In this episode, Elizabeth talks to Mike Pal, a law professor at the University of Ottawa, about election laws in Canada. Elizabeth and Mike discuss the laws and institutions that govern elections in Canada, including the Canada Elections Act and Elections Canada. They discuss threats to election integrity and security posed by new technologies in an age of democratic decline. Elizabeth and Mike also delve into the threat of foreign interference, voter privacy in big data elections, and a changing media environment prone to misinformation and disinformation. They close out by talking about artificial intelligence (AI), specifically its potential to transform our electoral landscape and how we should best prepare to ensure our laws and institutions continue to bolster public trust in our democracy.

Additional Resources

• Throughout the episode, Mike and Elizabeth reference the Canada Elections Act to understand part of Canada’s legal regime around election integrity and security.
• Mike cites the American Bush v. Gore, 531 U.S. 98 (2000) case as an example of the importance of election laws as a way for citizens to exercise their political rights.
• Elizabeth discusses the need to begin mapping out the role of technology in election security laws in Canada, including potential threats to elections and how election laws might then be updated or changed. For more information, consult: Election Integrity and Security.
• To listen to our episode on Foreign Interference at the Nomination Level, consult: Season 7 Episode 4 - Foreign Interference at the Nomination Level with Conner Coles.
• Mike mentions how there are privacy rules of various kinds, but political parties federally are an exception, to learn more consult: Guidance for federal political parties on protecting personal information.
• To listen to episodes from our season on political influencers, consult: Season 6 of the Wonks and War Rooms podcast.
• Elizabeth and Mike also reference the Elections Modernization Act to understand the importance of updating laws to protect election integrity and security.
• Mike mentions the ‘Big Lie”; the idea of claiming without justification or without evidence that the electoral system is rigged on one side or the other.
  
  Contributors

Host: Elizabeth Dubois
Research Lead: Michelle Rodrigues
Transcript: Michelle Rodrigues
Audio Editing: Ayman Naciri
Translation: Els Thant & Helena Legault
Publishing and Promotion: Helena Legault & Michelle Bartleman
Producer: Michelle Hennessey

Check out www.polcommtech.ca for annotated transcripts of this episode in English and French.

In this episode, Elizabeth talks to Nick Taylor-Vaisey, a journalist for Politico who works on the Ottawa Playbook, a free daily morning newsletter decoding Canadian politics. Nick and Elizabeth discuss the role of newsletters in curating information in a high-choice media environment and the way journalism has adapted to becoming digital. They discuss newsletters as a form of political information sharing and how this type of media can facilitate a direct relationship between author and reader. Elizabeth and Nick close out the show by chatting about the different reasons that individuals might subscribe to a political newsletter, the role of news aggregators in curating information, and what it's like to work in the Ottawa “fishbowl”.

Additional Resources:

• To learn more about the high-choice media environment, check out Wonks and War Rooms’ first episode: The High-Choice Media Environment with Jane Lytvynenko.
• Nick mentions how newsletters are an old medium that are being updated to stay fresh and trendy. For some background on the history of the newsletter, consult The Newsletter Boom, 300 Years before Substack.
• Nick provides examples of how the unmediated and relational nature of newsletters allows him to cultivate a direct relationship with his subscribers. For an academic perspective on this, consult: Email Newsletters and the Changing Journalist-Audience Relationship.
• Elizabeth and Nick talk about how audiences are increasingly seeking out journalists’ opinions on the news. For an example of this, consult The Rise of the Talking Journalist: Human Voice, Engagement, and Trust in Live Journalism Performance.
• Elizabeth and Nick discuss the parasocial relationship between the author and reader, for more details on parasocial relationships, check out the Wonks and War Rooms episode on Parasocial Relationships with T.X. Watson
• Elizabeth also mentions the blurring of the boundaries between political journalist and political pundit or social media influencer or columnist or opinion writer. For more information about the difference between journalism and punditry, consult the article: Are pundits journalists?

Contributors

Host: Elizabeth Dubois
Research Lead: Mykenzie Barrera
Transcript: Michelle Rodrigues
Audio Editing: Ayman Naciri
Translation: Els Thant & Helena Legault
Publishing and Promotion: Helena Legault
Producer: Michelle Hennessey

Check out www.polcommtech.ca for annotated transcripts of this episode in English and French.

In this episode, Elizabeth is joined by Conner Coles, a former lobbyist with experience working in and around politics, including during the political party candidate nomination process. Conner walks us through the issue of foreign interference in nomination races , how a lack of federal oversight in these contests exacerbates the problem, and the impact this can have on our democratic systems. Conner and Elizabeth dive into examples of foreign interference through news and government reports and discuss the implications of candidates being responsible for carrying the burden of foreign interference unknowingly. This episode closes with some of Conner’s recommendations for countering foreign interference e at the nomination level.

Additional Resources:

• Conner mentions Michael Chong, A Conservative MP who was targeted by Beijing told a federal inquiry that Canada has become "a playground" for foreign interference.
• Conner also mentions Micheal Chong’s testimony before the Foreign Interference Commission where Chong emphasized the need for more transparency.
• Conner and Elizabeth also discuss the 2019 case concerning former MPP Han Dong who won the Don Valley North riding despite misleading newsletters targeting Chinese-speaking residents.
• Elizabeth mentions recent reports on foreign interference in Canadian elections, including:
  • The NSICOP Special Report on Foreign Interference in Canada’s Democratic Processes and Institutions
  • The Initial Report of the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions, and
  • The First Report of the Independent Special Rapporteur on Foreign Interference.
• Elizabeth and Conner also mention how foreign interference Is targeting diaspora Communities in Canada, including by threatening their families back home, particularly in countries like China, India, and Iran.
• As an example of one tool to improve Canada’s ability to counter foreign influence, Conner notes Bill C-377 (44-1), which, if passed, would formalize the process for parliamentarians to request a security clearance from the Government of Canada.

Check out www.polcommtech.ca for annotated transcripts of this episode in English and French.