They're not buying

Over the past few days, away from the Ottawa bubble, I've received a couple of glimpses into the disconnect between Canadian voters and the political-message machine. They're worth sharing, I think: 

1. The first was in the parking lot after an all-candidates' debate in Kitchener-Waterloo. This was a highly well-attended event at the huge Research in Motion park  -- standing room only, and many, many questions from the crowd. The Conservative candidate, Peter Braid, got a bit of a rough ride when he tried to sell the message of "unnecessary election" and other talking points from the centre. But then again, he also had supporters in the crowd, who applauded him heartily when he said how hard the Harper government was working. All to say, everyone had supporters and detractors in the room. 

One of the audience members had posed an intriguing question during the debate -- he said MPs are valued for their independent-mindedness, so in that spirit, could all the candidates say what part of their party's platform they don't endorse? Former Liberal MP Andrew Telegdi said he had some problems with his party's support of some law-and-order measures by the Conservatives. The Green Party candidate, Cathy MacLellan, said she was still "working through" some of  the finer points in her party's platform  on genetically modified organisms. Then, when it came time for the NDP candidate to speak up, Bill Brown said sorry, he supported the NDP's platform in its entirety and wouldn't be standing for office if he couldn't. Peter Braid said more or less the same thing. 

So -- back to the parking lot. Two older, white-haired gentlemen were walking to their car. They were saying that Braid had generally done well, but were perplexed and grumpy about his reply to this question. "He should have said he didn't support that prorogation,"  one said to the other. "He could have said that he didn't go along with everything Harper did." Interesting. 

2. The second glimpse comes from a conversation with a young man in his early 20s, finished his undergraduate education and still deciding what to do about graduate studies. He's inclined to support the Liberals, but he's actually a bit annoyed with them for releasing their "learning passport" -- which includes $1,000 annual tuition relief -- in the midst of the election campaign. This young man liked the learning passport, however: "If they really believed in supporting students, they would have announced it long before they were trying to get my vote," he said. 

What we have here is an important insight into the attitudes of voters who are also consumers. It's become standard for all political parties to save their best pieces of the party platform for an election campaign, to make sure they get a major splash, and also to make sure that other parties don't steal the good ideas. We in the political-reporting game know this -- we wait for elections to see platforms in their entirety. 

But Canadians are sophisticated buyers -- and they see campaigns now as raw salesmanship, even hucksterism.  If this young man is typical of his peers, they're bringing a healthy skepticism to the all the advertising razzmatazz of the politicians in the midst of an election. So what looks to us like a big-deal piece of a party platform looks to voters like those "today only, deep-discount" signs that merchants put on end-of-season merchandise. Again, interesting.  

Comments

[b c leonard]

Great article. I am a high-school dropout (albeit a long time ago) but I know what kind of government I want. I vote for a candidate, a representative in parliament. I expect that person (if elected ) will work in cooperation with other elected members to govern the country to the best of their abilities. I want that member to vote as I wish on each issue that comes up as I would have him/her vote. However there are other constituents who have different opinions so the member has to find out what the majority of them want and accept the majority. I may not like it but I accept it.
The same should occur in parliament. A minority group should never be permitted to overrule the majority of MPs No party or group should ever pressure a member to vote according to its dictates. All members are equal and should follow the majority of their constituents wishes.
I would never submit my will to that of another. my MP does not have that option if he is representing his constituents he has to abide by the wishes of the majority constituents, but not submit to any other MP or group of MPs (that is, Party) All voting in parliament should be on singular issues. Grouping things in one bill should be outlawed. Parties are irrelevant.
Individual MPs acting out their constituents wishes do the governing

We should not or cannot have minorities. The governing should be done by the consent of 155+ MPs. That is majority. That is democracy.

[Cathy Payne]

Your point was sure demonstated to me as "the consumer" model instead of a voter. Today I saw a first ad done using a woman stressing over a job (with more payroll tax attached) but thankful for the GST cut recylced and trickled down to the local level in many regions. Using the woman appeal and voice to see Conservatives as the job hero covers the issue that if that lady is pregnant her healthcare will be their public property. And they can distort outcomes for individuals if they want to. But just in Africa.

So the ad message clashes with facts. You buy the product for a job and get your birth control pills thrown in your face whenever you want to talk money. With Status of Women currently a part time job in Canada it worries me that it is a full time job to grow populations where the least resources of life occur. Nobel and stupid at the same time. Cruel too if you really think about it.

I think only Mr Harper and the Pope do this population control thing. America abandoned the policy. Hillary and Barbara Boxer did a talk about it. At least the Pope doesn't offer to find jobs for women. That becomes Mr Harper's problem. If you suspect the unemployed of voting for "a 45 day work year" how on earth do you advertise to them? Conservatives let the ladies use that talking point before they relented and increased EI accessibility.

If the birth control pill dispenser could fire a bullet or mace would the Conservative men reclassify it? There's an ad I'll never see. And I would love to wrong about that.

[johnnyk]

Canadians are smarter than most pols give them credit for. The pols like to think the public doesn't get it but we get it very well, thank you. Simply, we don't like it when your words and actions show you think we are stupid.

[An.]

Dear Kathy, the public does not get it!!! Canadians are in a state of coma! If any modern thinking woman would vote for ideas that went out with high button shoes about women!!! The conservatives are a NEO conservative rt. wing religious rt. that is ravaging politics in North America. IT MAKES ME RUN TO THE JOHN AND GET SICK. Can.s are polling with their ears shut. Why would one vote for a party that is definitely going to cancel pro choice!! You know it as do I I DO NOT WANT TO BE TOLD I AM GOING TO HELL IF I AM NOT BORN AGAIN Religion belongs in the home not in the polling both! Go to church but KEEP OUT OF MY FACE! I am a Christian in the broad sense of the term. My business only. harper has association with Heritage Front--- cousins to the KKK. Everything about him is fascist!!! WAKE up Canada. Mid road is the way to go. Mid road is the way to go. Mid road is the way to go. Mid road is the way to go. The lies and cover up about the cons is a travesty. And yet Can.s are going down the road like Germany in 1930' These cons are not PC they are flat to wall cons and Canadians are DEAF DUMB AND BLIND regarding this man and party!!!

[Cathy Payne]

Thanks Jonny. I don't feel so alone anymore.

[Brindusa]

Hi
You are right: we are all consumers. It is not possible to generalize. Some of us are more cynic than others. I am 62 years old/young and voted since the age of 18 in three countries located in three continents. Guess what : all politicians, with no exception, misrepresent the truth. Therefore, I vote for the party/candidate that aligns itself with my own philosophy.