A Canadian E-lection 2008? New Media and Political Competition

Abstract

The results of the research are an informative study of the specific use of new media in the Canadian national election of 2008 and provide comparative data for other national and provincial studies. This election may prove to be a transitional year for the use of new media in Canadian federal election campaigns as, with the exception of the Greens, the major nation wide parties - Conservatives, Liberals, and New Democratic Party - viewed and incorporated new media as an integrated part of their overall campaign strategy. Fundraising online proved to be a very important part of the process. The use of new media reflected a structural bias with those parties having more resources utilizing them more extensively.