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 […]
Polling evidence favours Liberal victory: Lyle
VANCOUVER—After a tumultuous, negative, and generally unsatisfying election, the two main parties are limping to a photo-finish. While it is close enough that I would not make a big bet or take odds, all evidence we see points to a Liberal victory on Monday night. The Liberals led the CPC by between two and four […]
Election 2019 was a ‘campaign of fear,’ say pollsters
Nasty, negative messaging by the Liberal and Conservatives parties sapped enthusiasm from voters, and failed to generate momentum for either party as of the final week of the campaign. “This campaign has been a campaign of fear,” said Greg Lyle, the pollster behind Innovative Research Group. Both Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau and Conservative Leader Andrew […]
The astrophysicist whose polling aggregator is projecting the election
Mired in a growing frustration with how political polls were being reported on, a Quebec astrophysicist tried his hand at aggregating polls and projecting the 2018 Quebec election. Three provincial elections later, Philippe Fournier is hoping to correctly predict 90 per cent of the winning candidates of the Oct. 21 vote. From coast-to-coast-to-coast—from Nunavut to […]
Debt, deficit ‘not ballot booth issues’ for most Canadians: pollsters
A majority of Canadian voters doesn’t rank balancing the budget or managing federal debt as key issues, say two leading pollsters. The proportion of people who say Canada’s federal debt should be a top priority for the government fell from 88 per cent during the debt crisis in the mid-1990s to 61 per cent this […]
