As you may already know, Canadians all across the country will be heading to the polls on Monday, May 2 to elect a new federal government. This includes not only the prime minister, but also the candidates for each of the individual ridings.

What does this mean as a small business owner? During a recent visit to Pho Thai Hoa in Vancouver, we noticed that there were political posters on the windows and doors of the Vietnamese restaurant. They were endorsing a particular candidate from a particular political party.

While there is certainly nothing wrong with being vocal about your political views as an individual, it may be questionable whether a business should be taking the same approach. Is the assumption that the owner(s) will be voting for this candidate or will the entire staff be voting this way? Is the business encouraging you to vote the same way?

Whatever the case, the explicit endorsement of a particular candidate may win over fans who have similar political views, but it may also have the opposite effect on potential customers with differing views. Whether or not you choose to have posters and pamphlets for a candidate is completely up to you, but realize that there are both pros and cons to doing this when it comes to the long-term success of your small business.