By Maud Weaver
The American election has flooded the news cycle for the past couple weeks, and American students at George Brown College (GBC) have been participating, but are feeling nervous for themselves and their families.
“My mom is from Colombia, my dad is from Peru, and I do have family members that are undocumented, so watching the debate, especially the last one, I was just screaming at the TV,” says Victoria, a dual citizen currently attending GBC, who requested we not use her last name in this story.
In the anxiousness of the election, American students were figuring out how to get involved while in Canada and make sure their vote was counted.
“This election came and I was very much like, what do I need to know? What do I need to do? And luckily, I subscribed to Democrats Abroad and they were able to give that information and try to make it more accessible and easier for me,” says Victoria.
With mail in ballots being a topic of much debate throughout the election, there was some distrust about what mailing in a ballot from Canada would look like, but others found it be simple.
“I faxed in my vote because I did not trust the US Postal Service due to what I hear in the news. So I wanted to fax it over. Faxed it over a week in advance. Have it done that way, so there’s no delay. There’s no ‘it got lost in the mail’ or anything like that,” explains Victoria.
In contrast, Jessica Esteves, a permanent resident from Miami who has been in Canada for two and a half years and is attending GBC, found it be much easier, “I registered online, then had my ballot sent here. It was actually really fast.”
Esteves struggled to stand behind either major candidate as neither had a platform they believed in.
“Both elections I was very much for Bernie Sanders, and so it was a bummer to have to vote for people you don’t really stand behind, but you don’t want Trump to win,” says Esteves. “Voting hasn’t felt empowering the last eight years.”
Prior to the election results being concluded, Victoria spoke of the fear she was feeling regardless of the results.
“We’re still waiting, but there’s still moments where we get pretty anxious cause either way, whoever wins, we’re still having that mentality that there’s probably going to be a riot,” says Victoria.
Saturday November 7, Democrat candidate Joe Biden was projected to be the next president by major US media. Esteves heard the news from their sister.
“I got a voice message from my sister this morning saying ‘You don’t have to sponsor us to come to Canada anymore,’” Esteves jokes.
Being in Canada has changed how both Victoria and Esteves have felt throughout the election, but worry for others they still know in America has greatly impacted their views.
“When I moved to Canada, Obama wasn’t even elected yet. And I just noticed how privileged I was,” says Victoria. “In a way, I had this survivor’s guilt because there are people who probably need these types of benefits or need to see the different perspective of how having more social reform can help you. And investing in the people, especially people who are marginalized. So it’s a bit bittersweet.”
“I am very nervous for my family,” says Esteves.
