Election
Pass on the gaslighting, and ignore parties’ petty strategic vote scare tactics
By Erica Ifill, Amy Kishek October 16, 2019
What strategic voting will result in is a U.S.-style, two-party system, where the Liberals and Conservatives benefit from gaslighting Canadians into voting for them.
Both Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, right, and Conservative Party Leader Andrew Scheer, left, spent the Thanksgiving weekend stumping on the dangers of not electing their respective parties to a majority government. But strategic voting isn’t an actual strategy for political change, write Erica Ifill and Amy Kishek. Photographs courtesy of Twitter
OTTAWA—In true Canadian fashion, with just days left in the election, the political calculations of strategic voting are being trotted out. The problem is, strategic voting is as effective as autocorrect: in clutch moments, the prescribed option can become the wrong one.
Related Stories
Explore, analyze, understand
Inside 2020 Books – Inside Ottawa and Inside Canada
Get both Inside Canada pocket books for a special price.
Get the book
Get both Inside Canada pocket books for a special price.
Get the book
Inside Ottawa Directory – 2020 Edition
The handy reference guide includes: riding profiles, MPs by province, MP contact details, both Hill and constituency and more.
Get the book
The handy reference guide includes: riding profiles, MPs by province, MP contact details, both Hill and constituency and more.
Get the book
Guide to Using Social and Digital Tools in Election Campaigns: Digital and Social Tools that Politicos are Using to get Elected, Raise Funds, and Recruit Volunteers
Guide to Using Social and Digital Tools in Election Campaigns
Get the book
Guide to Using Social and Digital Tools in Election Campaigns
Get the book
Politics This Morning
Your email has been added. An email has been sent to your address, please click the link inside of it to confirm your subscription.
Parties close to agreement on voting plan, Parliament return, but committees prove sticking point, says Bloc MP
The Standing Orders have to be amended to allow MPs to vote remotely, and according to Bloc deputy House leader Christine Normandin, there’s agreement among parties for those changes to be made temporary.Presidential election could change course on unilateral tariff use, but Canada-U.S. trade tensions will remain: experts
If Joe Biden wins the U.S. presidency, he will be constrained in the use of unilateral tariffs, say experts, while Donald Trump's re-election may leave Canada once again targeted by national security tariffs. COVID-19 containment, economic recovery expected to drive fall lobbying
Lobbyists will also be keeping an eye on progress on the government's backlog of big-ticket legislation and regulatory reforms this session.They’re back: 25 Members of Parliament to watch this session
With talk of a possible snap election, a continuing pandemic, and a minority Parliament to boot, the second session of the 43rd Parliament should be an interesting one.‘The time is now’: limit gatherings to avoid future lockdowns, says Tam, as federal data projects more spikes in cases
'All of us have the future in our hands in terms of the decisions we are making today,' says Health Minister Patty Hajdu.
No consensus on adoption of remote House voting, but parties agree legislative scrutiny necessary, says Samara report
As parties attempt to hash out a workable sitting plan, House administration has been working behind the scenes to test the voting app for potential glitches. PM should create permanent emergency preparedness cabinet committee, say experts, political players: be ‘prepared for the next natural disaster, terrorist act or health crisis is the objective’
A former national security adviser to the prime minister says 'if this country wants the national security agencies to worry about a pandemic, then they need to raise it on the list of priorities set by cabinet.' ‘These jobs are not coming back’: economists pour cold water on O’Toole‘s Canada First policy
‘Some people are going to win from a Canada-first policy. Most people are going to lose,’ says Queen’s professor Ian Keay. Liberal tilt to the left could have electoral consequences for NDP, say pollsters
The Liberals should be careful about the ‘recoil effect’ as some of their supporters could back away if they vacate the political centre, says pollster Nik Nanos.Trending Stories
