The Unsteady State

This volume falls into the recognized sub-field of election studies.

The team of scholars co-writing the volume was assembled to conduct a detailed study of voter behaviour in the 1997 federal election.

Using broadly based surveys and a question-centred approach, the authors have attempted to analyse the results of the election.

Chapters are organized around easily recognizable and understood questions: did the media treat all the parties fairly?

Did the leadership debates have any impact on the outcome?

What about Reform's Quebec attack ads? Did Canadians vote strategically? Why did the Liberals lose seats when the economy was performing better?

How did the leaders help or hurt their parties? Why couldn't Reform win any seats in Ontario? Why did the NDP do better in Atlantic Canada? Do values matter to the way people vote?