Unit 2

The Election process

Election is called Called by the Governor General at the

request of the Prime Minister

1. The Government’s term is up (5 years)

1. It is a good time strategically for the Government to call an election

1. The Government has lost an important vote in the House of Commons

1. They may call an election if the P.M. has retired and the government has chosen a new leader

Who Can Vote

Today, all Canadian citizens 18 yr or older (as of 1987)

The federal vote - historically All property owning males of British ancestry (1867) Removal of property owing qualification (1885) Some women 1917, extended to all women in 1918 – clip 1 Chinese and Indo-Canadians(1947) Japanese(1948) –clip 3 Native Canadians (1960) on reserves - clip 4 Right to vote embedded in the Constitution 1982 Prisoners (serving less than 2 yrs), mentally disabled (1993) All prisoners (2002)

See timeline in textbook – page 82

Lowing voting age

First Past the Post In each riding (electoral district) the

candidate with the most votes wins a seat in the House of Commons, and represents that electoral district (its constituents) as its member of Parliament.

Any number of candidates may run for election in an electoral district either independently or under the banner of a registered political party.

A candidate can run in only one riding

Each party may endorse only one candidate in an electoral district.

Canada’s Registered Political Parties

Political parties registered under the – 39th general election

Animal Alliance Environment Voters Party of Canada

Bloc Québécois Canadian Action Party Christian Heritage Party of Canada Communist Party of Canada Conservative Party of Canada First Peoples National Party of Canada Green Party of Canada Liberal Party of Canada Libertarian Party of Canada Marijuana Party Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada New Democratic Party Progressive Canadian Party Western Block Party

Elections CanadaPolitical Party definition

an organization whose fundamental purposes is to participate in public affairs by endorsing one or more of its members as candidates and supporting their election to the House of Commons.

2006

Running for Election

Parties nominate a candidate to run in each riding

First-Past-The-Post video clip

Each Candidate must: 100 signatures $1000 deposit. ½ returned after expenses submitted

2nd ½ returned if they win15% of the vote remaining money goes to the state

Running in an Election Continued

If you can vote, you can run in an election unless:

You’re a judge You’re a crown attorney You’re in prison You’re an election officer – conflict of interest You’re an elected member of a provincial or

territorial legislature You have been convicted of election offences

The Election Campaign

Minimum 36 days long Use to be much longer due to travel time. Now modern

travel and telecommunications allow for a shorter campaign period

A Public Show involving Parties present the face of their leaders Candidates involved in speeches, campaign promises,

handshakes, bus touring, photo opportunities, news conferences, debates, rallies, and political advertising

The Election Campaign

Cost of a Campaign

Election cost – $300 million

Only the following may contribute $ to political parties: Citizens or permanent residents of Canada Businesses or associations in Canada Unions in Canada

Discussion - Why?

Cost of Campaign continued

Why donate?

Save on taxes if you contribute Not just wealthy should contribute Parties must appeal to wide cross section of population Over $100 contributions must be made public

Party spending limits based on number of voters in a riding

If you win 15% of vote or more – get half expenses back from government

If you win 5% of vote - get 22% of expenses reimbursed

Campaign Strategy

Local strategies in a particular riding:

Door to door, signs, appear at clubs, schools, events

Sometimes has more to do with personality than party

Campaign Strategy continued National or Provincial

strategy Focuses on leader and

party policy Leader’s tour is

scrutinized by press and public

TV particularly important (trace to 1968 – Trudeaumania)

Trudeau slideshow

Campaign Issues

Cannot be vague – e.g. reduce poverty

Voters want specifics – e.g. increase spending on subsidized housing and increase minimum wage

Some elections dominated by single issues: 1917 – conscription 1988 – free trade with U.S.

Debates Minimum 2 televised debates between

party leaders – one French, one English

1960 Kennedy-Nixon debate Kennedy younger, prepared, good

make up Nixon sick, only light make-up,

beard started to show, sweaty and nervous

Those who listened on radio said Nixon won, those who watched it on TV said Kennedy won

TV debates now very prepared – practice phrases, potential answers to questions, dress rehearsals

Advertising

All parties pay for advertising on TV and radio Negative ads show deficiencies in opponents Positive ads show wisdom of party’s own

policies

Third party ads are run by businesses, interest groups or individuals who endorse certain candidates or parties

Election Time - Voting

Election Day

Election Fraud One day, in secret Still cases of stealing ballots, bribery and phony names on list

1998 Quebec election TV reporter put camera in button hole voted 6 times as friends of

hers on the list never asked for identification

Chief electoral officer didn’t want to intimidate people, prevent them from voting

What could be done to reduce the chances of election fraud????

Election continued

Counting Ballots not counted until all polling stations in a riding are

closed Results phoned in to riding’s chief returning officer

First past the post system Candidates with most votes in a riding wins (takes all) Few candidates ever have more than 50% of vote

System can be very unfair – consider the following tables

1993 Election Results

Political Parties

Share of Vote %

Seats

Liberals 41.22 177

Reform 18.71 52

Conservatives 16.04 2

Bloc Quebecois

13.51 54

New Democrats

6.88 9

System can be unfair. Consider the following tables

1998 Quebec Election Results

Party Share of Vote %

Seats

Liberals 43.55 48

Parti Quebecois

42.87 75

PQ won very close races in many ridings (2000 votes) and Liberals won big majorities in some ridings (20 000 votes) PQ won very close races in many ridings (2000 votes) and Liberals won big majorities in some ridings (20 000 votes)

Results of Last Federal Election (Jan. 23, 2006) Political Parties Popular Vote Seats Won Status

Conservative Party of Canada

36.2% 125 Minority Government

Liberal Party of Canada

30.2% 103 Official Opposition

Bloc Quebecois 10.5% 51 Minor Party

New Democratic Party

17.5% 29 Minor Party

Green Party of Canada

4.5% - -

Independent 0.1% 1

Proportional Representation

Proportional Representation - another system where 2% of vote = 2% of seats can be less stable forces consensus government must make concessions to

smaller parties to maintain support

Some examples of proportional representation democracies: Israel, New Zealand, Germany

Forming a Government

Majority Governments

– Government has more than half the seats in the legislature

– House of Commons now has 308 seats – need 155 to form

– Most governments of Canada are majority

– Can pass whatever legislation was promised in election

Minority Governments

• Only 9 federal elections have resulted in minority gov’ts

• Opposition can act together to defeat gov’t on any vote

• Sometimes governments reach informal understanding with opposition parties to assure their support on key votes

– Liberal minorities in 1960s had support of NDP and passed CPP, GIS, Medicare, and Petro-Canada, among others

– Ontario 1985 opposition parties formed an informal coalition government after defeating the minority gov’t in power

Explaining minority / majority governments clip

Coalition Governments

Rarest of the 3 types Only once federally – 1917 to pass

Conscription Saskatchewan 1999 election:

– Liberals - 4 seats– NDP - 29 seats– Saskatchewan Party - 25 seats.

– NDP were one seat short of a majority, so in exchange for the Liberal’s support, they gave the Liberals 2 cabinet positions, and were now a majority (33 vs. 25)

Recall

• The right to pull a politician out of office if the voters feel they have not fulfilled their duty

• Only BC has recalled in Canada (1995)– Only after 18 months in office– 60 days to collect signatures from 40% of riding– by-election is called TVO bi-election clip– MLA may run in the by-election

• Has been initiated 11 times, never enough signatures

• One MLA resigned before process complete

Referendums

National Referendums

• 1898 – Prohibition – 51% in favour, 49% against, was not passed federally

• only in 1915. PEI had it until 1948

Some issues need to be dealt with outside of elections

Referendums continued

• 1942 – Conscription – PM King had promised none, but WW2 was heating up. More than 60% in favour, but Quebec 70% against. Enforced in 1944 but only for home defense.

Referendums continued

• 1992 – Constitution – tried to get Quebec to sign on to the Constitution:

• The Charlottetown Accord.

– Needed yes nationally and in every province.

– Only ON, NF, NB and PEI voted yes

– Federal no vote 54%

Provincial Referendums

Newfoundland 1948

– to join Confederation

– 52% voted yes

CBC archives clip

Provincial Referendum continued

The Quebec Question– separation/sovereignty

• 1980 – question vague, 60% not to separate

• 1995 – better question 50.58% no, 49.42% yes

– Video clip

Election ResultsPredictions