Ottawa (Canada), September 21: Canadians are heading to the polls across the country on Monday to choose a prime minister who will form the next federal government after a 36-day election campaign amid the fourth wave of COVID-19.
Due to COVID-19 public health restrictions, Canadians are voting in some ways different from the past elections. About 6.8 million Canadians have already voted, most of whom cast their ballots in the advanced polling on Sept. 10-13.
Millions of others who are eligible to vote on Monday have to abide by certain COVID-19 protocols like physical distancing, sanitization, and wearing masks, which resulted in longer lines than usual at some polling places.
Throughout the election campaign, six political party leaders have made promises on Canada's pandemic response, economy, child care, climate change, spending, indigenous reconciliation, taxes and housing.
On Sunday, party leaders made last-minute appeals in whirlwind tours in an effort to convince voters to choose them.
Most election winners will be decided by the end of Monday, but Elections Canada has warned it might take up to four days to finish counting the special ballots, meaning some close races won't have official winners for several days.
With millions of Canadians heading out to vote on Monday for Canada's 44th national election, there have been some reports about long lines and disturbances at polling stations. In Toronto, several lines were spotted at voting locations.
In Edmonton, the capital city of Alberta province, police were reportedly called in over a disturbance at a polling station where two people refused to wear masks.
Polling stations in the country are open for 12 hours, with the last polls set to close in British Columbia province at 7 p.m. PST (0300 GMT Tuesday).
Source: Xinhua
