Political Behaviour/Sociology

F13(b) - Panel 2 of the Biennial Workshop on Elections, Parties, and Public Opinion in Québec Politics (2nd edition) - Comparing Quebec within Canada

Date: Jun 13 | Time: 01:45pm to 03:15pm | Location: UQAM, Pavillon Hubert-Aquin, 400 Ste-Catherine E., classroom/local A-5020

Chair/Président/Présidente : Alexandre Rivard (Simon Fraser University)

Discussant/Commentateur/Commentatrice : Catherine Ouellet (Université de Montréal)

Biennial Workshop on Elections, Parties, and Public Opinion in Québec Politics (2nd edition) Workshop proposal for the 2024 CPSA Annual Meeting, Montréal (McGill) Political Behaviour/Sociology section. In the first edition of this biannual workshop (before the 2022 Quebec election), Québec politics seemed to be at a crossroad and a possible partisan realignment. In some ways, the 2022 Quebec election confirmed the electoral realignment and provided some answers to students of territorial politics, political behaviour and public opinion. However, it also generated more questions. The Parti liberal du Québec keeps receiving its worst approval rates even when scholars believe that they have reached a floor. Why is that the case? Is the party’s presence at the east of Montreal’s Island bound to disappear? Schisms within the independence movement and lack of strategic coordination seem to hurt “sovereigntist-left parties.” Is the clash between elected representatives of Québec Solidaire and the Parti Québécois really that important? If so, can we quantify it and get a better sense of which issues are subject to this clash? The Coalition Avenir Québec starts showing some signs of “usure du pouvoir” but remains the clear favourite option. The party has clearly “stolen” the issue ownership of the economy which historically belonged to the PLQ. Can it maintain this ownership despite the economic hardship? If not, which party would benefit from the economic situation and which economic policies are best aligned with citizens’ public opinion? More generally speaking, what account for the changes observed in the past decade, which has seen three different parties being in government? How ‘old parties’ (may) adapt to the challenges? Are new social and political issues replacing established ideological dimensions? If so, where do citizens stand and which parties score highest on which cleavages? How comparative research considering other substate nations (e.g., Scotland and Catalonia) or Canadian provinces help us make sense of those transformations? The workshop welcomes paper proposals that aim to improve our understanding of Québec politics by addressing issues related to elections, parties, and public opinion. In particular, the following topics would nicely fit within the scope of the workshop: • Analyses of electoral behaviour (voter turnout, vote choice) and other forms of political participation (online activism, demonstrations, etc.) in Québec politics. • The state of public opinion on national/regional identities, independence, federalism, and similar questions. • Party systems and partisan realignment in Québec. • Legislative behaviour in the Quebec National Assembly. • Party strategies. • Comparison of Québec with other substate nations or Canadian provinces on the preceding topics. As for all congress activities, the workshop is bilingual (i.e. it will take place in both official languages). We strongly encourage participants to submit proposals in French. All discussants will be bilingual and will be able to read and provide comments for both English and French submissions. Please note that discussions and Q&As will take place both in French and in English during the workshop. Jean-François Daoust (Université de Sherbrooke) Evelyne Brie (Western University) Alex Rivard (Simon Fraser University) PANEL 1 : Minorities in Quebec Politics PANEL 2 : Comparing Quebec within Canada PANEL 3 : Elections, public opinion and parties in Quebec politics,

Class Background and Candidate Identities: Comparing Ontario and Québec: Daniel Westlake (University of Saskatchewan), Jacob Robbins-Kanter (Bishop’s University)
Abstract: Local candidates seeking to run a personalized campaign (e.g. Cross et al. 2020) and build affinity with target voters may highlight particular aspects of their identities in campaign communications. One such aspect that candidates may choose to reference is their class background, for example, by describing themselves as middle- or working-class. Candidates also frequently mention their educational background or occupation to provide more subtle cues to voters and indicate a shared status, interests, or values. This paper compares the presentation of class identity among political candidates in recent Ontario and Québec elections. The two provinces offer an opportunity to compare how key variables such as party affiliation, riding demographics, and other factors including union density, affect candidate self-presentation. We code a collection of candidate biographies from 2022 local campaign websites collected in order to examine how class background is referenced by major party candidates. We further compare biographical information with data on candidate characteristics sourced from news reports and social media. This allows us to determine which elements of class identity Ontario and Quebec candidates choose to highlight, downplay, or embellish in their campaign biographies

Histoires nationales : Une analyse textuelle des programmes d'enseignement de l'histoire dans les provinces canadiennes: Evelyne Brie (Western University), Gabriel Jarvis (UQAM)
Abstract: La formation historique scolaire joue un rôle essentiel dans la formation des identités individuelles. Cet article examine les narratifs historiques provinciaux au Canada comme vecteurs d’influence de la conscience collective et des relations entre les groupes. Les données textuelles mobilisées proviennent de l’ensemble des programmes d'histoire canadiens pré-universitaires implémentés par les gouvernements provinciaux en 2023 (n=70 433 mots). À l'aide de méthodes d'analyse textuelle, nous examinons les différences interprovinciales dans l'importance et le contenu sémantique associés aux périodes et aux événements historiques au sein des provinces. Les résultats suggèrent que, dans l'ensemble, les programmes d'études mettent l'accent de façon disproportionnée sur les événements entourant l'autonomisation du Canada (1867-1931), et accordent peu d'intérêt à la période précédant la conquête britannique de l'Amérique du Nord (surtout à l'extérieur du Québec). De plus, les programmes scolaires mettent en évidence les contributions des Premières nations et des immigrants au Canada dans des proportions beaucoup plus importantes, et avec un vocabulaire sémantique plus positif, que les contributions des femmes et des francophones. D'importantes variations sont observables entre les provinces, avec la proximité géographique des événements étant positivement corrélée avec leur importance relative dans la formation historique. Dans l'ensemble, ces résultats suggèrent que les différences significatives dans la formation historique observées entre les provinces reflètent - et renforcent potentiellement - les tensions régionales au pays.

Talking Politics: Language, Identity, and Candidate Assessment in Quebec and Canadian Politics: Gabrielle Péloquin-Skulski (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Alejandro Flores (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Joseph R. Loffredo (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Samuel Baltz (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Abstract: In the dynamic landscape of Canadian and Quebec politics, language is an important political and social cleavage. Prior research suggests meaningful differences in the views of Canadian anglophones and francophones on the economy, national identity, immigration and culture (Brie and Ouellet 2020; Dassonneville, Fréchet and Liang 2023; Gidengil et al. 2012). Given these cleavages and Canada’s rich linguistic diversity, language proficiency is believed to be critical in citizens’ evaluations of politicians and their voting preferences, significantly impacting party leadership selections and campaign strategies. However, there remain important gaps in the study of electoral politics in Canada: to what extent do Canadian voters prioritize language proficiency relative to other attributes in evaluating political candidates? And how do linguistic and regional factors influence the impact of language in candidate assessments? Drawing on social identity theory—which posits that self-categorizations play a fundamental role in social relations—we delve into how linguistic proficiencies function as core attitudinal guides, influencing perceptions of group membership and the boundaries that distinguish communities. We use vignette and conjoint experimental designs to assess how a candidate’s ability to speak French, English or both official languages influence evaluations of potential Members of Parliament in Québec and the rest of Canada. Our research sheds light on the intricate interplay between language and regional context in Canadian politics, but also enriches our understanding of how individuals’ social identity influences their preferences and expectations in the realm of politics.

La marque libérale mise à mal : regards croisés sur le Québec et les provinces de l’Ouest: Félix Mathieu (University of Winnipeg)
Abstract: Si la marque libérale performe toujours relativement bien sur la scène fédérale, elle est de plus en plus mise à mal dans plusieurs arènes provinciales : c’est assurément le cas dans les provinces de l’Ouest canadien (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta et Colombie-Britannique), et ce l’est aussi, dans une moindre mesure, au Québec. Même si le contexte varie d’une province à l’autre, les formations libérales semblent avoir de la difficulté à s’affirmer au sein de la joute partisane où elles s’inscrivent, prises entre des formations qu’on reconnaît plus facilement à leur droite ainsi qu’à leur gauche de l’échiquier politique. Dans cette communication, je vais d’abord m’intéresser à ce phénomène dans son ensemble, puis je mettrai l’accent sur le cas québécois, où le Comité de consultation et de réflexion sur la relance du Parti libéral du Québec a récemment publié le document S’affirmer, rassembler, prospérer. Un projet libéral pour tous les Québécois. Il s’agira, d’une part, d’interpréter l’évolution de la vision du PLQ en matière de fédéralisme dans le sillage des autres politiques constitutionnelles qu’il s’est données depuis le référendum de 1995, puis de réfléchir au potentiel comme aux limites de ce discours pour redynamiser la marque libérale.