Thames First Nation Chief Joe Miskokomon has told The Canadian Press the fund would bypass governments and allow major projects to be developed faster by giving communities more authority over investments.
The Monday meeting will be preceded by a day of ceremony on Sunday hosted by the AFN. Woodhouse Nepinak said such First Nations ceremonies were once prohibited under the Indian Act and it's important for Carney and the premiers to be there.
First Nations will be represented in the closed-door meeting on Monday largely by regional chiefs from the AFN. The Privy Council Office has not said which premiers will attend the gathering.
Woodhouse Nepinak said the meeting ought to be broadcast to the public and she continues pushing the Privy Council Office to do so.
The meeting is the first such gathering since 2005, when premiers and then-prime minister Paul Martin met with Indigenous leaders in Kelowna, B.C., to work out how to close socioeconomic gaps in their communities.
That gathering of some 1,000 individuals, including representatives from the AFN, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the Métis National Council and the Native Women’s Association of Canada, was meant to change policies from prescriptions from Canadian governments to something more collaborative.

The meeting ended with commitments from governments to spend billions of dollars to reduce infant mortality rates, increase education rates and tackle unemployment — the Kelowna Accord. But progress stalled when Martin’s government fell just days after the meetings wrapped.
Stephen Harper succeeded Martin as prime minister and launched an aggressive resource development agenda. That led to more tensions between Ottawa and Indigenous Peoples that culminated in the 2012 Idle No More protest movement.
Jeff Copenance, the chief of Ojibways of Onigaming First Nation, worked in Martin’s office at the time the Kelowna Accord was being drafted. He said while the agreement itself offered a practical approach to improving the Canadian economy by lifting up its fastest-growing population, the meeting in Kelowna showed many Canadians who Indigenous people really are.
Copenace said a smudging ceremony was conducted at the meeting, giving many Canadians their first glimpse of a traditional practice. He added it was also one of the first times he saw Indigenous people portrayed in the news in relation to something positive.
There’s been some progress in the years since, he said, but not all of the goals set at that meeting have been achieved. He fears a heavy focus on economics in the Monday meeting will further delay action on addictions, homelessness and suicide.
“Unless the prime minister, the premiers and the territories are going to look a little bit deeper than resource development or economic reconciliation, I worry that they’re not going to be successful with their agenda,” Copenace said.

His community is dealing with a suicide and mental health crisis that has taken the lives of nearly 70 people in five years — including a 19-year-old relative whose funeral will held on Monday.
“Things aren’t going to improve if you’re only going to focus on economic development … I plan to look the prime minister in the eye and tell him what’s happening in Onigaming and ask for his help desperately,” said Copenace, who is joining Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew’s delegation at the meeting. Kinew is a member of Ojibways of Onigaming First Nation.
Copenance said he thinks the meeting wouldn't be happening if Carney's hadn't realized his development agenda can't move forward without First Nations.
“The only way he’s going to get his agenda successfully passed and not locked up in the courts or protests is by speaking directly with First Nations,” he said.
Woodhouse Nepinak said that, in order to avoid another failed attempt like the Kelowna Accord, Canadian politicians need to demonstrate political will and consistency.
"If there's no political will to work together, then things stay the same," she said.
Mohawk policy analyst Russ Diabo said he's also worried the meeting will focus entirely on economics and avoid tougher conversations about First Nations rights. He has helped to organize a counter-meeting of grassroots leaders and advocates and a protest of the meeting itself, saying he does not trust the AFN to act in the best interest of communities.
Diabo said he fears the AFN — which represents chiefs but is not a rights-holding institution — will make agreements with Carney and the premiers.
"It's totally orchestrated and there's already a predetermined outcome," Diabo said. He has accused the AFN of working too closely with the federal government while Ottawa works to negotiate away First Nations rights through cash settlements.
His counter-meeting on Sunday will hear from hereditary leaders, advocates and youth about their opposition to the country's major projects agenda and what they see as the sidelining of their rights.
"I can't think of a province in this country where Aboriginal and treaty rights aren't being violated by provincial law and policy," Diabo said.

The Truth Before Reconciliation Network is calling on federal and provincial governments to recognize rights-holders as the primary decision makers, to create a First Nation-based decision process that follows traditional governments, and to require community mandates before legislative changes are made.
"No First Nations-related legislation should proceed without documented community engagement and authorization. Consultation should occur before drafting legislation, not after policy decisions have been made," Diabo wrote in a missive about the counter-meeting.
Woodhouse Nepinak said First Nations are at a crossroads and many chiefs see the meeting as a chance to chart a new path forward.
While the meeting itself is seen as a win by some First Nations leaders, others remained concerned about the format and who will be in the room.
The AFN has a rocky relationship with First Nations in Alberta and chiefs in that province do not have a representative on the advocacy body’s executive council.
Treaty 8 First Nations Grand Chief Trevor Mercredi told The Canadian Press it’s inappropriate for a “third-party organization” to be sitting alongside the country’s decision-makers instead of grassroots leadership.
“This is an unacceptable process,” he said.

His message is echoed by the chief of Onion Lake Cree Nation, who reportedly filed a cease-and-desist notice to the Assembly of First Nations ahead of the meeting to “make clear that the AFN does not, and cannot, represent, negotiate for or presume consent on behalf of the nation” at the meeting.
“We respect the choices of nations that participate through the AFN, and we expect equal respect for our decision to follow our own path,” said Chief Pete Chief. “The Oct. 26 gathering is about ensuring that the voices and authority of independent treaty nations are not overlooked.”
Woodhouse Nepinak said all First Nations should be heard and she's thankful First Nations leaders, elders and youth will be in Ottawa to witness it — even those opposed to the meeting.
"I want to move to a point where we can have proper discussions and proper debates on finding the path forward," she said.
"That's all we can do, try our best every day."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 24, 2026.
By Alessia Passafiume | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Mon honnête expérience: j'ai mangé 100% vegan pendant une semaine
Il y a deux ans, après avoir visionné plusieurs documentaires (voir titres plus bas) relatant de la terrible vie des animaux d'élevage, j'ai complètement coupé la viande de mon assiette. J'ai commencé avec un défi d'un mois, et je ne suis jamais revenue à mes anciennes habitudes alimentaires.
Ce défi pourrait aussi t'intéresser: J'ai mangé comme cette star d'Instagram cette semaine et voici ce qui s'est passé.
Depuis que je suis pesco-végétarienne (je mange encore du poisson), je m'intéresse grandement au végétalisme. Après avoir visionné des centaines de vidéos YouTube sur le sujet et lu le livre Comment ne pas mourir, j'ai décidé de plonger et de vivre une semaine sans aucun produit animalier.
Voici ce qui s'est passé et ce que j'ai mangé:
Lundi & Mardi
Mon début de semaine s'est très bien déroulé: j'avais plus d'énergie que jamais! Mon alimentation n'était pas si différente que d'habitude puisque j'ai tendance à préférer des repas vegan pendant la semaine de toute façon.
J'ai bu un smoothie (protéines vegan, graines de chia, son d'avoine, framboises, lait d'amande, avocat, huile MCT) pour déjeuner, mangé des crudités en collation matinale, une salade de pois chiches, riz & pesto pour dîner, des noix en après-midi, puis un sauté de légumes et tofu pour souper.
Mardi soir, j'avais un pique-nique entre amies et j'ai simplement évité les salades de patates et de macaronis (contenant mayonnaise et oeufs) et les fromages. Après le souper, je suis la seule qui n'a souffert d'aucun problème digestif. Je me sentais rassasiée, mais aucunement pleine et lourde.
J'ai trouvé ça beaucoup plus simple que prévu, et contrairement à la pensée populaire, ce n'était pas difficile à gérer.
Mercredi & Jeudi
Mercredi après-midi, j'ai eu un gros coup de barre: je me suis sentie complètement épuisée. Je ne me suis pas trop inquiétée, parce que ça pouvait être lié à autre chose: j'ai recommencé à m'entraîner à peu près au même moment, j'étais dans ma semaine et hyper stressée par mes recherches d'appartement. J'ai fait attention pour manger assez (au moins 1800 calories), car les aliments végétaux sont souvent faibles en calories.
Jeudi, j'avais un 5 à 7 entre amis. C'est à ce moment que je me suis sentie en privation pour la première fois. Il y avait plusieurs bouchées, et je me suis abstenue de manger celles avec du poisson, alors que ça avait l'air délicieux. Nous sommes ensuite allés au resto et il n'y avait qu'une seule option vegan sur le menu.
Vendredi
J'ai passé la journée à penser à des sushis et à du fromage brie. Donc à l'heure du souper, j'ai non seulement mangé 8 sushis, mais beaucoup trop de fromage, et plusieurs pointes de pizza. YOLO.
Défi raté.
Expérience globale:
J'ai réalisé que le mode de vie sans viande est parfait pour moi, car je n'ai jamais été une fan de toute façon. Mais le fromage et le poisson vont toujours faire partie de mon assiette.
Je crois que les gens ont peur du véganisme, parce que ça semble restreignant. Je crois que ce qui l'est, c'est de se sentir "au régime'' et en privation. Nous devrions plutôt voir cela comme un mode de vie, et trouver un équilibre qui nous convient niveau valeurs, digestion et énergie.
Personnellement, le 80/20 fonctionne bien pour moi! Je mange du poisson et du fromage quelques fois par semaine, et le reste du temps, je remplis mon assiette de légumes et je trouve des façons originales et le fun de manger des légumineuses.
Honnêtement, je recommande de réduire la consommation de viandes et dérivés peu à peu, jusqu'à ce tu trouves un ratio qui te rend heureux et bien dans ton corps! Et bien entendu, de choisir des produits éthiques et de t'informer sur le rapport entre la santé et l'alimentation. Bien entendu, tu peux ben manger comme tu veux: aucun jugement, tout diffère d'une personne à l'autre.
Si tu manques d'inspiration et que tu penses que la bouffe vegan c'est juste du tofu et de la luzerne, je te recommande ces 2 chaînes YouTube: Tess Begg & thrivingonplants.
Documentaires intéressants sur le sujet sur Netflix Canada:
Food, inc.
That Sugar Film
Forks over Knifes
Hungry for Change
Fed Up
Vegucated
Food Matters
À lire aussi: