Jon Pammett – författare

In this compelling, clear-eyed analysis Jon Pammett and Christopher Dornan bring together Canada’s leading political scientists, pollsters, and journalists to investigate the surprising federal election that upended everyone’s expectations.First looking at how political parties ran their campaigns – examining strategy and tactics, candidate selection, advertising, and responses to key campaign moments – The Canadian Federal Election of 2025 then widens the lens to offer an extensive account of media coverage and public opinion polling. Among the book’s distinctive features is an appraisal of the external influences and disinformation efforts targeting Canadian elections generally, along with an assessment of the changes to electoral rules and legislation that have occurred over the past decade. Rich survey data also sheds light on public attitudes and voting behaviour, the forces that in many ways shaped the election’s outcome. In lucid, accessible prose, contributors place the campaign in its broader political context while assessing the role of media and polling during the campaign, taking pains to consider what the results might mean for future elections.A timely and essential read for anyone looking to make sense of a unexpected moment in Canadian history, this authoritative guide offers audiences a front-row view of Canadian politics.

Absent Mandate develops the crucial concept of policy mandates, distinguished from other interpretations of election outcomes, and addresses the disconnect between election issues and government actions. Emphasizing Canadian federal elections between 1993 and 2015, the book examines the Chretien/Martin, Harper, and Trudeau governments and the campaigns that brought them to power. Using data from the Canadian Election Studies and other major surveys, Absent Mandate documents the longstanding volatility in Canadian voting behaviour. The failure of elections to provide genuine policy mandates stimulates public discontent with the political process and widens the gap between the promise and the performance of Canadian democracy.