Cyber-Campaign 2000: the Function of the Internet in Canadian Electoral Politics
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University of Calgary PRISM: University of Calgary's Digital Repository Graduate Studies Legacy Theses 2001 Cyber-campaign 2000: the function of the Internet in Canadian electoral politics Small, Tamara A. Small, T. A. (2001). Cyber-campaign 2000: the function of the Internet in Canadian electoral politics (Unpublished master's thesis). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB. doi:10.11575/PRISM/15595 http://hdl.handle.net/1880/41096 master thesis University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission. Downloaded from PRISM: https://prism.ucalgary.ca UNIVERSITY QF CALGARY Cyber-Campaign 2000: The Function of the Internet in Canadian Electoral Palitics Tamara A SmalI A THESIS TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES m PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS CALGARY, ALBERTA MAY, 2001 Bibliathbqce nationale du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographic Services services bibliographiques 395 WeYington Street 395, rue Wellington OmwaON KlAON4 Onawadhl K1AW Cenada Canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accorde une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettmt a la National Licbrary of Canada to Biblioth&quenationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire, preter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre &s copies de cette these sow paper or electronic formats. la fome de microfiche/film, de reproduction sm papier ou sur format electronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propri W du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protege cette these. thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it Ni la these ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent etre imprimes reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. ABSTRACT History has shown that innovation in wrnmtinication technology translate into innovations in politics and political communication. This notion has lead many to consider the potentiality of the Internet as a political tool. The Internet began playing a role in election campaigns around 1994. However, much ofthe literature on the Internet in the political arena is largely anecdotal. Using the 2000 Canadian General Election as a case study, this thesis examines function of the Internet in Canadian electoral politics. After an in-depth examination of four Canadian political partie Web sites, this thesis outlines the many ways in which the Internet fimctioned in this election. This thesis suggests that campaign 2000 will be remembered as the election when political campaigning went ooline becoming ~yber-cmn~gning,as the Internet clearly played a role for political parties. Moreover, it concludes that the Internet has created a new venue for politics in Canada. First, I would like to express my utmost appreciation to my supervisor Dr. David Taras. Second, I would like to thank the James Dodd (Progressive Conservative Party of Canada), Tony Gronow (Canadian Consemative Reform Alliance), Wayne Harding (New Democratic Party), and Dan Hayward (Liberal Party of Canada) for their generosity, time, and insight during interview portion ofthis project. Last, I would Wre to thank my examining committee, Dr. David Tam7Dr. Tamara Palmer, Dr. Anthony Sayers, and Dr. Keith Brownsy. DEDICATIONS To my parents, Margaret & Wesley. .. Approvalpage ........................................................ ...n Abstract ............................................................. u Ackwwldgements ..................................................... iv Dedication ............................................................ v Tableofcontents ...................................................... vi... ListofTables ......................................................... vtu CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION .......................................1 TheTripartiteSystem ............................................. 1 EntertheInternet ................................................ 2 Thehtefclet, PoliticsBtDemmcy .................................. 4 Communications Technology& Politics ............................... 6 Computer Mediated Political Communication in Canada ................... 13 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ................................. 16 Introduction .................................................... 16 Characteristics of the Internet ....................................... 16 IntegrationsofMediums ..................................... 17 IntedVity ............................................... 18 PullCommunication ........................................ 19 Urndated ............................................... 20 WeedMediurn ....................................... 22 Narrowcastiag .............................................23 Cost, Time & Distance ..................................... -24 Implications of the New Media - The Debate ........................... -27 Utopians - Political Faith in the New Technology ..................28 Dystopians - Political Fear of the New Technology ................ -34 The Normahtion Hypothesis - Political Status Quo ............... -38 Political Campaigning & the Internet - The Research Context .............. -40 CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY .................................... 52 Canadian Political Parties on the Web .The Web sites .................... 52 Canadian Conservative Reform Alliance ......................... 52 LibdPartyofCanada ...................................... 53 New Democatic Party ...................................... -54 Progressive Conserv8tive Party of Canada ....................... -55 Mahodology ................................................... 55 CHAPTER FOIIR: F'INDINGS &RESULTS ............................... -61 The 2000 General Election .The Cyber-Campaign ....................... -61 F'mdingskResdts ................................................. 62 SdarFormat .............................................. 62 FntegrationofMediums ........................................ 64 MormationDi-tion ..................................... 69 Negative Campaigning ...................................... -78 ma-party Comm~cation.................................... -80 Intdvity ................................................83 Voter Involvement ........................................... 91 Cyber-Campaign 2000 - The Parties7View ............................ -99 CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSIONS ...................................... 101 The Function ofb inoralPolitics ................ ,101 Cyber-Campaign 2000 .Inside the Debate ............................. 106 The Internet in Canadian Politics .Concluding Thoughts .................. -111 ENDNOTES ......................................................... 115 REFERENCES ....................................................... 116 APPENDIX B: Political Party Questionnaire ................................ -129 vii LIST OF TABLES Table 1 . Similar Web site Function ........................................ -64 Table 2. Importance of Internet Characteristics to Campaign ..................... -68 Tabie 3 . Importance of Web site for Voter Involvement ........................ -97 Table 4 . Ranking of Campaign Communication Methods ........................ -100 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION The Tripartite System Politics and communication are inextricably linked. Regardless ofthe mode, whether it was the spoken word that dominated the public houses or the visual images of television in the modem era, communication is a necessary link between the governors and the governed. The centrality of the media to the political process has led scholars to regard it as the fourth branch of government or the fourth estate signalling its role as an "essential pillar of democracy" (Siegal, 1993, p. 18). The importance of media is also constitutionally entrenched in many western democratic nations. Part I, Section 2 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms states that every Canadian has the fundamental 'Yieedom of thought, beliet: opinions and expression, including fieedom of the press and other media of communication" (Charter). This freedom allows for the unfettered exchange of ideas and views on any topic, including the government, politicians and policy matters by an individual or media organizations. Moreover, as media scholar Frederick Fletcher (198 1) noted in his submission to the Royal Commission on Newquprs, when Canadians accept and acknowledge the notion of fieedom of the press, we also accept a 'press which performs a public se~cethrough social criticism and education" (6). Here, Fletcher identified two essential features of the media in politics. First, the media is the watchdog of the political system, ensuring the legitimacy of our governments. Second, the media performs an educative role, as much of the idormation about the political process that is available to citizens wmes through the media (Wallace & Fletcher, 1984). Essentially in politics, the media, the government and the public form a 'tripartite system' (Tumber & Bromley 1998). However in the 21" century, this tripartite system faces a challenge fkom a newly emerging communications technology, the Internet. Enter the Internet Since the early 1990s, the Internet, "the global network of