Dropping premier approval rates and cooling federal Tory support in key Prairie provinces not a problem for O’Toole, say politicos
With the federal Tories’ support cooling off in three reliably blue Prairie provinces, politicos say Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole’s biggest concern is still introducing himself to Canadians and less about being painted by the same brush as his provincial conservative counterparts. Though the federal party is performing poorer in western provinces where the blue […]
What can Canadian pollsters learn from mistakes in American presidential polling?
As questions mount about the performance of U.S. polling in successive presidential elections, some Canadian pollsters say there is an opportunity to learn from the mistakes of American firms, while others defend the performance of their U.S. counterparts. Soon after the Nov. 3 election, as the early returns came back in favour of U.S. President […]
The perils of polling
OAKVILLE, ONT.—If there was a poll gauging American attitudes towards polling, I bet it’d show that a lot of Americans are skeptical about the accuracy of polls. And that would lead to an interesting philosophical question: would people who are skeptical about polls believe a poll that says people are skeptical about polls? At any rate, the […]
Liberal polling feud, explained
OAKVILLE, ONT.—Just when you thought the year 2020 couldn’t get any crazier, Bill Morneau decides, out of the blue, to quit as Canada’s finance minister. Making things even more interesting, according to media reports, prior to his resignation Morneau was battling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over fiscal policy. Now far be it for me to […]
Effective handling of COVID-19 pushes Liberals into majority territory; Conservatives must ready an alternative vision, say pollsters
Justin Trudeau’s Liberals are in majority territory in public opinion polls chiefly because of their effective management of COVID-19, but opposition parties that have been relegated to the sidelines during the pandemic should get ready to make themselves relevant in the coming months by offering a clear alternative vision for Canada’s future and how to […]
A fall federal election is ‘a real possibility,’ and a ‘sweet spot’ for Liberals to win a majority, say pollsters
While Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals are currently enjoying a strong wave of national popularity, a fall election is a “real possibility” from a purely strategic point of view, and an ideal time to convert a minority government into a majority, say leading pollsters. “The number suggests that there’s going to be a window, at […]
Maple syrup, maple chocolate, maple lollipops: a look inside Canada’s gifts to UN diplomats
When keeping up the tradition of diplomatic gift-giving, Canada’s mission to the United Nations takes cues from its flag—handing out an assortment of maple-related items to envoys from across the world. Maple syrup, maple cookies, maple butter, maple chocolate, and maple lollipops are some of the items that Canadian diplomats in New York City gift […]
Government collaboration with MPs ‘off the charts’ amid COVID-19, says Green Party’s May
All MPs and Senators are receiving a daily technical briefing from top government officials on the COVID-19 global pandemic seven days a week, and Green Party Parliamentary Leader Elizabeth May says the level of the government’s cooperation with Parliamentarians has been “unprecedented.” Ms. May (Saanich-Gulf Islands, B.C.) said that cooperation makes her feel she can […]
Politicos honour ‘fierce campaigner’ Shirley Douglas
MPs across the partisan divide honoured the life of Canadian activist and actress Shirley Douglas after news of her death broke on April 5. Ms. Douglas—the daughter of past NDP leader and medicare founder Tommy Douglas—appeared in more than a dozen films and several TV shows throughout a career that spanned from 1953 to 2008. […]
Rise of advance voting raising questions about impact on, and of, campaigns: experts
Election after election, the use of advance voting in Canada has steadily increased, with roughly one-quarter of electors having locked in their votes with a week still to go in this year’s campaign, and it’s raising questions about the potential impacts of this shift. “The increase in advance polling, to me, is raising questions about […]
