Chris Selley: CBC's Vote Compass will only get you lost in the wilderness, again
Article content
CBC's Vote Compass is back for the federal election, promising to 'help you explore how your views compare with those of the parties,' and it's just as silly as in its many previous iterations. More than 1.2 million people have taken the survey, the website claims, and I'm sorry to say none will have emerged any better informed than when they started — which some might argue goes against the public broadcaster's basic news mandate. It's not so much torqued toward one party or another as it is incoherent.
Article content
Article content
My favourite question this time around asks Canadians whether they believe 'the federal budget deficit should be reduced, even if it leads to fewer public services.' Strongly agree? Strongly disagree? Somewhere in between?
Article content
Article content
If you're thinking you've never heard a mainstream politician support fewer public services, you are correct. The designers of this survey have simply inferred that cuts to the federal budget would lead to fewer public services. This is evidenced by the documentation provided to justify where the Vote Compass, a CBC co-production with Toronto's Vox Pop Labs, places each party on the agree-or-disagree spectrum.
Article content
'A new Conservative government will bring common sense back to the budget. We'll end waste, cap spending, and review all government spending to demand real results for every tax dollar,' the Conservative platform promises. 'We will shrink the Liberal deficits and eliminate waste by enacting a one-for-one spending law. Any new spending must be offset by reduced or new revenues.'
Article content
You will notice that there's nothing in there about social services. Nevertheless, to Vote Compass, that counts as a 'strongly agree' to the question of cutting budgets even if it impacts social services.
Article content
Perhaps even more absurdly, the Liberals get a 'somewhat agree' to the same question based on the following passage from their party platform: 'A Mark Carney-led government will balance the operating budget in three years, ensuring responsible financial management while making wise, long-term investments to build for Canada's prosperity and future. … We will also adopt a fiscal rule to ensure that government dept-to-GDP declines over the budget horizon.'
Article content
Article content
Two of the 30 questions the compass asks Canadians pertain to transgender rights, which are not even remotely an issue in this election campaign, and which are scarcely mentioned in the two leading parties' platforms.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
28 minutes ago
- CTV News
Carney defends inviting Modi to G7 as probe of Nijjar's killing continues
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives for the ceremonial reception of the visiting Angol's President João Lourenco at the Indian presidential palace in New Delhi, India, Saturday, May 3, 2025.(AP Photo/Manish Swarup) OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney is defending his decision to invite Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the G7 summit later this month — despite the fact that security officials have linked Modi's government to the murder of a Canadian man two years ago. Carney extended the invitation to Modi during a phone call Friday morning and Modi accepted. The summit runs from June 15 to 17 in Kananaskis, Alta. During a Friday afternoon press conference on Parliament Hill, Carney said that the G7 summit will focus on forging partnerships with emerging and developing nations. He said it makes sense to have India at the table because it's one of the world's largest economies and plays a key role in global supply chains. 'Bilaterally, we have now agreed importantly to continued law enforcement dialogue. So there's been some progress on that. That recognizes issues of accountability,' Carney said. 'I extended the invitation to Prime Minister Modi in that context and he has accepted.' 'As vibrant democracies bound by deep people-to-people ties, India and Canada will work together with renewed vigour, guided by mutual respect and shared interests. Look forward to our meeting at the summit,' Modi said in a social media statement. Modi's comment did not mention the 'law enforcement dialogue' cited by Carney. India's ministry of external affairs issued a statement Friday with similar wording to Modi's comment. Both congratulated Carney on his recent electoral victory. The invitation prompted an angry reaction from the World Sikh Organization of Canada, which wrote to Carney in May asking him not to invite Modi. Tensions have been high between Canada and India since then-prime minister Justin Trudeau told the House of Commons in September 2023 that 'agents of the Indian government' had been linked to the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian activist for Sikh separatism shot to death outside a gurdwara in Surrey, B.C., in June 2023. Balpreet Singh, legal counsel and spokesman for the World Sikh Organization of Canada, said Carney's invitation to Modi is a 'betrayal of Canadian values.' 'The summit to which Mr. Modi is being invited falls on the anniversary of the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar two years ago,' he said. 'So for us, this is unacceptable, it's shocking and it's a complete reversal of the principled stand that Prime Minister Trudeau had taken.' At the time of his death, Nijjar was organizing a non-binding referendum in Canada on establishing a Sikh state in Punjab, to be called Khalistan. The Indian government rejected Trudeau's accusation and said Canada was supporting 'Khalistani terrorists.' In May 2024, four Indian nationals were arrested and charged in connection with Nijjar's death. In October 2024, the RCMP said it had evidence linking agents of India's government to homicides and other criminal acts in Canada, including coercion and extortion. Soon after, the federal government announced it had expelled six Indian diplomats and consular officials in relation to what it called 'a targeted campaign against Canadian citizens by agents linked to the Government of India.' In a media statement, Global Affairs Canada said it had asked India to waive diplomatic and consular immunities 'and to co-operate in the investigation,' but India declined. India responded in kind by expelling six diplomats, including Canada's high commissioner. On Oct. 17, 2024, the U.S. Justice Department announced criminal charges against an Indian government employee in connection with an alleged foiled murder-for-hire plot targeting a Sikh separatist leader in New York City. Asked about his decision to invite Modi as unanswered questions remain about Nijjar's death, Carney said that it's never appropriate for a leader to talk about a legal process while it is ongoing. Singh said that the World Sikh Organization wrote Carney a letter on May 21 asking that Modi not be invited to the G7. While India is not a G7 member, the country has been invited to the summit by the host nation every year since 2019. 'We didn't want to make this into a public issue but there was no response. There was no acknowledgment of receipt. But this is, it really boggles the mind,' Singh said. 'How can a country that has engaged in criminal operations in Canada, which is engaged in multiple murders, extortions, receive a red-carpet welcome?' When asked what his message is for people who are worried about Modi's invitation, Carney said the 'rule of law is proceeding as it should in Canada, and I am not going to disrupt that process.' Naresh Raghubeer, a Canada-India relations expert, said that it's important for Carney to attempt to reset the relationship with the Modi government. 'Let policing matters be dealt with at the policing level, and bilateral relationships that transcend those other matters should be dealt with bilaterally. They're more important considerations,' Raghubeer said. 'I think at the end of the day, a relationship with the world's fourth largest economy, the world's most populous nation, a democratic ally that shares our values, is quite important.' Last week, former prime minister Stephen Harper urged Canada to forge a new path with India during a speech at an event in Brampton, Ont. During a press conference, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said 'we need to work with India and other countries on trade and security.' 'So we as Conservatives understand that the invitation is necessary and that we want to see the government work on addressing security issues at the same time as they have when the prime minister has those conversations with the Prime Minster Modi,' Poilievre added. During the final days of the federal election campaign, former NDP leader Jagmeet Singh said that in December 2023 he was put under heavy police protection due to a credible threat to his life. He said the RCMP did not identify a specific source for the threat but the implication was that it originated with a foreign government. NDP national security critic Jenny Kwan and foreign affairs critic Heather McPherson condemned the invitation in a joint statement and said they stand with the Sikh community. 'Canadians expect the government to stand in solidarity with Canadians who have expressed their concerns about the (Bharatiya Janata Party) government's record and human rights violations in India,' said McPherson. 'Some of these Canadians live in fear of threat of reprisal against themselves and their families. Canada must stand on the side of human rights, justice, and accountability not diplomatic expediency.' Kwan said that the government 'must explain how justice and human rights are being upheld through this invitation.' Balpreet Singh said the World Sikh Organization doesn't plan on sending further correspondence to the prime minister about Modi's invitation. 'What's the point? I mean, we sent something out on May 21 and received no response,' he said. 'And clearly, our voices don't matter to him.' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum are among the other non-member world leaders invited to the summit. As of May 28, Sheinbaum had not said whether she would attend. By David Baxter With files from The Associated Press.
Toronto Sun
28 minutes ago
- Toronto Sun
SIMS: CBC set to get more money and power
The CBC building at Front and John Street in Toronto, Sept. 6, 2011. Photo by Alex Urosevic / Toronto Sun file photo Canada's government news organization is set to get fatter and more powerful. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account In the middle of the election campaign, Prime Minister Mark Carney vowed to pay the CBC more money, waving around about $150 million in fresh taxpayer cash. CBC covered that big scoop with a headline calling the CBC 'underfunded.' Think about that scene. Imagine being a CBC employee asking questions at a news conference during the election, with Carney saying that, if he won, the CBC would get more money, while Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said he would defund the CBC. The CBC covered this funding story in the middle of the election. That's a conflict of interest so big it would dwarf Godzilla. Journalists should not be paid by the government and that scene in the election is a perfect illustration of why. In the speech from the throne, the Carney government announced: 'The government is determined to protect the institutions that bring these cultures and this identity to the world, like CBC/Radio-Canada.' Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. To get an idea of what that protection could look like, consider the federal government report delivered on Feb. 20, before the election. Former heritage minister Pascale St-Onge said the government should nearly double the amount of money the CBC gets from taxpayers every year. 'The average funding for public broadcasters in G7 countries is $62 per person, per year,' St-Onge said. 'We need to aim closer to the middle ground, which is $62 per year per person.' If the government funded the CBC that way, the CBC would cost taxpayers about $2.5 billion per year. That amount would cover the annual grocery bill for about 152,854 Canadian families. St-Onge also pushed for the CBC mandate to be expanded to 'fight against disinformation.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'I propose to anchor in CBC-Radio Canada's mandate its role in helping the Canadian population fight against disinformation and understand fact-based information,' St-Onge said. Carney's Liberal party platform pledged to 'fully equip them ( CBC) to combat disinformation, so that Canadians have a news source they know they can trust.' What does this mean? Will the CBC play a role as an official 'fact-checker' in Canada, or is this just clunky language urging the CBC to be more fact-based? What is clear is that the federal government is planning to hand the CBC more money and enshrine its funding into law, taking it out of the annual budget vote and clouding transparency. CBC hasn't improved its accountability after years of scrutiny from Canadians. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Former CEO Catherine Tait was being paid about half a million dollars per year. New CEO Marie‑Philippe Bouchard has started her new role where Tait left off, as she is also set to be paid between $478,300 and $562,700. After years of criticism over executive bonuses, the government media company finally said it would get rid of the bonuses but hike the salaries of the executives instead. With so many Canadians struggling to pay for the basics, the CBC needed to read the room and end the bonuses and knock the CEO down a few levels in pay. Taxpayers are forced to spend a lot of money on the CBC, but only a tiny fraction of them choose to watch it. For CBC News Network's flagship English language prime-time news program, the audience is 1.8% of available viewers, according to its latest quarterly report. That means more than 98% of TV-viewing Canadians chose to watch something else. The CBC is a waste of taxpayers' money. Nearly nobody is watching it and it is a severe conflict of interest for journalists to be paid by the government. The CBC doesn't need more money from taxpayers; it needs to be defunded and raise money based on its work. Kris Sims is Alberta director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation and former longtime member of the Parliamentary Press Gallery. Olympics NHL Toronto & GTA Editorial Cartoons Ontario
Global News
an hour ago
- Global News
‘Forget about the past': Fans on criticism of Wayne Gretzky's ties to Donald Trump
It wasn't long ago that some Canadians were up in arms about hockey legend Wayne Gretzky's ties to U.S. President Donald Trump's administration. But as the Edmonton Oilers skate their way through the Stanley Cup final, hockey fans say it's time to let bygones be bygones. 'I don't think it matters,' said Craig Hiscock, a longtime Oilers fan, as he posed Wednesday for a photo with a statue of Gretzky outside Rogers Place in Edmonton ahead of Game 1. 'Let's forget about the past. What he did here was a lot for the city, a lot for hockey.' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Let's forget about the past. What he did here was a lot for the city, a lot for hockey." The statue was vandalized in March and smeared with what appeared to be and strongly smelled like feces. On Wednesday, a hip-high metal fence was up around the bronze figure. Story continues below advertisement View image in full screen The Wayne Gretzky statue outside of Rogers Place was vandalized with excrement in Edmonton on Friday March 21, 2025. Global News An online petition started in February calling for a new name for Wayne Gretzky Drive also has about 14,000 signatures. Gretzky, the Ontario-born hockey star who led the Oilers to four Stanley Cup victories in the 1980s, recently drew the ire of Canadians for his public support of Trump, who has repeatedly expressed his desire for Canada to join the U.S and become its 51st state. The Great One was photographed with Trump several times at the president's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. In January, Gretzky and his wife, Janet, attended Trump's inauguration in Washington. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Frustrations grew after he appeared as honorary captain for Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off final with the United States. Video footage showed him giving the U.S. team a thumbs-up as he walked to the ice. Story continues below advertisement Gretzky also congratulated Dallas Stars players in their locker room last month, after they advanced to the Western Conference final. The Oilers eliminated the Stars in five games and now have one win against the Florida Panthers in the Cup final. Game 2 is Friday night. Brian Foulken, who became a fan during the Gretzky era and collects Oilers merchandise, said Gretzky's accomplishments, including multiple scoring records that stand to this day, still resonate with people. As for the criticism, Foulken said people are going to have their own opinions. 'At the end of the day, (Gretzky) played here for a long time. The diehard Oilers (fans), we love him,' he said outside the arena before Game 1. Story continues below advertisement Foulken added that current Oilers captain Connor McDavid is inching closer to Gretzky-level greatness. Darren Rogers, a Gretzky fan since the Oilers' inception into the NHL in 1979, said Gretzky's leadership led the team to win multiple Stanley Cups. Politics aside, that accomplishment should matter more to people in the grand scheme of things, Rogers said. View image in full screen Edmonton Oilers' Wayne Gretzky, right, and Mark Messier hold up the Stanley Cup trophy, May 26, 1988 following their 6-3 win over the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Finals in Edmonton. Rusty Kennedy/ AP Photos Gretzky was in Edmonton for Wednesday's game. Story continues below advertisement And as storied as Gretzky is to the Oilers franchise, he appeared to still be catching up to this new generation's fan base. On an American sports network, he sat side by side with commentators, as they discussed the Oilers' new tradition of playing the pop song 'Pink Pony Club.' Players have been tight-lipped about the significance of the Chappell Roan hit, typically heard after the team plays 'La Bamba' by Los Lobos following a win. 'Pink Pony — is that a band or is that a song?' the 64-year-old Gretzky asked TNT Sports co-host Paul Bissonnette following the Oilers' 4-3 overtime victory in Game 1. '(Roan) sings a song, 'Pink Pony Club,' and it's famous. It's on the radio,' Bissonnette answered. 'It's the new generation, Wayne,' he added. Gretzky appeared disappointed to learn Roan isn't Canadian, but still seemed eager to check out the song. 'I gotta get that (as) my ringtone,' Gretzky said.
