The world knows Canadians for their politeness.  But this is not the time for politeness.  Canadians living in the UK are getting ready to vote in a big election.  They are not holding back.  They are ready to defend their country.

Sarah Helppi is one of them.  She is from Toronto but lives in London.  She just sent in her vote.  She thinks this is the most important vote of her life.  She is not alone.  Many Canadians feel the same way.  They want to protect their country from threats.  One big threat is Donald Trump.  He has put tariffs on Canadian goods.  He has even talked about making Canada a part of the US.  This has made many Canadians angry.  They want to stand up for their country.

Mark Carney is one of the candidates.  He is the leader of the Liberal party.  He used to be the governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England.  He is new to politics, but he is leading in the polls.  Many Canadians think he can make the tough decisions.  They want him to help Canada be less dependent on the US.  They want him to rebuild the economy.

There are five parties in the election.  But many people think it will come down to two: Carney and Pierre Poilievre.  He is the leader of the Conservative party.  He is known for his tough talk.  Some people call him an "attack dog. "  His party was ahead in the polls until Trump's threats.  Now, things are uncertain.  Even some of his supporters are changing their minds.  They want someone who can stand up to Trump.

Nathalie Cook is one of them.  She is from Ottawa but lives in London.  She usually votes for the New Democratic party.  But this time, she voted for the Liberals.  She thinks Poilievre is too dangerous.  She wants to prevent real harm to her country.  She thinks this election is about more than just ideas.  It is about protecting Canada.

A record number of Canadians have already voted.  More than 7. 3 million people have cast their ballots early.  This is a big increase from the last election.  Stephen Bateman is not surprised.  He worked for the Liberal party before moving to the UK.  He thinks this election is about Canadian identity.  He sees a kind of polite nationalism.  It is polite, but it is strong.  Canadians are ready to defend their country.  They are not going to back down.  They are not going to roll over.  They are ready to stand up for what they believe in.

Canadians in the UK Stand Up for Their Country

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