OP-ED: We’re young Canadians. Here’s what Charlie Kirk meant to us

Guest contributor Elie Cantin-Nantel on what Charlie Kirk has meant to young conservatives like himself

By Elie Cantin-Nantel

Charlie Kirk was brutally assassinated for having conservative beliefs on Sept. 10, 2025.

This was something that I, as a young conservative, was quite affected by. As I wrote in my Substack, he was one of my biggest inspirations. One of my biggest role models. He was my hero. He built a global youth conservative movement from scratch, starting with modest seed money, hosting small events, and growing it into a multimillion-dollar organization that put on massive events like the Student Action Summit and AmericaFest. That was simply amazing.

Since his assassination, I’ve had mixed feelings.

On one hand, it has been inspiring to see the outpouring of support for Charlie, his widow Erika, and the Turning Point mission, the rise of fearless conservatism, and a clear sign of a Christian revival.

On the other hand, it has been disturbing to see the left celebrate his death, and disheartening to see Canada’s legacy media attack Kirk and his supporters, and attempt to sideline the 40 percent of young Canadians who are conservative by not bothering to give them a voice in the wake of this tragedy.

With the legacy media again failing to do its job, I’ve once again had to step up.

Over the last few days, I spoke with several young Canadian conservatives who shared what Charlie Kirk meant to them and how his murder has impacted their lives.

Here is what they told me:

My biggest role model.

“Charlie Kirk was and remains my biggest role model. Devastated is an understatement when trying to describe how I felt when I heard the news that he had been shot. That a low-life person would shoot someone because they didn’t like civil debate, didn’t make sense to me.

Since Charlie Kirk’s assassination, I have decided that I will make it my mission in life to carry on his legacy and dream. To take Canada and America back through civil debate. As Erika Kirk said, ‘If you thought that my husband’s mission was powerful before, you have no idea. You have no idea what you just have unleashed across this entire country and this world.’ Though Charlie Kirk is no longer with us and he is irreplaceable, if we all come together, we will win this battle.”

– Seth Joosse, 17, Ontario

This truly is a turning point.

“I’ve been a fan of Charlie Kirk since around 2019 but of course, being in a liberal country and in NDP-run British Columbia at the time, I didn’t say anything or vocalize my own opinions. I was scared of retaliation, pushback, and I didn’t want to upset anybody. I’m the type of woman that will consider other people’s feelings and conscience before my own. But when Charlie got killed, that changed things.

After accidentally coming across the raw footage of Charlie’s assassination, I burst out in tears. I kept on crying and crying off and on for several days afterward; just feeling horrible for especially Mrs. Erika Kirk and her two children who now have to grow up without their beloved father. I admire Mrs. Kirk’s courage and no-nonsense attitude when she came on to speak about her late husband. I could see the fire in her eyes, I could sense that she wants to keep her husband’s legacy and mission alive. Her message to all of us inspired me to want to finally say ‘no more staying quiet.’

I recognize now that this is not just a spiritual warfare, but this is also a revival for Christianity in general. This truly is a turning point for not just us in Canada, but all over the world. The world is slowly healing, but we still need to do our part to make it happen. I need to do my part. And whatever part I can do, I’ll surely do it as best I can. I have seen the results of removing God from the majority of our society. We need to reel it back and heal our country before it truly is too late.”

– Sarah Thackeray, 30, British Columbia

We will carry on his torch.

“Charlie Kirk and Turning Point USA have inspired my husband and I for years to stand confidently for truth in all areas of our lives. From doing a pro-life internship, to speaking on TV, to leading the pro-life club on my campus, I have never wavered in my commitment to stand for what is right, encouraged by conservative activists my age like Charlie Kirk. Charlie’s murder has ripped a hole in our hearts and the hearts of millions of conservatives around the world. He was murdered while debating students who held different beliefs than him. Charlie believed in debating ideas and encouraged debate and dialogue with people of all beliefs. He died doing just that.

We will never let left-wing people silence us. Charlie’s murder has resulted in his voice being amplified around the world. We will carry on his torch of fighting for freedom, dialogue, and sharing the Gospel. God is using this immense pain and suffering to show the world how Christians respond to persecution and hatred. Charlie’s death has only encouraged us to stand even more confidently in the truth, to live boldly as Christians, and to raise our children as strong, confident Christians. What the devil meant for evil, God meant for good. We are witnessing a global revival because of Charlie’s death.”

– Hannah Salamon-Vegh, 29, Ontario

His loss is devastating. But retreat is not an option.

When I heard the news of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, I found myself walking straight to my church. As a Catholic, I needed a space where I could sit in silence, pray, and try to make sense of the grief and anger that overwhelmed me. It was the only place I thought I could manage my thoughts and emotions. The fact that his life was taken while he was surrounded by young people in a campus setting made it hit even harder.

I am still a student today, pursuing graduate-level studies, and I am also a proud member of Turning Point USA at Arizona State University. That involvement has been both formative and affirming. My first-ever Turning Point event was the Young Women’s Leadership Summit in Dallas, Texas, in June 2025. I still remember the excitement of walking into a room filled with hundreds of young conservative women, each with their own experiences and perspectives. I met Riley Gaines and Lee-Allen Baker, and I heard from so many others who had carved out paths of leadership. What struck me most was not that we all agreed on every issue, but that I felt safe disagreeing. As an aspiring academic and a young professional, I know that the traditional role of the home is not necessarily my path. Yet I discovered there was so much more that united us, including our defense of freedom, our commitment to faith, and our belief in the value of life and responsibility.

Charlie Kirk understood the importance of resisting a culture of intimidation. His debates, speeches, and viral clips gave young conservatives, including those of us in Canada, the confidence to know our voices mattered. He reminded us that universities are supposed to be marketplaces of ideas, not places where only one point of view dominates.

His loss is devastating. But retreat is not an option. If anything, his example should inspire us to continue the work.”

– Keira Shaw, 24, Newfoundland

Charlie showed disagreement doesn’t have to mean hostility.

“Charlie Kirk’s legacy, to me, was not about politics but about creating the space where conversations that others told us to avoid could actually happen. Growing up, we were often told not to talk about politics or religion because it might cause division. But as I’ve come to realize, avoiding those conversations only leaves people uninformed and unable to articulate what they believe. What Charlie modeled was the absolute opposite. He leaned into those difficult topics and conversations and taught us that a real skill to develop is learning how to engage opposing beliefs with civility, and conviction.

On a personal level, Charlie’s example gave me the confidence to speak more openly about my own faith and political beliefs. He showed me that disagreement doesn’t have to mean hostility, and that by being bold in what we stand for, we invite others into deeper understanding even if they don’t agree. We need more open dialogue here in Canada out on our campuses, and in our communities.

For someone I had not had the chance of meeting, Charlie’s death hit me like running into a brick wall. I think it’s because he wasn’t a politician, he started as a grassroots organizer like myself who believed in real actionable change for his country. I’ve found myself thinking often since his death about how I can carry forward that same courage to be bold in my own life, whether it’s in conversations with friends, how I talk with people out in public life, or even in the type of content I post online.”

– Daniel Gray, 26, British Columbia

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To read more reflections from young people on how they were impacted by Charlie Kirk and his death, see my personal piece on Substack and this piece from The Free Press.

If you’d like to help build a Canadian organization similar to Turning Point USA, click here.

Quotes were edited for length and clarity.

Elie Cantin-Nantel is a political journalist based in Ottawa. He is the founder and publisher of EMCN Media. You can find more of his work at eliecantinnantel.com