www.policy-network.net e: [email protected] +44(0)2073402211 f: t: +44(0)2073402200 United Kingdom London SW1P3QB Street11 Tufton Second floor Policy Network policy network paper Success andFailure inCanada Sunny Ways: Learning From August 2016 Jonathan Ashworth Labour, theLiberals andtheNDP

2 |Sunny Ways: Learning From Success andFailure inCanada |Labour, theLiberals andtheNDP|August 2016 election campaign since 2001andisaformerelection adviserto Gordon Brown andEd Miliband. cabinet andrulingnational executive committee. Labourgeneral Hehasworked on every Jonathan Ashworth istheLabourMPfor Leicester andamemberofLabour’s South shadow About theauthor future. Labour musturgently engageinathorough, deepandsustaineddebate abouttheparty’s To standany chance ofemulating theCanadian Liberals’ success, Ashworth concludes that democrats across Europe. and othersocial platform,inform strategy thepolicy andpositioningoftheUKLabourparty a lotto from learn theLiberal campaign. This paperconsiders how theselessonsshould segments oftheelectorate, to deploying better useof data’‘big –itisclearthat there is From persuadingswitchers, to dealingwithaseparatist threat, andfrom mobilisingnew as well ascontemplating of Labour’s theill-fated efforts sister party, theNDP. askswhatfrom canbelearned Canadian theLiberals’ It counterparts. successful campaign, This paper draws on Labour MPJonathan Ashworth’s recent conversations with an array of positivity. year, onaboldprogressive elected platform for ‘real change’ whichoozed confidence and the exception to the rule: Justin Trudeau’s delivered a new government Liberal party last At atimewhenprogressive politicsappearsto beonthebackfoot Canada hasproved Summary Jeremy Thomas Cover imagecredit: www.policy-network.net

policy network paper paper

Introduction

“Sunny ways my friends, sunny ways”, Justin Trudeau told buoyant supporters as the Liberal landslide was confirmed last October, “this is what positive politics can do”.

The new Canadian prime minister was referring to the Aesop fable of The Wind and the Sun after an election where the warmth and light of hope had, for once, trumped the foul winds of fear. policy network Back in Britain, I watched the result from the other side of the Atlantic with mixed emotions: excitement at the victory of the Liberal party elected on a progressive manifesto; natural disappointment for our sister party the New Democratic party – at one stage tantalisingly close to forming government; and immense regret at Labour’s failure to win with our positive campaign in our own general election last May.

At a time when progressive politics is on the back foot, Trudeau’s election was a rare sign of progressive energy and advance. He not only won, he did so with a front foot strategy that aligned credibility with confidence in progressive politics and its future.

He constructed a coalition that harnessed the energy of progressive politics with a strategy that won over former Harper voters. To win again, Labour must build precisely this kind of coalition and learn about the strategy and organisation we need to do this.

Labour strategists often seek to learn the lessons of US elections. And yet, despite there being similarities between the British and Canadian electorates, the experience of the northern half of north America is usually overlooked.

The Liberals’ chief opponent in Canada was an incumbent Conservative government which tried to make the deficit the central issue, but also who sought to stoke fears of instability should the ‘separatists’ ever gain influence. Sound familiar? It should do – except that in Canada, a progressive party won.

Of course, no political race can be replicated exactly. But having recently visited Canada and met with some of their leading strategists, I believe there are real lessons for us in the Labour party – and perhaps for centre-left politics more generally – from a country sometimes known as the ‘great white north’.

Canadian politics can be conflicting for Labour members. The Liberals were not the only progressive offer in this election. We are closely aligned to the social democratic NDP, our sister party – I was the guest international speaker at their 2016 convention – and it is a link I will maintain.

The NDP – like the UK Labour party – is having to pick up the pieces of defeat in an election it thought it could win. They are undergoing a process of challenge and change with delegates at their recent convention proudly wearing ‘J’adore Bernie Corbyn’ badges. A radical statement of aims and values – the so called ‘Leap Manifesto’ – has galvanised an activist base hungry for clearer definition. There are obvious parallels with the debates and discussions taking place in the Labour party today. Strengthening the historic links between our two parties will be of mutual benefit.

But the Labour party has always maintained good relations with the Canadian Liberals. We should learn the lessons of Justin Trudeau’s victory because they are too important to be left to Tim Farron. The absolute priority for all of us in the Labour party is to put our time, effort and energy into building again an election-winning coalition. To do that, it is very much worth understanding the lessons from Canada about positioning, campaign process and policy.

3 | Sunny Ways: Learning From Success and Failure in Canada | Labour, the Liberals and the NDP | August 2016 www.policy-network.net Owning change – a middle-class taxcutandthedeficit change–amiddle-class Owning Liberals whotook theprize, increasing theirnumberofseats from 34to 183. government’sscandal-ridden reputation for nastiness. And inthefinal result it was Justin Trudeau’s But that familiarConservative campaign endedupconfirming atired, ofnegativity and out-of-step Conservative attacks oneconomic credibility. social programmes, likeuniversal childcare, was seenasadefensive strategy againstanticipated Tom Mulcair’s NDPpromise of balanced budgetsyear-on-year whilefindingthemoney to invest in branch to Conservative voters as hedescribed ‘neighbours notenemies’. deficits until 2019/20 to fund$125bnoninfrastructure –whilesimultaneouslyoffering anolive Justin Trudeau attacked theNDPapparently –committing from theLiberals theleft to run annual more thanhalfoftheirseats. halfway point andthensuccumbed to the ‘red surge’ of Trudeau’s Liberals inthefinalstraight, losing tired anddiscredited.Conservatives looking The NDPbeganto falter asthecampaign reached the and setto winthebiggestshare offederal seats, theLiberals inthird place andStephen Harper’s The –beganwiththeNDPahead 11-week campaign –thelongestinCanadian election history The 2015Canadian abriefoverview general election: They committed to rundeficits ofup to $10bna year inorder to fundandleverage investment in The Liberals, findingthemselves inanunaccustomed third place, decided to gambleand ‘own change’. on thepublicfinances. with signature policiesonuniversal childcare andtheminimumwage alongsideareassuring pitch contenderserious for minister prime inMulcair. They developed anextensive offer for government Having never formed a federal government they wanted to reassure and remind voters they had a last betheNDP’s year. even inMay 2015. winningtheConservative stronghold ofAlberta There was asensethismight at Throughout inprovincial the 2011-15parliamenttheNDPcontinued elections, to buildsupport politics isstillthepoorer for hisabsence. Tom proved quickly Mulcair to performer, beaforensic parliamentary andheavyweight Canadian But tragedy soonstruck. summerLaytonThe next diedfrom cancer and, althoughhissuccessor BBC’s Late Show –losinghisown seat. third place, Ignatieff –famousintheUK withtheirleaderMichael for his1990sappearances onthe The Liberals, whohadfor generations beenconsidered the ofgovernment’,‘natural party finishedin from third place to theirbestever result, winning 100 seats and becoming the official opposition. federal ithadenjoyed election, abreakthrough four years whenJackLayton earlier took them should, could,It have beentheNDP. Traditionally Canada’s whichhadnever won a third party best placed to capture thatThe moodwould party determine theoutcome. campaign suggested as many as 71 per cent of Canadians considered it for‘time a change’. whereThis was anelection ‘change’ ofthelong becamethemood. Indeed,onepollat thestart 4 |Sunny Ways: Learning From Success andFailure inCanada |Labour, theLiberals andtheNDP|August 2016 www.policy-network.net

policy network paper Trudeau assimply “not ready”. as lightweight, andill-prepared weak, for highoffice. Throughout 2013the attacked Conservatives excoriated Stephen press by Harper’s therightwing inthelastelection. team sought to brand him The Conservative attack on Trudeau willbe familiarto anyone whowatched being Ed Miliband “I’m ready” ofyour –projection leader – asacondition for more radical, growth-focused economic policies. likely to include anargument abouteconomic managementLabour’s during ingovernment period an argument aboutthedeficit. Progressive economic mustearn trust–which for Labouris parties and explaining what infrastructure spending was neededand why, Trudeau won to permission make However, by focusing onthe ‘struggling middleclass’, for beingexplicit aboutataxrise thewealthiest different fiscal contexts andtheLiberals were notperceived as responsible forthe2008 downturn. responsible for thedeficitandnot to betrusted ontheeconomy. Canada andtheUKhave very downturn. Consequently theConservatives continued to successfully press homethat Labourwas reluctant to takeonthe Tory myth that hadcausedthe2008financial supposedfiscal irresponsibility infrastructure spending. in2016.ButLabour2015seemed Labour hasadopted asimilarpolicy between aimingfor oncurrent asurplus spendingwhilerecognising theneed for borrowing to fund 2015 Labourhadaplanto growIn theeconomy anddealwiththedeficit. Labourdrew adistinction Building economic to credibility willbecritical Labour’s future general election. at thenext embraced.” as cautiouschange…Runningadeficitbecamesymbolofchange, onethat themediaand voters into whyreport itlostnoted “our responsible for balanced budgetpledgewas presenting inpart us both ontheothersideofargument to Liberals. theanti-austerity theNDP’s After theelection own The Tories saidthepledgewas “irresponsible” andthe NDP branded it “unaffordable” –placingthem building amore dynamicandjusteconomy. suffocated specific, thecharge positive ofirresponsibility by making and tangible pledgesabout what investmentexplaining withclarity candoto improve people. thelives ofworking They simply The Liberals successfully refused to becaught inafiscalbind, made for them right,by the by themiddleclasswithatargeted taxcutandraising taxessupporting ontherichest. Canadian not just of infrastructurespending billions but of connecting pledge, cities while talking calmly explained borrowing what theextra would pay for. Trudeau brought alive theambitionof economy further.” Butrather onevermore thangoingheavy rhetoric, anti shrill austerity theLiberals investmentsbetween smart that create jobsandgrowth, andcutsthat willslow orausterity our But positioningmatters too. Announcing thedeficitpolicy Trudeau said isaclearchoice “this election in theUKitwas 80.7percent. of fiscal retrenchment, indeed in 2015 Canada’s debt as a percentage of GDP was 26.7 per cent while differentof Canada isvery to theUK. Trudeau was able afterto makehisdeficitannouncement years Claudia Chwalisz hasargued theLiberal platform wascentrist. fairly EuropeanBy standards the taxincrease onthewealthy isnotespeciallyradical andPolicy Network’s lower incomes. infrastructure. Alongside taxincreases for thewealthy to fundataxcutfor thoseonmiddleand 5 |Sunny Ways: Learning From Success andFailure inCanada |Labour, theLiberals andtheNDP|August 2016 1 What’s more, thefiscalposition

returned-centre canada-hasnt-lurched-left-its- com/politics/elections/2015/10/ 1. http://www.newstatesman. www.policy-network.net

policy network paper Conservative voters repelled by such divisive tactics. Khan’sLike Sadiq Labourmayoral victorious campaign inLondon, Canadian Liberals moved to target –whereespecially inQuebec theNDPwas eventually to lose43ofits59seats. opinion pollsshowed theNDPlosingaltitudeamongthosewhohadswitched to themin2011, citizens to report cultural practices”.“barbaric theNDPandhelpedLiberals. October, By hurt It well for themandso ‘double-downed’ by announcing proposals to introduce atelephone hotlinefor fordegree the ofsupport Tories ontheNiqab. The Conservatives felt thiswedge issueswas playing a tanglewithkeycomponent oftheircore vote, inQuebec, where pollsindicated a particularly a posture atCanada easewithmodern anddiversity. ButMulcair’s positionplungedtheNDPinto for awoman’stheir support rightto chooseto wear what shewants. Trudeau managedto convey to bantheniqabinsuchceremonies. theLiberals in Both andtheNDPleadershipstood forthright citizenship ceremony, Harper’s Conservatives blewthedogwhistleasloudtheycould, vowing debate.into theelection Following rulingthat awoman asupreme could court wear aniqabin An campaign uglywhenitforced unattractive turned Conservative election religious identity Persuading switchers “Conservatives are notourenemies. They are ourneighbours” prospects.electoral economic confidence credibility meansprojecting and reassurancefor successful isapriority future place a well-worked-through strategy to overcome the attacks. Labour’s in 2015 around weaknesses presidential. Trudeau’s to himandputin how undermine theiropponents would Liberals knew try in the UK with their leaders’Elections debates, rallies and media coverage are becoming increasingly the attacks by demonstrating hismotives were goodandintunewiththepublic. middle class’ andthat having hewas beenonajourney ‘ready.’ doingsohe was ableto In overcome for 2015. They displayed iron to discipline, theirthemesofwanting to sticking helpthe ‘struggling and sopositioned Trudeau assomeoneonajourney, ‘getting ready’ andthenultimately ‘ready’ worked becausetheyhadrecognised theirnegatives early, putinplace aplanto overcome them a they hadperformed “judo move” anopponent’s –turning attack into avulnerability. The strategy lines. Yet, theargument inthecampaign, andsoearly by Liberal onsodirectly strategists taking felt politicaladvice never toThe repeat strategy andignored your was age-old opponent’s risky attack “I’m ready to real bring change”. for” ofattack government. andlistsaseries linesontheHarper Hefinisheswithasimplemessage: and said “Stephen says Harper I’m notready,” hethentells theviewers “I’ll tell you what I’m notready With theCanadian parliament buildinginthebackground, Trudeau lookedstraight at thecamera wasn’t known fit ministerto beprime withafilmthat bythetitle became “Ready”. campaign the Liberals of the election then took Harper’s on directly At the start contention that he listening Canadians, to theconcernscountry ofordinary was “getting ready to lead”. a year later when the Liberals released another broadcast saying Trudeau, who had been touring the former simplepromise teacher –to withavery work hard to winpeople’s trust. This was followed up politicalbroadcasts oneoftheirearly In Trudeau was introduced politicianbutasa notasatypical these attacks headon. But, rather thanallow opponents to definehim,Liberal strategists took adecision take to directly 6 |Sunny Ways: Learning From Success andFailure inCanada |Labour, theLiberals andtheNDP|August 2016 www.policy-network.net

policy network paper 50 years, constitutional questions played a central role. The Tories played, with devastating effect, asitseeksto where, rebuild aUKgeneral in Scotland after election forparty thefirst timein well over But despite the2015setbacks, theexperience oftheNDPcould for beinstructive theScottishLabour they hadstudiedandlearntfrom theNDP’s success. 2015theNDPfellIn andtheLiberals backinQuebec madeconsiderable advances. That was because he understood strategy, BlocQuébécois voters. honingamessageaimedat left-of-centre to stand for theNDPacross the province suchasRuth Ellen Brosseau Dube. andMatt Finally, outanewgeneration oforganisation, ofcandidatesdeputy. seeking theimportance Healsoknew to Quebec, thedefectionofMulcair, securing himhis previously Liberal aQuebec andthenmaking seats. They had a the leader powerin Layton who knew of symbolism, bringing the NDP’s convention in2011,theNDPswept wonAlthough Harper theboard amajority winning58outof75 inQuebec toQuebec beviableoptionsfor federal government. theyhadto showbecause boththeNDPandLiberals theywere knew reasonably competitive in To attack theHarper linesrequired puncture along-term politicalandorganisational response ‘instability’ ofsuchacoalition. framing theissueasachoice between the ‘stability’ ofaConservative government verses the Liberal-NDP coalition oftheseparatists could from onlygovern Quebec, withthesupport successfully tobeing dictated by anationalist minority. Onbothoccasions hewarned Canadians that a ‘weak’ hadplayed Harper Bloc Québécois andagaininthe2011general election, onpeople’s fear of 2008, whenanNDP-Liberal fromIn theFrancophone withbacking coalition lookedapossibility But there are even biggerquestions onhow to dealwith ‘separatism’. Dealing withthe ‘separatist’ question depravation –andhow peoplebetter. Labourwould serve in them,how theyare –initsdiversity justasmuchitsgeographic atBritain oddswithmodern demands arobust demonstration ofhow theConservatives have failedvoters whoplaced theirtrust image oftheConservatives. The Liberals’ Khan’s andindeedSadiq election have shown usthat. It Winning backvoters from theConservatives doesnotdemandLabourshapethemselves inthe how theConservative government hasletthosewhoswitched to down. theminprevious elections who had in the past voted Conservative and the Conservative party, Labour needs to demonstrate need the tosame way win them back in 2020. In Trudeau successfully drove a wedge between those understanding that voters may have switched from Labourto Conservative in 2010and2015 we election. at thenext Fabian research hasexplained how Labourwillneedto winback Tory switchers to form agovernment a mobiliserto thosewhofelt Trudeau ofdivisive bestsymbolisedtherejection fear-based politics. them.” hasleft party The move notonlyhelpedwinover Conservative as switchers butalsoacted convince themto leave theConservative party. We justneedto show themhow Stephen Harper’s neighbours. They are ourcousins andunclesparents. They are …We ourfriends don’t needto tradition. Trudeau reached outto them,saying: “Conservatives are notourenemies. They are our They claimedthat Harper’s Conservatives hadabandonedtheCanada’s ‘progressive Conservative’ 7 |Sunny Ways: Learning From Success andFailure inCanada |Labour, theLiberals andtheNDP|August 2016 2 This doesnotmeanLabourmust right’.‘turn issimplyaboutaccepting and It

The-Mountain-to-Climb.pdf wp-content/uploads/2015/06/ 2. http://www.fabians.org.uk/ www.policy-network.net

policy network paper Undeterred, theLiberals onafullyintegrated continued working youth vote strategy. They developed Liberals were seenastired and arrogant. age groups –showed that young peoplefelt theNDPwere more intunewiththeirconcerns andthe the timeasdoomedto fail. Opinionpolling–even whentheLiberals were aheadwithother platformand the development for policy of a distinctive young was people. dismissed at It of ayoung voter strategy. withfocusedThey tours started ofcollege anduniversity campuses Two years Justin earlier Trudeau puttinginplace thebuildingblocks andhisadvisershadstarting for 25-to 34-year-olds. swing for thoseaged30to 44. Turnout was up12percent for 18-to 24-year-olds, and11percent Liberals represented a30point swingto theLiberals amongthoseaged18to 29anda 31point the NDP in 2011 switched to for the Liberalssupported in 2015. Overall the increase the in support for theNDPand20percent for theConservative party. showed that 45percent ofyoung peopleaged18to 25voted Liberal, compared with25percent who hadnotengagedin the politicalprocess before. This decision paid off.Research for Abacus Data the runupto 2015,LiberalIn strategists madeadeliberate decisionto target young peopleandthose inthenumberofyoungBut therise voters inCanada lastyear was, by any standards, remarkable. single age group. contested resultHighly often every in an increased elections across turnout virtually thevoteMobilising andjustice.” values Quebec ofsolidarity will carry to sendMPs would who inOttawa didnottake that besadifQuebeckers opportunity parliament. It for themtelling voters “For the first time inourpoliticallifetimes, is at thedoorsof socialdemocracy government. To figures to campaign drive homethemessage NDPpersuadedtwo former Blocparty while also crucially remindingand equality them that only the NDP could implement such values in Bloc Québécois voters, successfully convincing them they shared the same values of social justice Organisationally the NDPtargeted withresource Quebec andsymbolicmoves focused on sharply But over the coming years Scotland must beanorganisational and strategic for theparty. priority Following therecent where Labourcamethird, Scottishparliament elections there isnoeasypath. needsto show itcanbecompetitive againinScotland. theLabourparty UK general election, To avoid theUKConservatives gettingany withthesamelineofattack inthenext traction government inhockto ‘separatists’. Conservatives were notableto runanattack messagethat voting Liberal orNDPwould leadto weak challenging. oftheNDPsuccesscertainly Because andto alesserextenttheLiberals, theCanadian 94 seats across Englandand Wales. This impossiblebut, to isnotarithmetically say theleast, is For withoutScotlandwould general meangaining election at thenext Labourto winamajority Downing Street’, ontheotherhand notwanting to appearbeholdento theSNP. was caught outlikearabbit intheheadlights –ontheonehandwanting to the ‘lock Tories outof was, ofcourse, nonsense, butthe Tories successfully worked thestrategy for Labour allitwas worth. would theconcerns somehow ofBolton infavour neglect It of the concerns of BanffandBuchan. marginal constituencies likeBolton West, Lincoln that aLabourgovernment andSwindon to worry ofSNPMPs.government was enoughfor withthesupport couldIt voters onlysurvive inclassic on thefears ofundecidedvoters inEnglishtowns convincing andsuburbs themthat aMiliband 8 |Sunny Ways: Learning From Success andFailure inCanada |Labour, theLiberals andtheNDP|August 2016 3 Forty three Forty percent ofyoung voters who

powerhouse-young-canadians/ of-canadas-next-electoral- engagement-and-priorities- next-canada-politics-political- 3. http://abacusdata.ca/the- www.policy-network.net

policy network paper phones andtabletsto record data onnotonlyvoting intention butalsopreferred language, issues all ofwhichwas fed into theircustom-built database. They trained theircanvassers to usesmart about voting intentions theywere also tasked withdiscovering detaileddemographic information three timesasmuchtheydidin2011.Notonlywere theircanvassing teams findinginformation The difference was indata analytics. The Canadian Liberals invested hugelyinthisarea, spending we believed, would give usareal edgeonthe Tories. conversations. We increased membership. We invested millionsofpoundsinafieldoperation which, at thelastelection. All that –andmoreWe –istrueoftheLabourparty hadarecord 5milliondoorstep memberswerehow outcampaigning thousandsmore onthestreets. party theLiberals hadputintoeffort membermobilisation andtraining they were alsoable to highlight both ableto boastofhaving engagedvoters inmillionsofdoorstep conversations. ofthe Because work theirdoorstepover constituency They ayear started out from andwere thegeneral election daysnational campaign action to helpmobiliseinkeyraces. They increased theirnumbers of organisers, voter relied and used on more contact face-to-face the NDP and LiberalsBoth invested heavily in organisation in thefield to help target key voters. Digital, data andfieldorganisation to significanceown thefuture. seeking for any party amongyoung voters campaign, winningdemonstrable support election willbeofhugesymbolic But we stillneedto thelessonsofLiberals’ takeseriously campaign. And, UKgeneral inthenext Labour’s strength where itisalready strong.“ timeandmoneyfromto divert Tory marginals ortarget whichonlyincreases seats to fundaneffort withfinite campaign resourcestheir engagement isdampened.aparty it In would beirresponsible Warren Data. of Election tend to cluster in already safe“They of Labour seats so the additional impact time voters to offset any potential lossesamongstthe rest oftheelectorate inthoseseats”, says Ian will notbeenoughto ensure Labourwin Tory heldmarginal seats. aren’t“There enoughfirst- nearly haveSome pointed outhow simplyincreasing offirst-time theturnout voters andnon-voters still social mediacampaign aimedat young voters over thecourse ofyears, notweeks. registered. We lessons from can learn how theLiberals targeted campuses and built a distinctive significantly highershare ofthosewho voted, turnout remained low even amongthosewho were also hoped to mobilise young people in 2015but failed.The Although it secured UKLabourparty a callow inexperience onlyheightened hischangemessage. media andwithyoung people. Attacks on Trudeau from theConservatives andNDPhighlighting his Naturally ithelpedtheLiberals to have ayoung, confident onsocial charismaticleadereffortlessly for youth. with millennials, one of Trudeau’s minister asprime was firstacts to appoint himself asminister positioning astheleaderbestplaced to deliver on ‘real change’. Keento maintain thisimageintune the ‘change’ suchahigh-profile brand was soimportant, youth strategy helped reinforce Trudeau’s as youth unemployment, LGBT issuesandaffordable where In anelection owning highereducation. a targeted socialmediacampaign branded as ‘#matters’ areas focusing such onanumberofpolicy 9 |Sunny Ways: Learning From Success andFailure inCanada |Labour, theLiberals andtheNDP|August 2016 4

co.uk/ strategy at 4. Ian Warren blogsaboutelection www.policy-network.net http://election-data.

policy network paper media platform. using snapchat to target ayounger audience. Labourmustnow become competitive social onevery Clinton andJustin phones. Sanders, Bernie Hilary Trudeau are newground allin2016breaking news andtablets, more andmore checking andreceivingsmartphone political content onthese rather than on computers and smartphones TV. UK voters will increasingly become dependent on Forsmartphones. example most16-to andcatch 24-year-olds watch upplatforms on-demand of people still watch majority increasingthe overwhelming numbers also get content fromTV isalready affectingourTV viewinghabits.media oronlineshopping. useofsmartphones Our While with Ofcom estimating wea smartphone, spend two hours a day browsing the internet, on social organise across anumberofsocialmediaplatforms. Today, two thirds ofUKadultsare said to own ofaninnovativeThe importance digital campaign willincrease intheUKwithLabourneedingto switchers onFacebook. but the Tories dedicated hugeresources to targeted and digital messaging aimedat supporters inner circle or the campaign strategists. Labour also released debate clips and broadcast on Twitter dramatically increased staffinginthis area, the team wasstillnot integratedproperly Miliband’s with was slowLabour at to thelastelection move ondigitalitselfithad andalthoughby the election absolutely integral to theircampaign. adsatads andtargeted peopleidentified assupporters. get-out-the-vote The digital campaign was to votershim talking inrelaxed settingsplayed best. pushedoutdebateThey clips, quickly rebuttal Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. They hadtested imagesof Trudeau andconcluded setting it. The data anddigital team worked closelytogether to produce engaging andrelatable content for three members. the2015campaign theLiberal In digital in anddata team had45-50peopleworking Alongside data analytics, theLiberals alsoinvested heavily intheirdigital 2011theteam team. had In cansucceed era inthemodern withoutafullyintegratedNo politicalparty digital campaign. targeting’ Labourmustnotallow itself to beoutpaced by the Tories. battlefieldbut inanelectoral where fulladvantage ouropponents are ofsocalled taking ‘micro- still needacompelling overall of voters, ofaplurality visionthat commands the support andearns to complement Labour’s traditional ground that winelections campaign. Successful politicalparties investment serious prioritise in data analytics, developing its use of data to inform campaign strategy lesson from boththeUK Tory andCanadian Liberal successes in2015demandsLaboururgently right. Labour’sHe was partly campaign alsouseddata analysis 2015election and targeting. Butthe micro-targeting andsocialmediajustthrashed ‘5 millionconversations’ and ‘community organising’”. of2015the After theUKgeneral election Tory strategist Andrew Cooper tweeted “Big data, campaign. Obama’s campaigns. The NDPdatabase theybuiltwas considered oneofthesuccess stories oftheir the NDPalsoinvested heavily indata andanalytics, with270Strategies, working theteam behind target constituencies based on central and assess campaign tactics analysis of the trends. Similarly communication. At any given moment Liberal strategists were able to check’‘health progress in datasets andinformation minedfrom socialmediaandpetitions allowed for highlytargeted of concerns andemailtelephone details. contact Analysis ofthisalongsidenationally available 10 |Sunny Ways: Learning From Success andFailure inCanada |Labour, theLiberals andtheNDP|August 2016 www.policy-network.net

policy network paper our belief that quality public services are drivers ofsocial justice. publicservices our beliefthat quality astrong focus andrestatingchange iscentral onclosingwideninginequality to economic policy; But we from can stilllearn theboldnessofLeap Manifesto’s climate themes;insistingthat tackling middle incomes. ‘permission’ to run a deficit by promising capital spending alongside offering taxcuts forthose on movement. The UK is in desperate need of infrastructure renewal and it is telling that Trudeau won Not allthethemesinCanadian Leap Manifesto would command consensus across theLabour which voters believed we lackedat thelastelection. is how to capture theenergy of ‘real change’ as Trudeau’s Liberals did, credibility whilealso securing supposedly cautiousincremental approach offered in2015. by bothparties The question for Labour anappetiteLabour membersshare for withtheirNDPcounterparts boldchange, the rejecting aggression”. that ”promotespolicy prevention conflict and mutualco-operation, resolution rather thanmilitary aneweconomic approach andaforeign that builds”a fairer and society”; andsustainablesociety”; acommitment to party: “a more democratic, politicsinboththeLabourparty engaging andkinder JeremyBack inBritain, Corbyn Labourleaderpromising was elected three clearthemesfor the basis for theNDPto really examine what itstandsfor. searching for renewedshell-shocked party andvisionthemanifesto purpose isproving aprovocative jobsinherprovince. oilpipelinesandindustry argues Nonetheless, theNDPneedsto for support a fierce oppositionfrom many RachelNotley, premier establishedNDPfigures suchas Alberta who But amanifesto hasruninto whichopposesbuildingofpipelinesandotherinfrastructure projects jobs inchildcare, generally.expansion oflow-carbon education, socialandpublicservices investment inrenewables, alarge scaleprogramme ofenergy efficient housebuildingandan climate changeascentraltackling to itspoliciesfor growth andsocialjustice, callsfor massive celebrities, NGOsaswell asenvironmental emphasisestheneedfor theNDPto It activists. place need to go…we needto leap.” The manifesto hasbeenendorsedby academics, unionleaders, that thetimeisnow for theNDPto bebold, adding: “small steps willnolongergetusto where we makerAvi andherhusband,values by spearheaded NaomiKlein documentary Lewis. Many lookto theso-called ‘Leap Manifesto’ -agreen-social democratic statement ofaimsand presidential nomination. lastsummeranddrove forelection Sanders ofBernie theUSDemocratic theinsurgent candidacy The debate to has similarities that which propelled Jeremy in the Labour leadership Corbyn to victory a world oldcertainties. ofglobalisation anddigitalisation whichisshaking The NDPisnow beginning adebate standsfor aboutitsfuture in andwhat asocialdemocratic party challenge to Mulcair. complained how theyhadbeenoutflanked by theLiberals andthen voted to allow aleadership The 2016NDPconvention gathering. was anextraordinary Corbyn’-supporting‘Bernie delegates Where for next theNDP? 11 |Sunny Ways: Learning From Success andFailure inCanada |Labour, theLiberals andtheNDP|August 2016 5 It declares It

the-leap-manifesto/ 5. https://leapmanifesto.org/en/ www.policy-network.net

policy network paper right to govern again. with theconviction that we cancome backfrom devastating defeat to winfirstplace the andearn –to engageinaprocess renewal ofintellectual I want us–thewholeparty to offer credible change more urgent thanever. debate platform, aboutourfuture: ourstrategy ourpolicy andourpositioning. This debate isnow I would notadvocate athird-placed finish for Labour. But we doneedathorough, deepandsustained The onasimilardebate NDPare aboutwhat nowtheystandfor. embarking their future asaparty. After beingpushedinto third place, theLiberals were forced to askthemselves questions about serious debate aboutthefuture.all-encompassing Finally andmostimportantly, thesuccess of Trudeau shows Labourhasnothingto fear about elections. toin Quebec neutralise notonlyseparatism butConservatives playing theseparatist card infuture We needastrategy for Scotland that willutilisetheorganisational that progressive heft had parties Labour’s habitofconstantly changing andreversing strategy inthelastparliamentneedsto cease. time came. room staff andactivists to innovate and test different strategies sothey were battle readywhenthe Crucially, theydidallthisseveral years outform giving theircandidates, ageneral election, seen before intheprogressive politicsofeitherCanada orBritain. And theybroke newground by miningdata and pushingdigital content to depthsandbreadths not to say andlooklikehewas ready.opportunity The Liberals took head on the central attack line of their opponents against Trudeau, who usedevery wedge between themandtheConservative leadership–not ‘enemies’, but ‘neighbours’. inthepast, Harper those whohadsupported Trudeau reached out, reassured themanddrove a aswellfrom aswinningConservative otherparties, switchers. thantraduce Rather themotives of The Liberals’ coalition electoral young mobilisedcore voters support, and progressive mindedpeople majoritarian. but alsofocused onthe “struggling middleclass” bottom –to show –notjustthevery hisoffer was Justin Trudeau’s “sunny ways” was apositive messageofchange. Hepromised andhard“hope work” Conclusion 12 |Sunny Ways: Learning From Success andFailure inCanada |Labour, theLiberals andtheNDP|August 2016

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