The Writ

This week on The Writ podcast:In the news* Nova Scotia goes to the polls on August 17.* The immediate threats to Annamie Paul’s Green Party leadership are dropped.* Mark Carney isn’t running.Polls of the week* Angus Reid Institute: No Liberal landslide here.* Nanos Research: Trudeau hits 40% on Best PM.Questions and answers* What are the Conservatives’ prospects in Quebec?* What explains the divergences in the polls?#EveryElectionProject* The 1928 British Columbia provincial election.* Sources: British Columbia’s Premiers in Profile: The good, the bad and the transient by William Rayner, Duff Pattulo of British Columbia by Robin Fisher, The Canadian Annual Review of Public Affairs, 1927-28 and election-atlas.ca by J.P. Kirby.If you have any questions you’d like me to answer in next week’s episode, leave a comment below, tweet me or send me an email. Thanks for listening! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thewrit.ca/subscribe

This week on The Writ podcast, with special guest Philippe J. Fournier of 338Canada:In the news* Justin Trudeau heads to Western Canada, announcing funding for transit in Calgary and child care in British Columbia.* Erin O’Toole pitches an equalization rebate to Albertans.* Jody Wilson-Raybould announces she will not run for re-election.* The Green Party saga continues.Polls of the week* Abacus Data: What you really think about the federal leaders.* Nanos Research: O’Toole falls to third on Best Prime Minister.Questions and answers* Which party do the Liberals need to go through to win a majority?* What are the prospects for the New Democrats?* Do provincial politics have an influence on federal elections?#EveryElectionProject* The 1921 Alberta provincial election.* Sources: John E. Brownlee: A Biography by Franklin Foster, Alberta Premiers of the Twentieth Century edited by Bradford J. Rennie, The Progressive Party in Canada by W.L. Morton and election-atlas.ca by J.P. Kirby.If you have any questions you’d like me to answer in next week’s episode, leave a comment below, tweet me or send me an email. Thanks for listening! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thewrit.ca/subscribe

This week on The Writ podcast:In the news* Election speculation continues with campaign-style announcements and a new Governor General.* Will Nova Scotia beat the feds to the election punch?Polls of the week* Ipsos/Global News: Liberals lead by 12 points.* Abacus Data: Liberals also lead by 12 points.* EKOS Research: Liberals ahead by nine points.* Nanos Research: Liberals ahead by 14 points, according to David Akin.* Léger/Canadian Press: Wait, Liberals ahead by only three points?Questions and answers* How are the Greens’ chances looking?* Does the perception of leaders have an impact on party support?* Could the Conservatives split up, again?#EveryElectionProject* The 1974 Canadian federal election* Sources: Dynasties and Interludes: Past and Present in Canadian Politics by Lawrence Leduc and Jon H. Pammett and election-atlas.ca by J.P. KirbyIf you have any questions you’d like me to answer in next week’s episode, leave a comment below, tweet me or send me an email. Thanks for listening! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thewrit.ca/subscribe

This week on The Writ podcast:In the news* Election speculation, and whether the Liberals might want to go much sooner than later* The impact of retiring incumbent MPs in Atlantic Canada* Claire Samson crosses the floor from the Coalition Avenir Québec to … the Quebec Conservatives?Polls of the week* Abacus Data: Liberals open a 10-point lead over the Conservatives* Innovative Research Group: Liberals lead in decisive seat clusters* Insights West: B.C. NDP down but hold solid lead over B.C. LiberalsQuestions and answers* Which incumbents are in most danger of being defeated?* Whither the Maverick Party?#EveryElectionProject* The 1960 provincial election in New Brunswick* Source: The Right Fight: Bernard Lord and the Conservative Dilemma by Jacques PoitrasIf you have any questions you’d like me to answer in next week’s episode, leave a comment below, tweet me or send me an email. Thanks for listening! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thewrit.ca/subscribe

I can’t tell you how many times people stopped me in the street to tell me how much they loved The Pollcast podcast and, after it met its end following the 2019 federal election, how much they missed it.It might not have had the biggest audience, but it had an enthusiastic audience.So, I’m happy to announce that The Writ podcast has now launched! The podcast will be familiar to listeners of The Pollcast, but it will be a little different, too. Every week, I’m going to discuss a few of the hot button issues in electoral politics, highlight the latest polls, answer your questions and take a trip down memory lane to talk about the history of Canada’s elections.I’ll also periodically have some guests on the show to either join-in on the discussion or delve more deeply into a particular region or topic.The podcast will be freely available to everyone on their favourite podcasting platforms, though subscribers will get exclusive access to bonus episodes during election campaigns, or when I have an urgent need for an emergency podcast — you never know when you need to record an emergency podcast.You’ll be able to find The Writ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and probably lots of other places, too. If it isn’t on your preferred platform, let me know (and if it isn’t there yet, check back soon!). Please subscribe, follow, share, like and rate!Also — every week, I’m hoping to answer listener questions. So, leave a question in the comment section below, tweet at me or send me an email. I’ll answer a couple of them in next week’s first full official episode of The Writ!Finally, thanks go to my good friend Jamie Grondin for writing and recording the original theme music for the podcast. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thewrit.ca/subscribe