MONTREAL, Canada (AFP) — Alice Charasse arrived early Monday morning to vote in Canada’s hotly-contested election, hoping to “send a message” to Donald Trump who has threatened her country’s sovereignty and economy.

“We must not let ourselves be intimidated or influenced” by the US president, Charasse, 37, told AFP before casting a ballot on her way to work in Montreal.

“With what is happening with our neighbours, we must send a message.”

In a sign of the importance of this election, a record seven million Canadians cast a ballot in advance voting.

On Monday, there were long lines at polling stations in cities including Montreal and the capital Ottawa.

A volunteer checking registrations and directing voters past yellow election signs to the correct booths said it was the busiest balloting they had ever witnessed, adding many first-time voters had showed up.

“There was a bit of a wait today to vote,” said Ottawa resident Iris Baxter, 68, “but it was worth it because this election is super important.”

“I’m really concerned about the Trump government.”

Alexandra Sweny, 27, showed up early to vote too, she said, because “the stakes are very high,” pointing to “everything that’s happening south of the border.”

The Liberal Party, led by new Prime Minister Mark Carney, looked set for defeat by the Conservatives’ Pierre Poilievre — until Trump launched his tariff war and repeatedly said he wanted to make Canada part of the United States.

Latest polls show Carney as favorite to win in a close race.

In this vast country, which spans six time zones, the first polling stations opened at 8:30 am (1100 GMT) in the Atlantic coast provinces and were set to close at 7:00 pm (0200 GMT Tuesday).

Nearly 29 million voters were expected to cast ballots.

– ‘Scary time’ –
“It’s a scary time, and I just want to make sure I am voting for leadership that is going to take us through that time,” said federal public servant Heather McAlister, 33.

Ottawa barista Theresa Halley, 24, said she would “vote strategically” for a Liberal win.

The apparent high turnout has made Alexander Endsley hopeful, whatever the result.

With democracy under threat, “it’s important for people’s voices to be heard and show that democracy works,” the 37-year-old said.

Others, however, expressed disappointment that Trump had inserted himself in the election, leaving little room for discussions on the high cost of living, homelessness, health care or climate change.

According to 46-year-old Caroline Jose of Ottawa, voters are in “a panic right now.”

“I wish we could have things settle down and we could vote with the mind and not with the gut,” she said.

Marie-Claude Touzin, 39, told AFP that she too would have liked to hear “talk about other topics besides Trump” during the campaign.

“In an election, it’s usually a good time to raise issues, to see what’s possible and hear ideas. And now, I feel like we haven’t heard them.”