O’Toole attack on Guilbeault an appeal to blue collar class, says strategists
Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole’s mid-January video criticizing the Liberal’s climate change policy was derided by some commentators for misquoting Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault and blurring the truth, but strategists note it was a pointed appeal by the Conservatives to “entire classes” of Canadians who depend on the energy economy. It’s an approach that may win […]
‘Perception is reality’: best political performers on social media ‘forge a personal connection’ with audience
The politicians who are good at social media will combine authenticity and self-expression and the ones who stand out offer the right mix of partisan politics and genuine personality, say experts. People are “increasingly using social media for identity affirmation and self-expression,” said Vincent Raynauld, an associate professor in communications studies at Emerson College. For […]
‘Absolutely shameful’: RCMP conduct, arrest of journalists in spotlight as Wet’suwet’en opposition to pipeline flares up
The executive editor of one media organization that has been covering the RCMP’s raid of a pipeline opposition site in northwestern B.C. says charges should not have been brought against two journalists who were incarcerated while reporting on the Indigenous land defenders. And, Brent Jolly, national president of the Canadian Association of Journalists, says that […]
Embattled Greens look to fill in their leader spot on an interim basis
After the drama of party in-fighting and the pointed exit statement former Green leader Annamie Paul made on Sept. 27 when she said “I didn’t realize … I was breaking a glass ceiling that was going to fall on my head,” the party is now looking mercilessly forward and is ready to find a new […]
Deepfake technology a cybersecurity threat that calls for multilateral co-operation
Katie Jones was a pretty, successful young woman that worked for a prestigious American think tank and was connected to many influential security professionals on LinkedIn. She also didn’t exist. The face in her profile picture was likely computer-generated and created by foreign intelligence operatives. If you want to make a fake face too, visit […]
NDP’s new slate of critics comes online
On Oct. 29, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh announced the new set of critics and roles that the NDP MPs will be taking on in the coming parliamentary session. This lineup sees women in critical critic roles like environment and climate change, foreign affairs, national defence, and Indigenous services, with new MPs taking on core duties. “Canadians […]
Political reporters not exempt from stories that ‘reflect the complexity of our society’: journalists, experts
In many ways, journalists “have a duty” when it comes to reporting on diverse issues as political reporters, say journalists, after a federal election during which many stakeholders representing marginalized groups said issues went largely ignored by the campaigning politicians and those reporting on them. Megan DeLaire, a freelance reporter, said that while there is […]
Deep fakes and big data: the next level of cyber warfare
Most people are unaware of the personal security risks confronting them when they make use of 21st century technology. Threats are embedded in the facial recognition technology that opens your iPhone, Chatbots on your online shopping sites, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) deployed in military operations. These technologies form a juggernaut of sophisticated devices storing […]
‘It looks like nobody wanted an election and no one got what they wanted’: what pollsters, politicos, and reporters had to say about Election 44
Pollsters, reporters, and politicos took to Twitter on election night to talk about the long lineups at polling stations, to offer last-minute insights into the potential election outcome, and to weigh in on the early voting results in Atlantic Canada. At 10:26 p.m. the major networks declared Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had won the election […]
Peaks and pitfalls: parties’ social media presence could make or break campaigns
It’s unclear whether a party’s social media effectiveness directly translates into electoral success, but the various approaches used during the campaign will have some kind of impact come election day, political and marketing experts say. Digital campaigns may be particularly important this year, given the increased focus on online spaces during the pandemic. “This campaign, […]
