Canadian Politics

A14(a) - Identity and Self-Presentation in Canadian Elections

Date: Jun 13 | Time: 03:30pm to 05:00pm | Location: 680 Sherbrooke St. West 361

Chair/Président/Présidente : Tamara Small (University of Guelph)

Discussant/Commentateur/Commentatrice : Tamara Small (University of Guelph)

Indigenous Political Empowerment in Provincial Elections: An Analysis of the Affinity Model of Engagement and Voting across Canada: Karen Bird (McMaster University), Nicholas Hinsperger (McMaster University)
Abstract: The proposed paper examines Indigenous voting behavior in recent provincial elections across Canada. Measuring Indigenous voter behaviour in provincial or federal elections is inherently problematic, as many Indigenous people resist such involvement, viewing it as an indirect acknowledgment of settler-colonial authority over their lands and communities. However, it is evident that a significant number of Indigenous people do participate in elections, and the growing presence of Indigenous candidates in the political arena signals a shifting landscape. For instance, the historic election of Wab Kinew as Manitoba's (and Canada’s) first-ever First Nations premier in October 2023 underscores the potential for provinces to become crucial platforms for Indigenous voter empowerment. Our paper aims to make several substantial contributions to understanding Indigenous political engagement in the context of provincial elections. First, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the representation of Indigenous candidates and elected members across 10 provincial legislatures. Our methodology relies on a web-based analysis of candidate self-disclosure and well-informed observer accounts for the past two elections in each province. Second, replicating work by Dabin et al. (2018) on federal elections, we conduct a comparative analysis of Indigenous voter turnout in provincial elections, drawing on an original dataset that matches aggregate turnout data with census tract information on Indigenous population share. Third, we test the affinity-engagement hypothesis that Indigenous turnout in provincial elections is linked to the presence of Indigenous candidates. Lastly, we use our dataset to examine the affinity-voting hypothesis, which suggests that political parties fielding Indigenous candidate should receive a higher share of vote in Indigenous constituencies, compared to parties that do not. In sum, this paper aspires to provide better understanding of Indigenous political engagement in provincial elections across Canada. Our findings will contribute valuable insights to the ongoing discourse surrounding Indigenous rights, representation, and participation in the electoral process, and advance the pursuit of a more inclusive and equitable political landscape.

Won’t Be Silenced: Identity in the Campaign Communications of Indigenous Candidates in the 2021 Canadian Election: Angelia Wagner (University of Alberta), Mireille Lalancette (Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières), Joanna Everitt (University of New Brunswick), Karen Bird (McMaster University)
Abstract: Notions of the ideal politician as a white, heterosexual man are deeply entrenched in Canadian politics. Racialized politicians are thus careful about discussing their race or race-related issues in their campaign communications to avoid negative media and voter assessments (Lalancette et al. 2023; Wagner et al., 2023). But the rise of Indigenous nationalism in the late 1960s and subsequent movements such as Idle No More raises questions about whether Indigenous candidates are equally reluctant to discuss identity on the campaign trail. Identity has long been central to Indigenous activism, with considerable efforts placed on cultural and linguistic resurgence. A growing number of Indigenous candidates are also seeking federal office, yet little is known about the political communication strategies of these candidates. This paper addresses this gap by asking the following question: How and why do Indigenous candidates deploy identity in their campaign communications? To answer this question, we conducted a discourse analysis of the Twitter and Instagram accounts of select Indigenous candidates during the 2021 Canadian election. We also draw upon interviews with six Indigenous candidates about their communication strategies. Preliminary findings indicate that Indigenous candidates avidly deployed Indigenous imagery, issues, and languages when addressing voters on social media. This behaviour is in contrast to other minority politicians in Canada, who tend to downplay their racial identities on Twitter and in online biographies. An analysis of the interview data is expected to determine why Indigenous candidates feel more comfortable in highlighting their identity during the campaign.

Representational Repertoires: Descriptive, Symbolic, and Substantive Representation Among Black Canadian Parliamentarians: Erin Tolley (Carleton University)
Abstract: Much of the scholarship on diversity in politics centres around Hanna Pitkin’s (1967) distinction between the descriptive, substantive, and symbolic dimensions of representation. Descriptive representation captures the demographic composition of elected institutions and “who governs.” Substantive representation focuses on integration of group interests in policymaking and policy outcomes, while symbolic representation captures the potentially transformative effect of more diverse legislatures on attitudes toward historically underrepresented groups. There has been considerable research on the link between these forms of representation in other contexts (e.g., Lowande et al. 2019; Sobolewska et al. 2018; Wallace 2014), but Canadian research has tended to focus primarily on descriptive representation. To the extent that substantive representation has been analyzed in Canadian politics, this work has tended to look at women (e.g., Rayment and McCallion 2023; Tremblay 1998, 2007; Tremblay and Pelletier 2000; Trimble 2006). Very little looks at the representation of racialized Canadians and even less on specific racialized groups (although for exceptions, see Bird 2010; Kwak 2018). As part of a larger project on the experiences of Black Canadians in politics, this paper contributes to this literature through an analysis of parliamentary speeches by Black Canadian Members of Parliament and Senators. Developing the concept of a “representational repertoire,” the papers sheds light on the institutional, ideological, geographic, and group-specific factors that shape descriptive, symbolic, and substantive representation. In doing so, it provides a deeper understanding of the opportunities and constraints that Black Canadians confront in their representational work.

What affects trust in voting online? Evidence from Ontario, Canada: Nicole Goodman (Brock University), Holly Ann Garnett (Royal Military College)
Abstract: In this article we evaluate voter trust in traditional paper ballots and convenience voting methods (telephone, mail) with a specific focus on the most contentious of digital voting modes – online voting (Hall, 2015). We draw upon two unique data sets of voters in Ontario, Canada – a representative sample of eligible electors and an exit survey of online voters in the 2022 Ontario municipal elections – to explore possible covariates of trust in online voting and other voting modes. We then further probe voter trust in online voting by examining whether knowledge about different system variations, and the security they offer, influences voter attitudes and trust. We hypothesize that one way to counter distrust in voting technologies is to use versions that offer greater security and to make the public aware of these features. We consider voter perceptions of several aspects of online voting systems with a specific focus on verifiability, which is regarded as the leading mechanism to check and ensure that election outcomes are correct (Benaloh et al., 2014).