Recent polls indicate a significant shift in the political landscape of Canada, revealing that younger voters are increasingly leaning toward the Conservative Party. A poll aggregator on Poliwave shows that since the April 28 federal election, the Conservatives have consistently been the preferred party among voters under 29 years old. A late October poll by Abacus Data found that 40 percent of voters under 30 supported the Conservatives, compared to 38 percent for the Liberals. This trend has been echoed in multiple Nanos Research polls over the past three months.

Even in instances where the Liberals appear to gain traction among younger voters, Conservative support remains notably higher than among older demographics. For example, a November 3 poll by Leger indicated that if only voters under 34 were to decide the next election, the Liberals would narrowly win with 41 percent, while the Conservatives would receive 38 percent. In contrast, among voters over 55, the Liberals would dominate with 50 percent support compared to just 34 percent for the Conservatives. This suggests that the average Canadian aged 25 is now more likely to vote Conservative than the average Canadian aged 55.

While some polls, particularly from the Angus Reid Institute, have shown younger voters distancing themselves from the Conservatives, the party still maintains a level of support that would have been unexpected in previous decades. An Angus Reid poll released recently found that Conservative and Liberal support among male voters under 34 was nearly tied, with 36 percent for Liberals and 35 percent for Conservatives. Among women under 35, a demographic typically less supportive of conservative options, the Conservatives polled at 27 percent, slightly ahead of the NDP at 25 percent, while the Liberals led with 35 percent.

This trend was particularly evident in the months leading up to the April 28 election, where the Conservatives often counted young voters as their strongest demographic. A straw poll conducted in April among 949,000 school-aged Canadians suggested that if teenagers and elementary school students were to vote, a Conservative minority government would have been elected.

This shift in voting patterns represents a significant departure from the historical trend where older individuals tend to lean conservative while younger voters favor progressive parties. In contrast, countries like Australia and the United Kingdom have seen younger voters predominantly support left-leaning parties. For instance, in Australia, only 10 percent of Gen Z voters support the leading center-right party, while in the U.K., younger voters are more likely to vote Labour.

The reasons behind Canada's youthful shift toward Conservative options are often attributed to economic factors. Young Canadians are facing challenges such as housing unaffordability, unemployment, and rising living costs. Similar voting trends have been observed in countries experiencing economic decline, such as Argentina, where a significant portion of voters under 24 supported the election of a hardline free marketeer.

Additionally, there are signs of a growing cultural conservatism among younger Canadians. A recent Angus Reid poll revealed that 24 percent of respondents under 24 identified as “religiously committed,” the highest percentage among all age groups. In comparison, only 16 percent of Canadians over 65 reported the same.

**Budget Passes Amid Controversy** In other news, the 2025 budget was passed on Monday night under unusual circumstances. Opposition parties publicly opposed the budget and informed their supporters of their votes against it. However, the budget passed due to the unexpected abstention of two NDP MPs and two Conservative MPs. One Conservative MP cited “medical leave” as the reason for their absence. This unexpected turn of events allowed Prime Minister Carney to secure the budget with apparent support from the opposition.

Analysts suggest that the opposition's decision to allow the budget to pass may have been strategic, as triggering a Christmas election could have favored the Liberals. By permitting the budget to go through, the opposition grants the Liberals at least six more months in power, during which Carney's favorable poll numbers could potentially decline.