Character, Not Charisma: What Canadians Want From Their Leaders Now
May 2, 2025
We are living through a profound shift in the Canadian psyche—one that is already transforming how people vote, shop, and decide whom to trust. The conditions that once fuelled a scarcity mindset—rising costs, housing shortages, healthcare delays—have evolved into something deeper and more destabilizing. What’s emerging is what we at Abacus Data call the precarity mindset: a broad, anxious uncertainty not only about what people have today, but whether the systems they rely on will hold tomorrow.
This mindset is now defining Canadian public life. Canadians are no longer simply worried about affording groceries—they’re unsure whether their jobs are future-proof, whether their kids will be able to build a life here, whether our institutions can withstand what’s coming next, or whether our country will even exist.
And there’s plenty to be worried about. Climate disruption has become more visceral—floods, fires, and storms that destroy homes and communities, raising insurance costs and stoking fear about what’s next. Technological disruption—from automation to AI—is transforming industries faster than public policy can adapt, leaving workers in a state of limbo. Meanwhile, healthcare access continues to fray, housing remains unaffordable, and long-term financial security feels increasingly out of reach for millions.
Then came Donald Trump. His threats to impose punitive tariffs on Canadian goods, undermine NATO, and even question Canada’s sovereignty have electrified this precarity. Suddenly, U.S.-Canada relations are not a diplomatic sidebar—they are a source of everyday stress. In our polling, nearly 80% of Canadians say Trump’s return to the global stage is making them feel anxious about their country’s future. And that anxiety is not abstract. Nearly half say they’ve avoided American products, cancelled trips, or made new purchasing choices because of rising U.S.-Canada tensions.
This is not business as usual. It’s emotional, structural, and deeply personal.
Our research shows that 70% of Canadians are delaying major life decisions because of financial and social uncertainty. 68% are worried about meeting their basic needs in the next six months. Nearly half would struggle to get by if they lost income. This mindset is not confined to any one demographic. Younger Canadians face job precarity and housing barriers. Middle-aged families feel squeezed between aging parents and children. Older Canadians worry about healthcare access and the future of their pensions. Across the board, Canadians are recalibrating how they make choices—political, personal, and economic.
That brings us to the 2025 federal election. Voters faced a stark choice between stability and disruption—between Mark Carney, who campaigned on competence and steady leadership, and Pierre Poilievre, who promised to tear down and rebuild. While the vote was close, what mattered most to many voters wasn’t ideology—it was who they believed could steady the country during an era of mounting risk. Leadership, in this context, was not judged by rhetoric or flair. It was judged by character—the ability to offer calm, coherent, and credible direction when the path ahead is uncertain.
This is the new standard. Canadians aren’t looking to be dazzled. They want someone who gets it, who listens, and who responds. It’s why Justin Trudeau could not connect for much of the last two years. In this precarious moment, character matters more than charisma. Consistency beats confidence. Integrity beats intensity. Reassurance beats showmanship.
For political and business leaders alike, this means the rules have changed. Canadians want leaders who earn trust, not attention. Those who show up with empathy, take responsibility, and commit to building resilience—these are the people and institutions that will thrive in the years ahead.
Because when everything feels unstable, character becomes the most valuable form of leadership we have.
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