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2. Ethnic Minority Representation in Canada’s Fourth Party System.
- Author
-
Tossutti, Livianna
- Subjects
- *
POLITICAL participation of minorities , *POLITICAL candidates , *NOMINATIONS for public office , *ELECTIONS ,CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- - Abstract
Abstract: The study identifies the factors associated with the nomination and election prospects of white ethnic and visible minority candidates in three Canadian elections held between 1993 and 2000. Bivariate and multivariate statistical analyses identified how party affiliation, the geographic location of a riding, incumbency, local party competitiveness, riding cultural heterogeneity, campaign spending, minority competition, and a candidate’s racial or ethnic background influenced electoral outcomes for 3,634 candidates. Interviews were also conducted with minority politicians representing the five main parties, in order to delineate how party gatekeepers, access to campaign funds and volunteers and media coverage of their local campaigns, influenced their prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2002
3. Explaining Local Campaign Intensity: The Canadian General Election of 2008.
- Author
-
Cross, William and Young, Lisa
- Subjects
POLITICAL campaigns ,ELECTIONS ,POLITICAL candidates ,CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- - Abstract
Copyright of Canadian Journal of Political Science / Revue Canadienne de Science Politique is the property of Cambridge University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
- Published
- 2011
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
4. Canadian Cyberparties: Reflections on Internet-Based Campaigning and Party Systems.
- Author
-
Small, Tamara A.
- Subjects
- *
POLITICAL campaigns , *POLITICAL parties , *INTERNET , *ELECTIONS , *SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC factors ,CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- - Abstract
Canadian political parties have been using the Internet as a campaign tool since the 1997 election. Rebuilding Canadian Party Politics by Carty, Cross and Young (2000) presents one of the first analyses of Internet-based communications during a Canadian election. It is also one of the most important assessments of Canadian party systems. The book outlines the components that characterize the fourth party system, which they argue, began after the 1993 election. Regionalization is the defining characteristic of this emerging system. The book argues that the Internet, like other communication technologies, is important in this latest party system. Consistent with the notion of regionalized campaign communications, the authors suggest that Canadian political parties use the Internet to target campaign messages to different regional and sociodemographic groups and enter into private conversations with voters. Using original data collected from the 2004 federal election, this paper reflects on these claims. The paper builds the case that the use of the Internet as a campaign tool is not consistent with their argument. Internet-based campaign communications in Canada by the major parties is neither regionalized nor targeted. Rather, this technology makes campaign communication more transparent and centralized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2007
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
5. DO THE MEDIA HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON THE VOTE?: THE CASE OF THE 1997 CANADIAN ELECTION.
- Author
-
Dobrzynska, Agnieszka, Blais, André, and Nadeau, Richard
- Subjects
MASS media ,ROLE playing ,ELECTIONS ,VOTING ,CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- ,POLITICAL campaigns ,POLITICAL advertising ,TELEVISION & politics - Abstract
This paper establishes the methodological foundations for a systematic analysis of the direct impact of the media on the vote. We propose to combine two different approaches: the `linkage' approach which relates media coverage to voting intentions, and the `attentiveness' approach which compares the vote choice of those who pay most and least attention to television news. We apply these two methods to the 1997 Canadian election. We find support for the hypothesis that, during the election campaign, voting intentions for a party increased (decreased) when media coverage of that party was systematically positive (or negative), among those who followed the news and decided how to vote during the campaign, but we find no evidence that, on election day, those more attentive to the news voted differently from those less attentive. We conclude that the media temporarily moved voting intentions during the course of the 1997 Canadian election but that they appear to have had no direct impact on the final vote. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2003
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
6. Turnout and Competitiveness in Space and Time.
- Author
-
Johnston, Richard, Matthews, J. Scott, and Bittner, Amanda
- Subjects
- *
VOTER turnout , *POLITICAL participation , *ELECTIONS , *VOTING ,CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- - Abstract
Changes in the intensity of party competition drive changes in voter turnout, especially among young voters. The basic proposition has been established for elections in general (Franklin 2004) and for Canadian elections in particular (Johnston, Matthews and Bittner 2005). The details of the relationship, however, remain murky. Two related questions stand out. First, what mechanism links electoral competitiveness to the individual voter's turnout propensity? Strategic mobilization of supporters by parties and candidates seems a likely suspect (Rosenstone and Hansen 1993), but there is also evidence that voters take cues from competitive conditions directly (Cox and Munger 1989). Second, what rendering of electoral competitiveness in spatial and temporal terms is most relevant to variation in turnout? Previous work on Canadian elections has relied exclusively on contemporaneous measures of riding-level turnout (Endersby, Galatas and Rackaway 2002; Johnston, Matthews and Bittner 2005). What happens if we introduce measures aggregated to the province or nation and consider lags of electoral competitiveness?This paper addresses these questions through investigation of the spatial and temporal dimensions of competitiveness effects on turnout. The data for the analysis combines five waves of the Canadian Election Study (1988 to 2004) with indicators of electoral competitiveness measured at multiple geographical levels (riding, province, nation) and time points (current election, previous election). This multidimensional treatment not only speaks to the when and where of competitiveness, but also permits inferences about the mechanism(s) of the variable's impact on turnout. Current riding-level effects, for instance, imply an important role for the organizational efforts of parties, as an individual-level account of the relationship entails heroic assumptions about voter information. Lagged province-level effects, by contrast,are quite compatible with the low-information psychology of the typical voter. The analysis has payoffs both theoretical and practical. On the theoretical side, the paper promises to help sort out alternative accounts of the relationship between turnout and competitiveness, at the same time as it pushes the conceptual boundaries of competitiveness itself. On the practical side, the paper continues to illuminate the story of Canadian turnout decline, including treatment of the 2004 election. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2007
7. You Heard It Here First.
- Author
-
Wells, Paul
- Subjects
ELECTIONS ,POLITICAL campaigns ,CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- - Abstract
This article presents predictions for upcoming elections. British reporters covering Tony Blair's campaign in 2001 amused themselves by playing" battle-bus bingo": they wrote down Blair's favourite cliché phrases on strips of paper, paid a pound each to get into the contest, then each drew three strips of paper at random. Paul Martin rewarded this apple-cheeked British Columbia Liberal's bootlicking fealty with an appointment as the party's nominee in Burnaby-Douglas. Last week Peter Mansbridge's column announced that political leaders' tours are a waste of time, which is why the CBC will have its own bus travelling the country avoiding politicians. If Peter leads The National with more stories from the CBC bus than he does from Paul Martin's, Stephen Harper's and Jack Layton's, I'll buy him dinner.
- Published
- 2004
8. The Negativity Bias and Canadian Votersâ Responsiveness to Federal Transfer Payments.
- Author
-
Owen, Andrew
- Subjects
- *
GOVERNMENT spending policy , *TRANSFER payments , *PUBLIC finance , *ELECTIONS ,CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- - Abstract
Using data on Canadian elections from 1980 to 2004, this paper explores votersâ responsiveness to changes in the amount of federal transfer payments received by their home provinces and whether this responsiveness exhibits a ânegativity biasâ. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2008
9. Into the Provinces: Party Competition and Voter Participation in Canadian Provincial Elections.
- Author
-
Galatas, Steven
- Subjects
- *
ELECTIONS , *POLITICAL parties , *VOTER turnout , *POLITICAL attitudes ,CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- - Abstract
Using constituency level data from Canadian provincial legislative elections, the paper tests the relationship between party competition and voter turnout. Controlling for other factors, multiparty measures of competition are related to turnout. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2008
10. Assessing the psychological and mechanical impact of electoral rules: A quasi-experiment
- Author
-
Blais, André, Héroux-Legault, Maxime, Stephenson, Laura, Cross, William, and Gidengil, Elisabeth
- Subjects
- *
ELECTIONS , *VOTING research , *VOTER psychology , *PROPORTIONAL representation ,CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- - Abstract
Abstract: The paper assesses the influence of electoral rules on vote choice and election outcomes using a quasi-experiment conducted during a recent Canadian provincial election. Respondents were invited to vote under three voting systems (first past the post, alternative voting and proportional representation) and to answer a short questionnaire. We examine how the distribution of votes and seats is affected, and we ascertain how much of the total difference is due to psychological and mechanical effects. We find that a PR system would have increased legislative fractionalization by the equivalent of one effective party and that the mechanical effect is much more important than the psychological effect. As for AV, its mechanical and psychological effects act in opposite directions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2012
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
11. Constitutional Convention and Cabinet Manuals.
- Author
-
Harland, Fraser
- Subjects
CONSTITUTIONAL conventions ,LEGISLATIVE bodies ,CABINET officers ,ELECTIONS ,CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- - Abstract
The proper functioning of Canada's parliamentary democracy relies on acceptance of our constitutional conventions. Yet, political disagreements among political actors during both the 2008 parliamentary crisis and the 2011 federal election campaign cast serious doubt on such acceptance. This article raises the question: how can our constitutional conventions be clarified to prevent future constitutional crises? Both New Zealand and the United Kingdom have implemented Cabinet Manuals to codify their constitutional conventions in a single document. Drawing on these examples, this paper argues for the adoption of a Canadian Cabinet Manual as a step towards preventing constitutional crisis, while creating an important informational tool for politicians, public servants, and the public alike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2011
12. Decentralization and voter turnout.
- Author
-
Blais, André, Anduiza, Eva, and Gallego, Ama
- Subjects
- *
DECENTRALIZATION in government , *VOTER turnout , *ELECTIONS , *COMPARATIVE method ,CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- ,SPANISH politics & government, 1975-2014 - Abstract
With this paper we study the impact of decentralization on turnout. We test the hypotheses that decentralization increases turnout in subnational elections, lowers participation in national elections, and reduces the gap between regional and national arenas. A comparative cross-national analysis does not show any significant effect of decentralization on turnout in national elections. But we take a closer look at two countries, Canada and Spain, where fiscal decentralization has taken place during the past decades. In both countries the empirical evidence suggests that decentralization has contributed to reducing the turnout gap between regional and national elections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2011
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
13. Gender and Elections: An Examination of the 2006 Canadian Federal Election.
- Author
-
REKKAS, MARIE
- Subjects
- *
WOMEN in politics , *ELECTIONS , *PRACTICAL politics , *POLITICAL campaigns & society , *CAMPAIGN funds , *POLITICAL participation ,CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- - Abstract
The existing literature on gender effects in the electoral process offers little evidence of significant gender vote share differentials. In this paper it is shown that for the 2006 Canadian federal election, once candidate campaign spending is introduced into the model with appropriate flexibility in the vote share responsiveness across genders, significant differences are found to exist between male and female candidates. The findings suggest that, for equal levels of spending, male incumbents have a vote share advantage relative to female incumbents, though this vote share advantage is found to diminish with increased expenditures. Female non-incumbent candidates, on the other hand, have a vote share advantage over male non-incumbent candidates for higher levels of expenditure and this advantage was found to increase with increased expenditures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2008
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
14. Economic Voting, Multilevel Governance and Information in Canada.
- Author
-
Anderson, Cameron D.
- Subjects
- *
ELECTIONS , *POLITICAL science , *VOTERS , *ECONOMIC voting ,CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- - Abstract
While an important component of incumbent support, the effect of economic conditions on vote choice (economic voting) can be undermined by the presence of multilevel institutions; voters are faced with the prospect of evaluating economic conditions and governments at different levels simultaneously. This paper tests the applicability of a model which seeks to account for how and how well voters cope with the complexity of multilevel governance. The accountability-centred model suggests that federal and provincial governments should only be evaluated for those actions and outcomes that they can reasonably be seen to have influence over. Additionally, it is asked whether high information respondents are better able to navigate some of the complexities of Canada's multilevel system. Analyses are conducted using data from the 1993 and 1997 Canadian Election Studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2008
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
15. Alberta's Great Experiment in Senatorial Democracy.
- Author
-
Hulme, Kristin
- Subjects
CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- ,ALBERTA politics & government, 1971- ,CANADIAN elections ,REPRESENTATIVE government ,CANADIAN federal government ,ELECTIONS - Abstract
In 2014, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the unelected nature of the Senate is an inherent feature of Canadian parliamentary democracy and is a central pillar of the constitution. Members of the Upper House are appointed by the Governor General, acting on the advice of the Prime Minister. The decision taken by the Prime Minister is not subject to review by Parliament or the provincial legislative assemblies. Patronage appointments have given the Senate a reputation as a dumping ground for political friends and party insiders. In 1989, the province of Alberta enacted the Senatorial Selection Act, arguing that it would serve as a stepping stone for substantive reform to the Senate. The province has held four elections in which the people of the province have chosen senators-in-waiting. This article argues that the Court's opinion in Reference re Senate Reform undermines the foundation upon which the provincial statute rests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
16. Political/commercial background.
- Subjects
CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- ,CANADIAN economy, 1991- ,GROSS domestic product ,ELECTIONS ,PRICES - Abstract
The article reports on political and economic conditions in Canada. Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his minority Conservative government have been in power since its election in January 2006. The economic outlook for the country is influence by trends in the U.S. and world commodity prices. Its gross domestic product (GDP) dropped 2.5% in 2009.
- Published
- 2010
17. Canada.
- Subjects
CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- ,CANADIAN economy, 1991- ,ECONOMIC forecasting ,ECONOMIC indicators ,POLITICAL risk (Foreign investments) ,ELECTIONS - Abstract
The article reports on the political and economic condition of Canada and presents outlooks for 2008 and 2009. The prospects of the Conservative Party, led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and the likelihood of an early election are discussed. Economic risks, economic trends, economic policies and major economic indicators such as inflation, GDP, exports and exchange rate are presented.
- Published
- 2007
18. A Natural Experiment in Proposal Power and Electoral Success.
- Author
-
Loewen, Peter John, Koop, Royce, Settle, Jaime, and Fowler, James H.
- Subjects
ELECTIONS ,LEGISLATION ,POWER (Social sciences) ,INCUMBENCY (Public officers) ,VOTING research ,POLITICAL parties ,LEGISLATIVE bodies ,CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- - Abstract
Does lawmaker behavior influence electoral outcomes? Observational studies cannot elucidate the effect of legislative proposals on electoral outcomes, since effects are confounded by unobserved differences in legislative and political skill. We take advantage of a unique natural experiment in the Canadian House of Commons that allows us to estimate how proposing legislation affects election outcomes. The right of noncabinet members to propose legislation is assigned by lottery. Comparing outcomes between those who were granted the right to propose and those who were not, we show that incumbents of the governing party enjoy a 2.7 percentage point bonus in vote total in the election following their winning the right to introduce a single piece of legislation, which translates to a 7% increase in the probability of winning. The causal effect results from higher likeability among constituents. These results demonstrate experimentally that what politicians do as lawmakers has a causal effect on electoral outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2014
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
19. A Whole New Ballgame: The Rise of Canada's Fifth Party System.
- Author
-
Walchuk, Brad
- Subjects
POLITICAL parties ,CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- ,INTERNET in political campaigns ,SOCIAL media & society ,CAMPAIGN funds ,WEB 2.0 ,ELECTION law ,FAMILIES ,REGIONAL differences - Abstract
This article asserts that Canadian politics underwent a major transition beginning in late 2003 and represents the rise of a new era in Canadian politics: the fifth-party system. This era is drastically different from the previous “fourth party system.” The fifth party system is characterized by the introduction of a number of new variables, most notably new patterns of partisan competition, amendments to Canada's system of campaign finance, the growing importance of policies appealing to the family, and growing importance of Web 2.0. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]
- Published
- 2012
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
20. Informal Influences in Selecting Female Political Candidates.
- Author
-
Cheng, Christine and Tavits, Margit
- Subjects
WOMEN in politics ,WOMEN political candidates ,CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- ,WOMEN politicians ,INFLUENCE ,POLITICAL candidate recruitment ,ELECTIONS - Abstract
The authors argue that the gender composition of party gatekeepers—those responsible for candidate recruitment— plays a crucial role in either encouraging or discouraging women candidates to run for office. Using an original data set that includes constituency-level information for all parties and candidates in the 2004 and 2006 Canadian national elections, the authors find support for this proposition. Women candidates are more likely to be nominated when the gatekeeper—the local party president—is a woman rather than a man. The results underline the importance of informal factors for understanding women’s political underrepresentation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]
- Published
- 2011
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
21. Rethinking policy capacity in Canada: The role of parties and election platforms in government policy-making.
- Author
-
Flynn, Greg
- Subjects
POLITICAL parties ,ELECTIONS ,POLICY sciences ,POLITICAL campaigns ,PUBLIC administration ,CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- - Abstract
Copyright of Canadian Public Administration is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
- Published
- 2011
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
22. Parody and Satire in the 2008 Canadian Federal Election: Reading the Rick Mercer Report.
- Author
-
Onusko, James
- Subjects
CANADIAN political satire ,CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- ,ELECTIONS ,POLITICS on television ,POLITICAL television programs ,POLITICAL science ,TELEVISION & politics ,JOURNALISM & politics ,PARODY - Abstract
Political satire and parody continue to influence young adult viewers to a greater degree than traditional political or hard news shows. Soft news has become increasingly important in the category of political entertainment television shows. These shows discursively integrate political information, humor, entertainment and the news. Soft news programs often emphasize public policy issues in their programming while sensationalized, tabloid-style reporting has come to define many segments of Canadian hard news programming. Using Stuart Hall's three main categories of reading televisual cultural texts, this article critically analyzes the Rick Mercer Report. I argue that despite some significant shortcomings and limitations, the Rick Mercer Report does make an important and unique contribution to political entertainment television in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2011
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
23. The Development of Dual Loyalties: Immigrants' Integration to Canadian Regional Dynamics.
- Author
-
BILODEAU, ANTOINE, WHITE, STEPHEN, and NEVITTE, NEIL
- Subjects
CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- ,ELECTIONS ,CANADIAN federal government ,IMMIGRANTS ,CENTRAL-local government relations ,REGIONALISM ,PROVINCIAL governments - Abstract
Copyright of Canadian Journal of Political Science / Revue Canadienne de Science Politique is the property of Cambridge University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
- Published
- 2010
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
24. The Non-Productive Role of the Artist: The Creative Industries in Canada.
- Author
-
Léger, MarcJames
- Subjects
ARTISTS ,ART & politics ,PRIME ministers ,ELECTIONS ,ARTS funding ,PUBLIC demonstrations ,CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- - Abstract
The televised parliamentary leaders' debate of 2008 provided an indication of what cultural policies are imaginable at the level of Canadian federal politics. Now that governments and business are interested in the commercial potential of art and culture, artists find themselves in a curious position. This essay argues that what is required for a critical articulation of culture is not only a progressive approach to the links between culture, technology and the global economy, but a critique of the political economy of neoliberal cultural production that is able to politicise culture rather than culturalise politics. In the Canadian context, the near absence of any serious discussion of the creative industries is partly due to the emphasis on cultural identity and cultural nationalism. Identity, however, figures as part of a transnational process of symbolic production in which it has become seemingly impossible for the designers of cultural policy to construct a meaningful view of art's social function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2010
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
25. Fixed Election Cycles: A Genuine Alternative to Responsible and Responsive Government?
- Author
-
Leuprecht, Christian and McHugh, James T.
- Subjects
CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- ,ELECTIONS ,CANADIAN federal government ,INCUMBENCY (Public officers) ,LEGISLATIVE bodies ,EMPIRICAL research - Abstract
Canada's federal government and several provinces have recently moved to fixed election cycles on the assumption that the ability to pick the election date endogenously (1) gives the incumbent government an unfair advantage and (2) curbs the discretionary powers of the Governor General. Electoral opportunism is posited as a problem that fixed election cycles will remedy by virtue of ensuring greater turnover among governments. This article subjects these claims to empirical scrutiny. It examines why Canada did not follow the American example in the first place. It surveys some of the unintended consequences of fixing election cycles. And it ponders some of the complications that might arise when trying to reconcile a key constitutional principle of the Westminster parliamentary system, responsible government, with fixed election cycles. Evidence for the apparent democratic merits of a fixed election cycle is found to be less conclusive than its proponents acknowledge. The article concludes by speculating about the motivations behind Canada's new-found passion for electoral reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2008
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
26. The political scene.
- Subjects
CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- ,VETERANS ,ELECTIONS - Abstract
The article offers updates on political conditions in Canada, as of September 2010. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has failed to make his Conservative government a majority, reducing the potential to hold a general election in the current year. Critics noted that the Conservatory government is unequal to military veterans after it did not extend the term of ombudsman Pat Stogran.
- Published
- 2010
27. Home stretch.
- Author
-
Wells, Paul, Geddes, John, Wherry, Aaron, Köhler, Nicholas, Patriquin, Martin, Campbell, Colin, Macdonald, Nancy, Kingston, Anne, Maich, Steve, Mendleson, Rachel, and Mohammad, Susan
- Subjects
CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- ,PRIME minister elections ,ELECTIONS ,SPEECHES, addresses, etc. - Abstract
The article discusses the campaign leading up to the 2008 federal elections in Canada. Topics include Opposition leader Stéphane Dion's efforts to woo votes by means of video posted on the Internet and Dion's campaign plans 12 days before the elections. Also discussed is Dion's address to the Board of Trade in Montreal, Quebec.
- Published
- 2008
28. The Inside Story of Canada's Nastiest Campaign.
- Author
-
Wells, Paul
- Subjects
CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- ,POLITICAL campaigns ,VOTING ,ELECTIONS ,CANADIANS ,POLITICIANS - Abstract
This is an article that focuses on the last minute campaign efforts of Canadian politicians prior to elections in 2004. Media polling stops in a campaign's last days. As the campaign entered its final weekend, Stephen Harper picked up the phone and made some calls. Paul Martin's Liberal campaign, almost devoid of any project the average Canadian voter could identify, was based on warning that Conservatives couldn't be trusted. Hours after Martin released his platform in his hometown of Windsor, Ont., near the end of the campaign's second week, he appeared again in front of reporters in Montreal to warn that Harper couldn't be trusted to protect a woman's right to choose on abortion. At mid-campaign, a nasty bit of gossip had begun circling among Chretien people in Ottawa: Martin's fate would depend on the campaign's outcome.
- Published
- 2004
29. The Mulroney years.
- Author
-
Wilson-Smith, Anthony and Allen, Glen
- Subjects
PRIME ministers ,CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- ,ELECTIONS ,RESIGNATION from public office - Abstract
Discusses the decision of Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney to resign and the political scramble to replace him. Decision to return to private life; Garth Turner's interest in running for leadership of the Progressive Conservatives; Defense Minister Kim Campbell and Environment Minister Jean Charest considered certain to enter the race; Hurdles to candidates; Importance of Mulroney's support; More. INSET: Waving goodbye..
- Published
- 1993
30. CANADIAN DEMOCRACY IS BROKEN.
- Author
-
Coyne, Andrew and Wells, Paul
- Subjects
CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- ,DEMOCRACY ,ELECTIONS ,COALITION governments - Abstract
In this article two authors with the magazine discuss issues arising from Canadian political life. The central focus of the article is the contention that democracy in Canada has been damaged and is in need of repair. Among other issues they address questions dealing with elections in Canada, the Canadian parliament and the erratic nature of the Canadian coalition government.
- Published
- 2009
31. HE'S UNBELIEVABLE!
- Author
-
Wells, Paul
- Subjects
CANADIAN prime ministers ,CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- ,POLITICAL leadership ,ELECTIONS ,POLITICAL campaigns ,LEADERSHIP - Abstract
The article comments on Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin's grand pronouncements, stirring appeals, and commitments. This is what happens when you follow Martin around for even a little while on the campaign trail. In the space of a single week, Martin had skated himself offside the truth on climate studies, phone-in calls, referendum elections, tax policy, daycare, handguns, and gaseous emissions. Instead of spending five billion dollars over five years, Martin announced $10 billion over 10 years. His new commitment does not take effect until 2009, almost certainly after the term of the government.
- Published
- 2005
32. SHADOWBOXING.
- Author
-
Geddes, John
- Subjects
CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- ,ELECTIONS ,PRACTICAL politics ,POLITICAL parties ,LIBERALISM ,POLITICAL doctrines ,CONSERVATISM - Abstract
This is an article that discusses politics in Canada. The first shudder of snap-election fever had barely rippled through Ottawa before tacticians in all parties started whispering it wasn't, couldn't be -- come on now, let's be serious -- the real thing. The fall of a minority, they reasoned, is supposed to be based on a solid calculation. But recent polls haven't been uplifting for either Liberals or Conservatives. And the issue that first set off election speculation -- a Kyoto policy provision in the government's omnibus budget legislation -- doesn't exactly lend itself to stump speeches and campaign ads. Stephen Harper threatens to force an election over the Kyoto measure, which seems highly unlikely since he has left no doubt recently that Conservatives want the next campaign to be fought over the sponsorship affair and Liberal ethics. Yet new developments that could make a spring campaign a real possibility are emerging at Justice John Gomery's sponsorship inquiry. Testimony given last week at the hearings in Montreal was considered explosive enough that some observers predicted the Tories and Bloc Québécois would consider defeating the government, and try to make Liberal corruption the ballot question. Liberals are betting any fresh details on Chrétien-era malfeasance won't stick to Martin. They want to negotiate around the Kyoto fuss, take the summer to regroup, and pray the fizz starts to go out of the sponsorship story. INSET: TWEAKING THE LANGUAGE LAWS.
- Published
- 2005
33. Hey Liberals, the House faces West.
- Author
-
Coyne, Andrew
- Subjects
CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- ,ELECTIONS - Abstract
In this article the author comments on the Liberal Party of Canada. The central focus of the article is that the political difficulties that the party suffers are of their own devising and that such problems are likely to be exploited by the opposition Conservative Party. Reapportionment of some seats in parliament will benefit the Conservative Party at the next election, the author maintains.
- Published
- 2009
34. Why Don't People Vote?
- Author
-
Gregg, Allan R.
- Subjects
DEMOCRACY ,CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- ,VOTING ,ELECTIONS ,CONSTITUENTS (Persons) ,POLITICAL attitudes ,SOCIAL choice ,CANADIANS ,POLITICAL stability ,REPRESENTATIVE government - Abstract
The article focuses on the trend toward lower voter turnout in Canada. To combat increased cynicism about elections, governments and politicians, elected officials are proposing a variety of measures to bring voters to the polls. New Brunswick has launched a commission to investigate replacing their winner-take-all elections with a system of proportional representation. British Columbia has struck a constituent assembly made up of randomly selected citizens to analyze electoral reform, with the promise of a binding referendum on their recommendations in 2005. These initiatives reflect a growing alarm over voters' progressive disengagement, but each one addresses an isolated part of the problem. But if you look below simple patterns of voter turnout to the underlying attitudinal forces driving this behaviour, the picture is even more frightening. It suggests such simple and draconian measures, in isolation, likely would not solve the larger problem of citizen alienation, and could even make matters worse. When electors cease to go to the polls, it weakens the foundations of democracy because they are tacitly saying: the individual has little impact on, or say in, our national affairs; the welfare of the collective has little bearing on individual well-being; and individual well-being can flourish (or flounder) independent of decisions initiated through legislative democracy. Because the erosion of our democratic ethos has been more wholesale than incremental, any effort to reform the system (and re-energize the role of voting and government in civic culture) must begin with two guiding principles. Changes must be designed to (a) bring citizens in closer contact with one another and their elected leaders, and (b) provide tangible evidence that the average Canadian has both a say and a stake in the political process.
- Published
- 2004
35. Looking on with Cynicism.
- Author
-
Wickens, Barbara, Demont, John, Branswell, Brenda, McClelland, Susan, Bergman, Brian, and MacQueen, Ken
- Subjects
CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- ,POLITICAL campaigns ,VOTING ,ELECTIONS - Abstract
Offers observations concerning the 2000 Canadian federal elections from 'Maclean's' magazine readers. Comments regarding defining moments in the campaign; Ideas in which to engage the Canadian electorate; Changes which readers would make to the campaign process.
- Published
- 2000
36. All the wrong reasons.
- Author
-
COYNE, ANDREW
- Subjects
CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- ,GOVERNMENT accountability ,TRUST ,POLITICAL ethics ,TAX credits ,ELECTIONS - Abstract
In this article, the author discusses the causes and significance of the 2011 federal elections in Canada. It is suggested that in order for the election to be worthwhile, the mainstream political parties should submit specific proposals for government reform and should seek to earn the public's trust. Topics discussed include tax credits, government ethics and accountability, and the budget proposal which triggered the conflict leading to the election.
- Published
- 2011
37. Why the public might buy into a carbon tax.
- Author
-
Coyne, Andrew
- Subjects
CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- ,CARBON taxes ,ELECTIONS ,POLITICAL parties - Abstract
In this article the author discusses a tax on carbon emissions and its possible impact on Canadian politics. Owing to Liberal Party support for the idea and Conservative opposition to it, the author suggests that the next Canadian election will be driven by greater concern over policy. Media reaction to the proposed tax is assessed.
- Published
- 2008
38. Inside Chretien's Brain.
- Author
-
Wells, Paul
- Subjects
PRIME ministers ,ELECTIONS ,CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- ,ATTITUDE (Psychology) - Abstract
Offers the author's thoughts on Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien. Belief that one of his favorite themes is fighting, and that he thrives on opposition; Thoughts on his position in the 2000 election.
- Published
- 2000
39. Meet Chretien's evil twin.
- Author
-
Wilson-Smith, Anthony
- Subjects
CANADIAN politics & government, 1980- ,ELECTIONS - Abstract
Offers observations on Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien. Belief of the author that the prime minister has two personalities; Question about why the Liberal party wants to call for an election in the fall, 2000; Speculation regarding reasons for an election.
- Published
- 2000
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