Elections Canada is quietly preparing for the possibility of a 2026 federal election, ordering millions of ballot‑box seals despite government claims a campaign isn’t on the horizon. The move signals the agency’s ongoing readiness for what would be the fourth national vote in seven years, a level of frequency that has become a defining feature of minority‑era politics.According to Blacklock's Reporter, agency spokesperson Matthew McKenna said Elections Canada must always be ready “to deliver general elections and byelections at any time,” a requirement that prompted the purchase of 6,900,000 ballot‑box seals designed to prevent tampering. The seals are used on ballot boxes, poll bags and envelopes, and McKenna said they are essential to protecting the integrity of the voting process.A notice to contractors explained how the seals are handled. After polls close, workers break the seals to count ballots. Once counting is finished, ballots and documents are placed back inside the box and secured with a new seal before being returned to local Elections Canada offices, where they remain untouched until results are validated..Despite the preparations, cabinet maintains it has no intention of triggering an early vote. House Leader Steven MacKinnon told reporters on December 11 that the minority government still believes it has a mandate to govern. When asked whether it was time to head back to the polls, MacKinnon replied, “No I don’t think so.”MacKinnon accused opposition parties of creating unnecessary gridlock, saying repeated delays and obstruction make for “a bad day for Canada.”Access To Information records show the agency has previously had advance insight into election timing. Internal emails reveal Elections Canada managers anticipated the last election call months before it happened, even cancelling staff vacations in preparation.“It appears we will have an election call on March 25 or 26,” wrote communications manager Pierre Verriere in a January 17 email. Prime Minister Mark Carney ultimately called the election on March 23 — a near‑perfect match with the internal prediction. The email was part of a discussion about staffing and budget expectations for 2025, sent just one day after Carney announced his bid for the Liberal leadership.Elections Canada did not disclose who, if anyone, tipped them off about the timing.
