Beyond the Headlines: What Ethnic Media Tells Us About Community Priorities in Canada’s Federal Election

As Canada’s federal election campaign reaches its midpoint, much of the mainstream political discourse remains focused on U.S. tariffs, economic sovereignty, and leadership styles. However, multilingual and ethnic media across the country are drawing attention to a broader range of issues that reflect the concerns of Canada’s diverse communities.
​
Recent monitoring by MIREMS (Multilingual International Research and Ethnic Media Services) reveals that while some themes overlap with national coverage, others highlight different priorities rooted in local and cultural contexts.

U.S. Trade Tensions: A Shared Concern Framed Differently
Coverage of Canada-U.S. trade relations appears prominently in many ethnic outlets, though each frames the issue through the lens of its community.
Toronto’s Spanish-language Correo Canadiense supported Canada’s response to U.S. tariffs, describing countermeasures as necessary and encouraging readers to support Hispanic-owned businesses as both an economic and cultural contribution.
In Malaysia, The Edge published an opinion piece praising Canada’s measured approach to the trade dispute, presenting it as an example for smaller countries navigating global trade challenges.
Closer to home, OMNI News Italian Edition reported from York South–Weston–Etobicoke, where Liberal candidate Ahmed Hussen named economic pressure from the U.S. as a top issue. A local business owner described the current economic uncertainty as one of the most difficult periods he has experienced in Canada.

Local Issues Remain Central: Housing, Safety, and Economic Stability
Beyond foreign policy, ethnic media reports show strong attention to local concerns—particularly housing affordability, community safety, and cost of living.
In Calgary Centre, OMNI News Filipino Edition covered housing as a key issue. Green Party candidate Jayden Baldonado noted the financial challenges many are facing, while NDP candidate Beau Shaw proposed converting vacant downtown buildings into affordable housing.
Punjabi-language outlet PTC North America focused on community safety following Prime Minister Mark Carney’s campaign stop in Brampton. His announcement of plans to expand RCMP staffing and increase border enforcement was linked to concerns about crime and illicit drug flow—issues raised frequently by residents, according to local Liberal candidate Sonia Sidhu.

Energy Transition: A Broader View of Calgary’s Economy
Energy policy, especially in Calgary, is also receiving attention. In the Filipino-language broadcast, Liberal candidate Lindsay Luhnau emphasized Calgary’s broader capabilities in energy innovation, suggesting the city’s future includes not only oil and gas but also clean energy technologies.
This reflects an evolving conversation in some communities about balancing traditional industries with environmental and economic sustainability.

The Role of Representation
Ethnic media also focused on the importance of candidate representation. In Filipino media, Jayden Baldonado’s candidacy for the Green Party received attention despite his lesser-known profile. His participation in the race was seen as meaningful for representation, particularly among younger Filipino-Canadians.
These stories suggest that for many communities, the presence of candidates with shared cultural backgrounds plays an important role in fostering engagement with the political process.

Summary of Key Themes from Ethnic Media
MIREMS’ multilingual media review identifies several recurring themes:

• Connections between global and local issues: International developments are often discussed in relation to community-level impacts.
• Community-specific framing of universal issues: Topics such as housing and safety are broadly relevant, but often approached through culturally specific narratives.
• Importance of representation: The visibility of culturally aligned candidates continues to matter to voters across many communities.
• Gaps in engagement: Some reports noted that candidates declined to speak with ethnic media, indicating opportunities for improved outreach.

As the election campaign continues, these perspectives serve as a reminder that Canada’s political dialogue includes many languages and viewpoints. Understanding these different narratives is essential to capturing the full range of voter concerns.

MIREMS monitors and analyzes over 1,000 media sources in more than 30 languages across Canada, offering insight into the perspectives of culturally and linguistically diverse communities.