Tag Archives: 2019 Federal Election

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Newly elected Liberal MP Marie-France Lalonde aims to unite the French and English communities in Orléans

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Orléans looks to a bilingual future, with the newest Liberal MP bringing plans to integrate the French and English people in the riding. Marie-France Lalonde, the MP elected for the Orléans riding, believes that being bilingual is imperative in this area. At a Starbucks in the newly constructed Trim Road area in Orléans, Lalonde appears to be in her element. After almost 20 years in Orléans after moving from Gatineau, she’s very focused on keeping in touch with her community and ensuring a blend of French and English cultures in her riding.

According to an analysis of Statistics Canada’s 2016 census, Orléans has the third highest Francophone population and the second highest English and French speakers in Ottawa. Lalonde points this towards the high number of government workers in the area who are required to be bilingual. The high level of bilingual officials, along with the high post-secondary graduation rate, makes Orléans one of the highest income ridings in Ottawa.

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As a newly elected official, taking over from the previous Liberal winner Andrew Leslie, Lalonde was surprised with the amount of support she received from the community. “I didn’t know I was going to win until after it was over,” she chuckles. She says her main excitement is getting more involved in a community she loves, which is visible from her bubbly conversation with the barista as she orders her coffee.

Lalonde was concerned a Conservative win in her area would result in cuts to education, primarily French education in the area. As former Minister of Francophone affairs, she had been very involved in Francophone rights and education, including supporting the creation of the Université de l’Ontario Français. “It’ll be the first of its kind, a governance for only Francophones.”

The university was proposed and started in 2017. Jason Luckerhoff, the vice-president of program and research development for the university, says that a full range of programs will become available in September of 2021, including law and political science courses. Luckerhoff says that the creation of a French-only university is not a new ask from the Ontario community. “People have been working on that project for the past 40 years. We want at least one governance to be in French, offering only programs in French.”

The federal Liberal government has promised to promote minority-language rights and bilingualism investing $60 million to build cultural centres and infrastructure that support minority-language communities. As part of this, the federal government has also promised to take over funding for a new campus for the sole Francophone university in Ontario. Lalonde states that it was the federal government that convinced the Ontario government to revisit the funding after they cut the university earlier this year. “The federal Liberal government came to the table and reached out to the Ford government, saying “Hey don’t make this harsh decision, let’s sit down and let’s talk.””

Interview with Marie-France Lalonde

In order to further integrate the English and French communities in Orléans, Lalonde is discussing rebuilding a French cultural centre to have a hub for the Francophones in her riding. “This will help the cultural Francophonie, the school boards that are offering French classes.” She also plans to work with the English community, especially seniors in her area, to ensure that they are receiving the same benefits as the Francophone population.

“We do have a friend as a government, and I’m so happy to join them in bringing that voice for Ontario and for Orléans.”

Catherine McKenna achieves overwhelming victory in Ottawa Centre riding

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Catherine McKenna re-election poster. Photo © Matthew Guida

Following the 2019 federal election on October 21, members of the Ottawa Centre riding voted to re-elect Liberal party candidate Catherine McKenna, the first female member of Parliament for Ottawa Centre and the former Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

According to the 2016 Census Data, Ottawa Centre has a population of over 118,000 people. In the recent election, validated results show that in total over 79,000 people voted in Ottawa Centre. McKenna won with an overwhelming 48.7 per cent of the vote followed by New Democratic Party candidate Emilie Taman in second place with over 29 per cent and Conservative candidate Carole Clemenhagan in third with 12. 6 per cent.

Disclaimer: Click on the double arrows for more detailed information about the map.

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Source: Statistics Canada

 

Stéphanie Plante having lunch at the vegetarian restaurant Selfmade in Sandy Hill. Photo © Matthew Guida.

“She led a very good campaign”, said Stéphanie Plante, the executive director of the International Commission of Jurists Canada, who specializes in elections and electoral processes. “She is an excellent member of parliament. They sent her throughout the election to go fundraise in other ridings and help other candidates.”

Known for her involvement in addressing issues on the environment and climate change, McKenna received overwhelming support from both volunteers and her community during the election.

“Just her name recognition and her popularity were able to catapult her in this riding,” said Plante.

In response to McKenna’s victory, the Liberal riding chair Karin McNair confirmed in a written statement that  “it is immensely satisfying to know Ottawa Centre will be represented for a second term by an MP who works extremely hard to keeps her promises and delivers for the riding, including Carleton university and students.”

For the past four years, McKenna has fulfilled several promises she made during her tenure in the Ottawa Centre riding. These include acquiring funding for a new central library, building the Flora Footbridge, providing clean transit in phase two of the Light Rail Transit project, as well as securing more summer jobs for students.

During her time as the Minister for Environment and Climate Change, she worked diligently to lead national efforts to expand awareness, introduce new initiatives and promote innovations in clean technology sectors, as well as provide more jobs for middle-class Canadians in the process. Despite her noble intentions, her efforts have incurred the wrath of several people. Some have even gone so far as to harass her with both verbal insults and even threats.

Despite these incidents, the recent election showed that not only does McKenna have support from the majority of Ottawa Centre, the number of her supporters has also increased. In the 2015 federal election, she received over 32,000 votes compared to the 38,000 on October 21.

Penny Collenette, an adjunct professor with Ottawa University’s Faculty of Law, as well as a former Liberal candidate for Ottawa Centre in 2008, said that McKenna has gone above and beyond since she was first elected in 2015. “She has done so much for the riding as a constituency person, while also representing Canada on the international stage and that is not an easy thing to do when you are a first-time member.”

While voter turnout in Ottawa exceeded the national average, Ottawa Centre fell short of the 82 per cent voter turnout it achieved in 2015 – the highest in the country at the time – with only 76.2 per cent in 2019. On the other hand, preliminary estimates from Elections Canada show that Ottawa Centre was the third-highest riding in Ottawa in terms of local voter turnout at advance polls with nearly 23,000 votes.

During her victory speech, McKenna said that she is “humbled” that the residents of Ottawa Centre have chosen to once more trust her as a member of Parliament.

“It’s been a tough campaign for Ottawa Centre. It’s also been a tough campaign for the entire country. I think one of the lessons that is emerging from today’s results, is the need for a more positive political culture in our country.”

On November 20, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the members of Cabinet to which he appointed McKenna as the new Minister of Infrastructure and Communities.

Targeted Facebook Ads and Youth

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The federal Liberal and New Democratic Party (NDP) targeted young voters on Facebook at a higher percentage compared to the Conservatives, according to an analysis of data from the social media platform’s ads library.

Jagmeet Singh, the leader of the Canada’s New Democratic Party (NDP), had the highest percentage of targeted ads for youth Facebook users at 13.5 per cent, followed by Justin Trudeau, the leader of the Liberal party, who had 6.4 per cent. Andrew Sheer, the leader of the Conservative party, had just 5.9 per cent.

The data analyzed covered users from the ages of 18 to 24.

According to Acabus data, people between ages 18 to 38 have the power to swing this year’s elections since they make up 37 per cent of the electorate – citizens eligible to vote.

In the 2015 election, voters from ages 18 to 24, had the lowest voter turnout segment with 57.1 per cent according to Elections Canada’s website. Voters from 25 to 34-years-old were the second lowest with 57.4 per cent.

Samantha Reush, the research and evaluations manager at Apathy is Boring, – a non-partisan, youth-led organization aiming to encourage youth to actively participate in Canada’s democracy, – said the hypothesis of first-time voters not turning up for their first elections – yet participating in their second one – is unlikely.

“If you don’t vote in your first two elections, it is not likely a habit you will pick up eventually,” said Reush.

She said if young people stop voting and voter turnout keeps decreasing, “we are going to end up in a position where we have a small percentage of the population deciding the outcome of the elections on behalf of the country.”

“It could erode out our democracy,” she added.

When talking about the targeted ads towards youth Facebook users, Reush said she was surprised to hear party leaders were targeting youth at such a low percent.

“I’m surprised is that low,” Reush said.

But not everyone shares the same sentiment regarding the low percentage on the infamous social media platform.

Ramona Pringle, director of Transmedia Zone and associate professor at Ryerson University, said she was not surprised to see that party leaders are not targeting youth with Facebook ads.

“Facebook is not a helpful platform for them to reach a younger demographic,” she said.   “Facebook has a reputation for attracting older and older users now, maybe that’s why they are doing it.”

However, she added that social media is crucial when it comes to advertisements.

“I think social media is huge in terms of elections,” Pringle said.

Pringle said she believes parties will be targeting different demographics at different points of the elections based on strategy.

“I think the responsibility – and what we hope for in a leader – is someone who is addressing everybody,” she said.

The targeted ads not only varied in percentage but also in content.

Ads by NDP leader, Singh, focused on things such as “Lower Cell Phone Bills,” and adding a Canadian federal minimum wage. Whereas ads by Liberal Party leader, Trudeau, and Conservative leader, Sheer, focused on promoting the party’s plans, and volunteer opportunities with titles such as “210,000 Canadians + You,” and “Better Together” by the Liberals and “Creating Opportunities for Canadians,” by Conservatives.

Laura French, the Administrator Campaign Manager for the Green Party in Ottawa-Centre, said youth are usually overlooked in elections.

“The youth are often ignored and not taken as serious voters and not taken as serious participants in society,” she said. “If the climate strike says anything – that’s just not true. They very much want to be involved and want to be engaged.”

The Green party in the Ottawa-Centre riding has aimed 8.2 per cent of their Facebook ads towards users between the ages of 18 and 24, while parties such as the Conservatives, the NDP and the Liberals have directed less than 6.4 per cent.

Mental Illness a Major Election Issue as More Millennials Report Poor Mental Health

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The federal election campaign is more than half over, but that hasn’t tipped the scales for Brittany Young, 25, a social work student at Nipissing University. A major factor is weighing on her mind: mental health.

It’s a growing concern among a growing group of voters. Last federal election saw the largest increase in young voters on record. According to an analysis of Statistics Canada’s annual estimates of health characteristics, 58% more 18-35 year-olds reported poor mental health last year, compared to 2015. What’s more, the percentage of 12-17 year-olds reporting the same problem grew by 63%.

However, these numbers take a dramatic turn in older age ranges. There was no increase in the proportion of seniors (age 65+) reporting poor mental health in 2018, versus 2015.

Young was diagnosed with depression and anxiety in 2011. She was 17-years-old, and getting help quickly came with a price she and her family couldn’t pay. She waited months to attend OHIP-covered therapy instead. At one point, she went to her doctor weekly to receive free seven-day sample packs of the medication she needed. “I felt overwhelmed by the world.”

Young, (who remains undecided, but has voted for NDP in the past) said people her age are struggling with stress related to their financial situation, and then can’t afford to access mental health support. She said they’re left trying to schedule their crises around when their paycheques come in or their insurance resets. “It’s a very mandatory need they have and they’re having to budget.”

Brittany Young, 25, hasn’t decided who she’ll vote for yet in the 2019 federal election.

Young said ever since she turned 18 she’s voted in elections at all levels of government. She even makes sure to vote in student elections. “I know that one vote can make a difference.”

She said she also encourages her peers to be politically involved. “Even saying to your friends, ‘I’m going out to vote, do you want to come with me?’ can help breach the barrier, because they might be afraid to go by themselves. ”

This election, she’s been considering the parties’ promises carefully. She said she wants to know what health-related things each party is planning to do.

The NDP’s platform said access to medication shouldn’t depend on your credit card. They’ve also stated, “Mental health care should be available at no cost for people who need it.”

But Young said she’s not sure making services free will address people’s needs. “You need to make sure you have people who can provide it, so people aren’t waiting.” A 2018/2019 report from the Mental Health Commission of Canada concluded that over 12 million Canadians pay for private services or join long waitlists for publicly funded services.

“If you just put everyone in one streamline, that’s going to have a large line-up,” said Young. She said tailored solutions could reduce wait times for the whole community. The Liberals have promised to help veterans access mental health care, and double disability benefits for families with mentally ill children.

The Green party has promised to create a national mental health strategy and prioritize mental health care expansion. Young said she worries a single national strategy won’t play out the same across Canada. “Each province has its own party, and that skews the results.”

In contrast, the People’s Party of Canada has promised in its platform to make provinces and territories “fully responsible for health care funding and management” and remove federal involvement from these decisions. “But what happens if each province, under the PPC, says, ‘Let’s make it municipal?’” asked Young, “Just further pushing the responsibility onto someone else, and dividing the funds more?”

The Conservative platform will not be released until October 11.

Young said she’s not convinced any party will deliver on their promises. She said she wonders if politicians are simply making promises because mental health awareness is a trendy topic. “Are [they] just saying this to appeal to us?” she asked.

“Because I want someone who’s genuine.”

Still, she’s certain some progress has been made. She said since she was in high school attitudes towards both politics and mental illness among young people have changed. “I think we were a lot more quiet about it. We felt like we had such a small voice.”

“For young people today, they feel like their voice counts. I think they’re talking about it a lot, but they’re also trying to get resources, and they’re advocating to get this help now.”

“I think they’re actually trying to make a change for themselves, so they can survive.”

Facebook Advertisements by Major Political Parties About Climate Change Are Being Directed to Primarily Young Females

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Facebook Advertisements by Major Political Parties About Climate Change Are Being Directed to Primarily Young Females 

By: Leanna Trister

More young females are being targeted overall by the major political parties than males with climate change related advertisements on Facebook. Approximately 72 per cent of the distribution of all major parties’ advertisements are aimed at a female audience, while male distribution is about 46 per cent and unknown is two per cent, according to an analysis of Facebook’s Public Ad Library.

“This is the election of climate change” says Jean-Luc Cooke, a Green Party candidate in Nepean. He says that advertisements targeting youth are focusing on how the party plans to make everything okay with minimal change to the economy.

Photo from Twitter @VoteJeanLuc

 

Climate change is a topic that is discussed heavily among all demographics, gathering thousands of people in Ottawa for the global climate strike protest last week. Yet, on Facebook, the messages about the parties’ stances on environmental issues get directed towards young women. “I think they target these groups because, for some reason , they believe that males see climate change concern is effeminate and un-masculine” Cooke says. 

Scott Edward Bennett, a political science professor at Carleton University explains they focus on people in their twenties because of the nature of the issue as well as because of current technology. “The young are more engaged with the environment as a key issue on a consistent basis. So, if the targeting relates primarily to that issue, you target the young.” he says.

Merylee Sevilla, a candidate for the People’s Party says, “It’s important to target younger adults as they are the ones who are often impacted by the policies, the taxes and initiatives of government. It’s about engaging the younger adults into seeing how these policies impact them”. 

Also, the young are more likely to be on Facebook, technology wise, than some other groups, says Bennett. However, it is also true that there are a lot of young people who have moved on to other kinds of social media, but it requires a bit more sophistication to get at them. “The under 25s will be concerned with climate change and the environment,” says Bennett. 

“For the first time in 50 years Baby Boomers are no longer the largest voting demographic. This is a seismic shift in our country’s politics.” says Cooke. As the largest demographic, young people are also being targeted with these advertisements, despite voter turnout from the previous election demonstrating that youth are the demographic who have the biggest difference between eligible voters and those who actually vote. About 29.8 per cent of eligible voters between 25 and 34, did not vote in the last federal election. 

“The parties on the left are kind of hoping that the environment can become a mobilizing device. They might be able to latch on to the current global push for climate change policy that is focused on the young. Not sure how well it will work, but people like a good march or demonstration even if they don’t understand the related issue and its implications” says Bennett. On the other end, the Conservative Party has also acknowledged the threat of climate change with the putting forward “A Real Plan To Protect Our Environment”.

Ultimately, regardless of political stance, climate change seems to be a relevant topic for most voters, but the messages still get directed at young women for various reasons. It could be that caring about the environment could be seen as more feminine, as Cooke proposed, or that there is hope for a higher young voter demographic this upcoming election.