The Canadian Federal Election of 2021

A group of distinguished political scientists and journalists reveals the significance of the 2021 federal election, providing an account of Canadian democracy in an age of increasing rancour and polarization, explaining why the Liberals did not win a majority government, and offering important lessons for the present, and for the election to come.

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Media pundits and students of Canadian politics alike have strived to interpret the relevance of the 2021 federal election, held in the midst of a global pandemic and reinforcing the existing parliamentary balance of power.

This timely volume explains the election's import, offering an insightful account of Canadian democracy in an age of increasing rancour and polarization and explaining why the Liberals did not win a majority government. In a unique collaboration, some of the country’s most distinguished political scientists, pollsters, and journalists examine the parties, issues, machinery, and media of Canadian electoral politics, teasing out the complexities and nuances of what was seen to be a premature federal election. The Canadian Federal Election of 2021 analyzes the campaigns of the major parties and the patterns of voting behaviour. A special feature of this book is its focus on issues of diversity and difference in the partisan theatre – the voting patterns of gendered, Indigenous, and newly immigrant Canadians, as well as the millennial generation. These chapters offer important lessons for the present and for the election to come.

A must-read for students, journalists, those working at affiliated think tanks and institutes, and engaged citizens, this thoughtful exposé will interest international observers and anyone following the Canadian political landscape.