CANADIANS TO VOTE IN A FEDERAL ELECTION Introduction

As Canadians, we are fortunate to live Political analysts are interested to Focus in a democracy. Every few years, all see if Prime Minister Harper will be This News in Review story explores the Canadians 18 years of age and older punished for calling an election for October 14, 2008, have the opportunity to cast a vote for October 2008, despite the fact that the federal election. the person and/or political party they official date for the next federal election You’ll learn about the believe will do the best job of running was supposed to be October 2009. parties, the leaders, the country. Voting behaviour is affected During the last federal election, Harper and the issues. You’ll by a number of issues: critical issues promised to pass legislation to ensure also explore why the facing the country at the time of the that elections would be held on fixed election was held on October 14, 2008, election, the strengths and weaknesses of dates. On May 26, 2006, he said: “Fixed a full year before the party leaders, the policies promoted election dates stop leaders from trying it was supposed to by Canada’s major political parties, to manipulate the calendar simply for occur according to and the qualities and experience of the partisan political advantage.” In 2007, he the rules of Prime local candidates running in the riding in passed such legislation. Recently Harper Minister Stephen which voters reside. Although we have claimed he had to call an election a year Harper’s “fixed date” no control over how the politicians will early because the opposition parties legislation passed in 2007. do their jobs once elected, if we are were blocking all of his attempts to pass unhappy with their record, we do not legislation in the House of Commons. have to vote for them the next time an As politicians and analysts wait to see Quote election is called. how Canadians will vote, the United “There is not a party This is not the case everywhere in the States is facing economic collapse, and in this country . . . that world. In some countries, free elections the economy in Canada is showing has not manipulated the election date in are never held. Some governments are much slower levels of growth than over order to suit their own run by a military dictator who has taken the past several years. This has made political interests.” — control of the country by force. In some the economy the number-one issue of Former NDP MP Lorne countries, there are no true opposition concern for Canadians in this election. Nystrom, speaking parties, and citizens can be pressured or All of the political parties are scrambling in the House of threatened to vote in a particular way. to convince the public that they are Commons in February In such places, the average citizen has the party to best lead Canada through 2004 (Don Desserud, professor of history virtually no power over the issues facing these difficult times. They must also and politics, University their country, their families, or indeed, demonstrate that they have a strong of New Brunswick, their daily lives. handle on foreign policy and the mission “Fixed-date elections: As Canadians go the polls in 2008, in Afghanistan, are concerned about Improvements or new Conservative leader Stephen Harper’s the environment, and understand the problems?” available minority government is on the line. daily concerns and worries of average on the Elections Canada Web site Will he win another election with only Canadians. On October 14, 2008, we will www.elections.ca/eca/ enough seats to form another minority find out which which leader has done the eim/article_search/ government? Will he win enough seats best job of convincing Canadians that he article.asp?id=130&lan to form a majority government? Or has or she is the right person for the job. g=e&frmPageSize=& he become so unpopular with Canadians textonly=false) that his party will not win enough seats to form either?

CBC News in Review • October 2008 • Page 6 Further Research To Consider To stay informed One of the issues being discussed in the lead-up to the election is that Prime about the fortunes Minister Harper chose to call the election for October 2008, when, according to and policies of his own government’s fixed-date legislation, it should not have been held until Canada’s major October 2009. Read the two viewpoints on this issue below, and then respond to political parties, the questions that follow. consider a visit to their official Web sites: When Parliament amended the Canada Elections Act to establish fixed election Conservative, www. dates every four years, Rob Nicholson—the government House Leader at the conservative.ca; Green, time—said that the purpose of the change was to limit a prime minister’s ability www.greenparty.ca; to dissolve Parliament at a time of his/her own choice. The benefits from the Liberal, www.liberal. change would be that “the public would no longer face surprise elections; ca; NDP, www.ndp.ca; political parties would benefit from a regular electoral timetable; Parliament Bloc Québécois, www. would be free to plan its business over stable four-year terms; and voter turnout blocquebecois.org. would increase” (The Globe and Mail, August 21, 2008).

But Conservative government whip Jay Hill explained that a prime minister always has the authority to ignore the fixed-election date and call an election if Parliament becomes “dysfunctional.” This means that the government does not have enough support in the House to get legislation passed. (A minority government needs a number of votes from the other political parties to pass legislation.) In the case of Stephen Harper’s government: “If Parliament was not functioning well, that would show a lack of confidence in the government. It’s a no-brainer that we’d have to go to the people to try and settle it” (Toronto Star, August 21, 2008).

1. Do you agree or disagree that the prime minister should be able to ignore the fixed-date election law and call an election at any time if he or she feels Parliament has become “dysfunctional”? Explain fully.

2. How should we define “dysfunctional”? That is, what criteria would need to exist for Parliament to be considered to be dysfunctional (e.g., unable to pass any legislation, unable to pass more than 50 per cent of proposed legislation, reluctance of members to work together in the House)?

CBC News in Review • October 2008 • Page 7 CANADIANS TO VOTE IN A FEDERAL ELECTION Video Review

Carefully respond to the following questions as you view the video. Did you know . . . In this election 1. How many times have Canadians gone to the polls in the last four years? _____ campaign, there are 1 601 candidates and 2. On what date was the current 2008 campaign launched? ______19 different political parties vying for 308 3. What do Conservatives hope to demonstrate to Canadian voters? seats.

4. What challenge faces Stéphane Dion? Quote “Politics is a strange game. You stand for 5. On what do Stéphane Dion and Gilles Duceppe agree? nomination in order to run for election, to sit in Parliament. 6. What was NDP leader Jack Layton’s response to the election call? — Popular joke

7. Who is the “new upstart” in this campaign?

8. What controversy erupted concerning the national television debates?

9. List some of the top issues that concerned Canadians as they prepared to vote.

10. How are the Conservatives trying to present their leader?

11. What image problems confront the Liberal leader?

12. What pledges did the NDP’s Jack Layton make?

13. Which age group is the worst at getting out to vote? Why?

14. If you could vote, which party would you be most likely to support and why?

CBC News in Review • October 2008 • Page 8 CANADIANS TO VOTE IN A FEDERAL ELECTION The Leaders

During an election, a number of factors point for the party, demonstrating that Quote have an impact on how people vote. the BQ was capable of winning federal Rejecting the idea that a sovereign Quebec One of the factors is how Canadians seats in Quebec. In 1996, he became the would face economic feel about the leader of each political interim leader of the party, and assumed barriers when trying party. Does the leader seem honest, full leadership in 1997. Duceppe to do business with intelligent, and confident? Does the continues to advocate for sovereignty the rest of Canada, leader seem to understand the lives of association, a particular form of Quebec Duceppe once said: “average” Canadians? Does the leader nationalism that involves sovereignty “Tell Western farmers have the skills and experience to be an (or independence) for Quebec, but that they will have to eat all their beef or effective prime minister? As you read also includes a political and economic watch the carcasses the information about each of the leaders association with the rest of Canada. rot, instead of selling below, decide who you think would be them to Quebec. Go to the best leader. Stephen Harper, Conservative Party Oshawa and explain Stephen Harper was born 1959 in to workers in the Gilles Duceppe, Bloc Québécois Toronto, Ontario. He moved to Alberta in automobile industry that they will have to Gilles Duceppe was born in 1947 1978 to work in the petroleum industry. go on unemployment in Montreal, Quebec. He earned his He has a master’s degree in economics insurance out of undergraduate degree from the Collège from the University of Calgary. patriotism, because Mont-Saint-Louis and studied political Harper first became involved in Canada cannot sell science at the Université de Montréal. politics in high school. It is reported any more cars to those Duceppe has been a political activist that the first political party he supported poor Quebecers.” since university. He joined the Company was the Liberals, before he became — “Canada votes” (www.cbc.ca/ of Young Canadians (CYC), a short- disillusioned with the party over its news/canadavotes/ lived federal government youth program National Energy Program, which leadersparties/leaders- that encouraged social, economic, and he thought was harmful to Alberta’s duceppe.html) community development in Canada. energy industry. He became an aide to a It trained young Canadians in social Progressive Conservative MP in 1985, organization techniques and placed them but left to support Preston Manning’s Quote to work in community programs across Reform Party of Canada. When Prime Minister the country. The initiative ended in 1977, In 1993, Harper was first elected to Harper announced that the next federal following criticisms that many of the the House of Commons as the Reform election would be CYC’s recruits were engaging in Marxist Party’s candidate in Calgary West. In held on October 14, and separatist activities. 2003, he co-founded the Conservative 2008, he said that After his involvement with the CYC, Party of Canada and went on to contest voters have two Duceppe became a union negotiator and win the new party’s leadership. As distinct choices: “They for the Confédération des syndicats Conservative leader, Harper ran in the can choose between clear direction or nationaux (CSN), a provincial union 2004 federal election and increased the uncertainty; between organization in Quebec. Duceppe worked Conservatives’ standing in the House of common sense or for the CSN from 1977 to 1990, when Commons by 25 seats. On January 23, risky experiments; he resigned to run for federal political 2006, he led the Conservative Party to between steadiness office. power by winning 124 seats in Canada’s and recklessness.” — In 1990, Duceppe—running for the 39th federal election. Stephen Harper was The Montreal Gazette Bloc Québécois (BQ)—won a by- sworn in as Canada’s 22nd Prime Minister (online), September 11, 2008 election in the riding of Laurier-Sainte on February 6, 2006. Marie. This was an important turning

CBC News in Review • October 2008 • Page 9 Elizabeth May, Green Party the environment. In 1996 he became Did you know . . . Intergovernmental Affairs minister in The insecticide that Elizabeth May is an environmentalist, was going to be writer, activist, and lawyer. Born in Jean Chrétien’s government, where he sprayed on Nova the United States, she moved to Nova worked on national unity issues. He Scotia forests was Scotia with her family when she was is a federalist who does not support commonly known as eight years old. She became active in unilateral secession for Quebec, and he Agent Orange. It had the environmental movement in 1970. was instrumental in the development of been widely used as a She has been involved in campaigns to the government’s Clarity Act, passed in defoliant—something 2000. that removes the stop the spraying of aerial insecticide leaves from plants and on Nova Scotia forests and to prevent In July 2004, under former prime trees—in the Vietnam the approval of uranium mining in Nova minister Paul Martin, Dion was War and had been Scotia, and has worked to oppose the appointed Environment minister. In that found to be a very development of nuclear energy. position, he helped win international toxic carcinogen. May graduated from Dalhousie Law agreement to extend the Kyoto Protocol School and has worked as the Associate beyond 2012. In June 2005, Dion also announced $9.2-million in funding to Quote General Counsel for the Public Interest Stéphane Dion on why Advocacy Centre, (www.piac.ca), help protect species at risk and their he wants to be prime representing consumer, poverty, and habitat. And in 2008, he announced his minister: “I think that environment groups in her work. In plan to introduce a carbon tax. This is there is a convergence 1986, she became Senior Policy Advisor a proposed tax on fossil fuels designed between my talents, to the federal Environment Minister at to reward those who have a smaller my skills, my the time, Tom McMillan. In that position environmental footprint. experience, my ability to communicate, my she played a major role in the creation passion for Canada, of several national parks, negotiated the Jack Layton, New Democratic and what Canada Montreal Protocol to protect the ozone Party needs to do. And it layer, and developed new pollution Jack Layton was born in Montreal in is more than ever control legislation. 1950, but grew up in the small town to bring together In 1989, May became the Executive of Hudson, Quebec. He comes from a economy, vitality, Director of the Sierra Club of Canada long line of politicians. His grandfather, social justice, and environmental (www.sierraclub.ca), a national Gilbert Layton, was a cabinet minister in sustainability, and to environmental organization. In 2006, Quebec’s Union Nationale government be the country that she resigned that post to run for the during the 1930s. His father, Robert will reconcile these leadership of the Green Party. She was Layton, was an activist in the Liberal three pillars more than elected leader in 2006. Party of Canada during the 1960s and any other countries 1970s, before joining the Progressive in the world.” — Stéphane Dion, during Stéphane Dion, Liberal Party Conservative Party of Canada in the an interview with Evan Born in 1955 in Quebec City, Dion 1980s. Solomon (CBC News, grew up to study political science Layton completed his undergraduate December 2006) at university. In 1986, he completed studies at McGill University and his PhD in sociology and became a graduated from York University with professor of public administration and a PhD in political science in 1984. political science. He was first elected as a He became an activist in university, politician in 1996. taking part in sit-ins and campaigns for During his political career he has affordable student housing. His interest held a number of positions and has been in activism continued, and as a municipal responsible for a variety of portfolios. politician in Toronto he was known for He is probably best known, however, his outspokenness. During his time as for his work on national unity and a city councillor, he opposed the city’s

CBC News in Review • October 2008 • Page 10 construction of SkyDome and its bid geography at the University of Toronto Further Research for the 1996 Olympic Summer Games. and a professor of environmental studies The Clarity Act is legislation of He felt that public resources would be at York University. Canada’s Parliament better spent on other priorities like a Layton became leader of the federal that established the municipally sponsored AIDS strategy or NDP in January 2003. This is his third conditions under environmental initiatives. He was a city general election since becoming party which the Government councillor from 1982 to 2003. During leader. of Canada would enter this time he was also a professor of into negotiations that might lead to secession following Follow-up such a vote by one of 1. You may have noticed that the biographies of the party leaders did not the provinces. contain any information on marital and family status. Do you think such information should have been included? Does a person’s marital and family situation have any impact on their ability to be a successful prime minister? Provide reasons for your answer. Quote “Today, Stephen Harper announced he is quitting as Prime Minister. And so, today I’m applying for his job. Unlike Stephen Harper, I’ll be a prime minister who puts you and your family 2. According to Angelo Persichilli, writing for the Toronto Star on August 31, first. Unlike Stephen 2008, the five party leaders face the following challenges: Harper, I’ll act on • Stephen Harper must explain to voters why he is not respecting a law the priorities of the about fixed election dates that his government legislated. kitchen table, not just the boardroom • Stéphane Dion needs to put to rest doubts about his leadership. Dion table.” — Jack Layton needs at least one more seat than the 103 his party had in 2006. in his opening speech on September 7, 2008 • Gilles Duceppe would rather not face the electorate, as polls indicate that (“It’s time to choose he will have serious difficulty retaining the seats he holds now. change,” available • Jack Layton wants an election because the alternative, supporting a online at www.ndp.ca) minority Conservative government, is not an option. • Elizabeth May needs to create an identity for herself distinct from that of a Liberal. What do you think? Compare your impressions of the leaders, with the concerns of Persichilli. Do you agree with Persichilli, or do you think the leaders face other challenges?

CBC News in Review • October 2008 • Page 11 3. On Thursday, August 28, 2008, the Toronto Star and Angus Reid conducted a poll on public perception of the leadership attributes of Stephen Harper and Stéphane Dion. They are the leaders of the two parties expected to receive the greatest number of votes in the election. Review the results of the poll and, based on the results, comment on which of the two men should receive the most votes.

Public Perception of Leadership The Leaders Attributes Stephen Harper Stéphane Dion Strength and decisiveness 45% 10% Ability to manage economy 38% 14 % Understanding of complex issues 36% 27% Understanding problems facing 33% 23% Canadians Trustworthiness 31% 30% Concern for the environment 27% 45% Ability to inspire confidence 30 % 11% Source: Toronto Star, August 30, 2008

CBC News in Review • October 2008 • Page 12 CANADIANS TO VOTE IN A FEDERAL ELECTION The Issues

According to a Globe and Mail/CTV poll platform to determine which party is Did you know . . . on August 25, 2008, Canadians believed most closely aligned to their own values The Kyoto Protocol is an international the most important issues facing the and beliefs. framework to reduce country were: the economy (20 per cent), Below is a partial summary of each greenhouse gas the environment (15 per cent), health of the major political parties’ positions emissions. As of 2007, care (14 per cent), and Afghanistan/ on three key issues: the economy, Canada has failed to national security (7 per cent) (The Afghanistan, and the environment. Of meet its Kyoto targets. Globe and Mail, Sept 2, 2008). During course, as the election campaign evolves, an election, each party develops an each party continues to refine and modify election platform. This is the party’s its position. Review the information position on issues of importance and a below, looking for similarities and proposed action plan to respond to those differences among the parties, and then issues. Many voters refer to each party’s respond to the questions that follow.

Candidate/ Position on economic Position on Position on the Party development Afghanistan environment Gilles Duceppe The BQ supports policies: • Supported the mission in • Supports the timelines for Bloc Québécois • that promote research Afghanistan when it was the Kyoto Protocol. and innovation and supposed to end in 2009. • Quebec must make a provide strong support for The CBC reports the Bloc major shift by reducing Québec industries and the now wants to see an end its dependence on oil and Québec economy to the mission. ensure sustainable land use. • that develop a • Prefers co-operation, • Hopes to introduce tax comprehensive support diplomacy, and incentives to help families plan for the manufacturing peacekeeping to armed convert their home and forest industries intervention. heating system from oil to electricity.

Stephen Harper The Conservatives plan: • A near-complete • Does not support the Conservative • to cut the corporate withdrawal of Canadian Kyoto Protocol. Party income tax rate (currently troops from Afghanistan • Believing that at 22 per cent) to 15 per in 2011. environmental cent by 2012, giving all regulations are costly companies in Canada the and hurt businesses, lowest tax rate of all major the Conservatives have industrialized countries targeted the “intensity” of • to address infrastructure emissions, aiming for less demands across the pollution from each unit of country (roads, sewers, production, but not actually power lines, etc.), the capping emissions. Conservatives have • Harper wants to reduce established the “Building carbon output by 20 per Canada” plan to distribute cent as of 2020, from 2006 some $33-billion in levels. funding over seven years

CBC News in Review • October 2008 • Page 13 Elizabeth May The Greens’ pledge to: • Withdraw Canadian There are three components Green Party NATO forces from to the Green environmental • reduce taxes on income Afghanistan by February plan: and employment while 2009. increasing taxes on • Make actual reductions in greenhouse gases and • Extend a time-limited carbon dioxide emissions. pollution that causes smog offer to the Afghan • Adapt to climate change government to provide by protecting vulnerable • eliminate large corporate Canadian military areas and populations. subsidies and grants logistics support and • Establish programs in all legal experts to assist in • offer a Guaranteed areas of the economy to the development of the Livable Income supplement accelerate our reduction in Afghan National Army. for the poor carbon emissions. • Push for a UN-brokered regional peace conference to help bring stability to the region. Stéphane Dion The Liberals plan to: • In March 2008, the The Liberals offer: Liberal Party • introduce a “Green Liberals supported the • $600-million in energy Shift” carbon tax on fossil Conservative Party motion retrofit tax breaks for fuels, offset by income and to extend the combat homeowners mission in Afghanistan business tax cuts • tougher energy-efficiency until 2011. • spend $70-billion over standards for building codes 10 years for municipal and home appliances infrastructure • $250-million over four • spend $1.2-billion years to curb the spread of over four years to help the mountain pine beetle farmers adjust to green technologies Jack Layton The NDP pledges to: • Since 2006, the NDP has The NDP proposes: NDP • spend $8.2-billion over been arguing for the safe • a moratorium on four years to create, withdrawal of Canadian expansion of Alberta’s tar protect, and foster growth troops. Prior to 2006, they sands and a requirement of “green-collar” jobs and supported the mission. that oil companies reclaim manufacturing land strip-mined for • spend $100-million for petroleum production skills training, job creation • a “cap-and-trade” system • create $1-billion national to create incentives for big home-care program for business to reduce their seniors emissions • to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050 Follow-up 1. Which party seems to have positions that are most similar to your own? Which of the parties is furthest from your own values?

2. What do you think would influence your voting behaviour the most: a party platform or the personality and experience of a party leader? Or, are there other factors you believe would have a greater influence on you?

CBC News in Review • October 2008 • Page 14 CANADIANS TO VOTE IN A FEDERAL ELECTION Who Said It?

Now that you are more familiar with the federal political scene, try this. Read the following quotations and try to identify the party that made the statement. Place the name of the party in the space that follows the quotation. Answers are found at the end. Be prepared to explain your reasoning.

1. “When it was clear that we were not going to survive until October 2009, if the opposition had their way, then it was just a matter of . . . who should control the timing? Should it be us or should it be them?”

2. “We have established ourselves as a party that cannot be described as fringe. We are a party whose ideas and policies are now in the mainstream.”

3. “Love him or hate him, our Prime Minister knows where he stands on the issues and will offer Canadians certainty.”

4. “Can you trust a Prime Minister who triggered an election while not respecting his own law?”

5. “Parliament has been working very well for Mr. Harper. He has had one of the longest minority tenures that we have seen. He has been able to get all of his policies through . . . I don’t know what he is complaining about.”

6. “Having Harper claim the House is dysfunctional . . . is like the proverbial man who has murdered his parents pleading with the judge for mercy because he is an orphan.”

7. “I think it’s a crazy time for the country to take risks. I think when in the middle of a slowdown, an opposition leader is proposing new taxes and tells the Canadian people after several months that he’s still changing it on the back of envelopes after meetings, I think people’s alarm bells should be up.”

8. “All across the country we can see a widening gap between the rich— those that are doing very well—and those that are really struggling. I talk to people who sit down with their families and decide about their future. There is a lot of anxiety.”

CBC News in Review • October 2008 • Page 15 9. “On the other side, you have an elitist professor whose leadership is marked by indecision and dogmatic adherence to ideological theories.”

10. “My dear Quebecers. I am as much a Quebec nationalist as Gilles Duceppe.”

11. “This is anti-democratic, closed-door, back-room decision making by four national party leaders who are all men, and five television executives who are all men, to keep out the one woman leader of a federal political party and I don’t think many Canadians will think that is fair.”

12. “When we see Mr. Harper claim to be standing up for the North and to have a vision for the North, he’d better start by controlling the pollution and taking action to protect the North from the toxic discharges of his friends in the big oil companies.”

Answers to “Who Said It?”

, September 9, 2008) 9, September , Mail and Globe The ( Leader NDP Layton, Jack 12.

, September 9, 2008) 9, September , Star Toronto ( Leader Party Green May, Elizabeth 11.

, September 8, 2008) 8, September , Mail and Globe The ( Leader Liberal Dion, Stéphane 10.

, September 7, 2008) 7, September , Star Toronto ( strategist Conservative 9.

, September 5, 2008) 5, September , Star Toronto ( Leader NDP Layton, Jack 8.

, Sept 4, 2008) 4, Sept , Mail and Globe The ( Leader Conservative Harper, Stephen 7.

, September 3, 2008) 3, September , Star Toronto ( Leader Party Green May, Elizabeth 6.

, September 3, 2008) 3, September , Star Toronto ( Leader NDP Layton, Jack 5.

, September 2, 2008) 2, September , Star Toronto ( Leader Liberal Dion, Stéphane 4.

, August 30, 2008) 30, August , Star Toronto ( strategist Conservative 3.

, August 31, 2008) 31, August , Star Toronto ( Leader Party Green May, Elizabeth 2.

, August 30, 2008) 30, August , Mail and Globe The ( strategist Conservative 1.

CBC News in Review • October 2008 • Page 16 CANADIANS TO VOTE IN A FEDERAL ELECTION Activity: What Happened?

Since this issue of News in Review was produced before the voting for the Did you know . . . 2008 federal election was held, it is your responsibility to finish this story by When Parliament was completing the following chart and answering a few questions. dissolved, the official standings in the House The Results of Commons were Conservatives 127, Party Number of Percentage of the Ranking in Liberals 95, Bloc 48, seats won popular vote Parliament (1-5) NDP 30, Independents Bloc Québécois 4, Vacant 4, for a total of 308 seats.

Conservative

Green

Liberal

NDP

1. In your opinion what is the likely post-election fate of each of the party leaders? Why?

2. What do you think were the most decisive issues in the elections?

3. How do you personally feel about the outcome of the election? In your notebook explain in detail.

CBC News in Review • October 2008 • Page 17