Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles

Revisiting the Sectoral Cleavage in Canada: Evidence From the Canadian Election Studies
Matthew Polacko, Peter Graefe & Simon Kiss
Canadian Review of Sociology = Revue Canadienne De Sociologie
Public Opinion Social Democracy
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According to the budget-maximizing bureaucrat model, public sector employees should rationally seek to increase government budgets to increase their own power. In contrast to most advanced democracies, class and sectoral voting has largely been neglected in Canada. The ideological and voting preferences of the public sector has been unexamined since the 1980s. Using the Canadian Election Study (1968–2019), we revisit and expand on this literature. We find that the public sector holds more economically leftist attitudes than the public and that a sectoral cleavage has emerged, with public sector employees increasingly supporting the leftist New Democratic Party (NDP). We also find that social class moderates these two relationships, as professionals and managers in the public sector are significantly more likely to vote for the NDP and hold more leftist economic attitudes than their counterparts in both the private sector, and the routine non-manual and working class in the public sector.
@article{polackoRevisitingSectoralCleavage2025, title = {Revisiting the {{Sectoral Cleavage}} in {{Canada}}: {{Evidence From}} the {{Canadian Election Studies}}}, author = {Matthew Polacko and Peter Graefe and Simon Kiss}, doi = {10.1111/cars.70014}, year = {2025}, month = {aug} }
Subjective Economic Insecurity and Attitudes Toward Immigration and Feminists Among Voters on the Right in Canada
Matthew Polacko, Peter Graefe & Simon Kiss
Social Science Quarterly
Public Opinion Social Democracy
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The recent success of far-right populism has led to a wave of public attention to its causes. Drawing on novel survey items from the Canadian Election Study, we investigate how economic insecurity, mediated by immigration and feminist attitudes, affects voting behavior. While economic distress has been linked to far-right voting in Europe, we find support that subjective measures of economic distress are significantly associated with voting for the Right in Canada, when interacting with immigration and feminist attitudes. However, the association only holds for men. The findings suggest that Canada, despite its comparatively weak nativist cleavage, is not immune to tensions arising from globalization and economic insecurity.
@article{polackoSubjectiveEconomicInsecurity2024, title = {Subjective {{Economic Insecurity}} and {{Attitudes Toward Immigration}} and {{Feminists Among Voters}} on the {{Right}} in {{Canada}}}, author = {Matthew Polacko and Peter Graefe and Simon Kiss}, volume = {105}, number = {2}, pages = {281--295}, doi = {10.1111/ssqu.13336}, url = {https://sjkiss.github.io/publication/subjective_economic_insecurity/subjective_economic_insecurity.pdf}, year = {2024}, month = {jan}, note = {Last visited on 03/28/2024} }
The Education And Income Voting Divides In Canada And Their Consequences For Redistributive Politics
Simon Kiss, Peter Graefe & Matt Polacko
Electoral Studies
Public Opinion Social Democracy
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Profound changes in the nature of class cleavages in advanced capitalist economies have been documented in recent years. Some have posited that the increasingly educated nature of left electorates has weakened impulses for redistribution. In contrast to most advanced democracies, class voting has largely been neglected in Canada, as it has traditionally been viewed as being comparatively weak in the face of strong linguistic, regional, and religious identities. Using the entire series of the Canadian Election Study (1965–2019) we examine the education and income political divides in Canada. We find strong support for a divergence between the effect that income and education have on party voting, as people with high incomes continue to vote for the right, while people with higher levels of education have shifted significantly to the left. However, we also find a strengthening income cleavage, whereby lower-income individuals are increasingly supporting the social democratic New Democratic Party, with redistribution a key driver. The findings reveal that Canada, despite a strengthening class cleavage, largely fits the mould of a multi-elite party system. However, it does so in a distinct fashion from the party systems previously examined in the cleavage literature.
@article{kissEducationIncomeVoting2023, title = {The {{Education And Income Voting Divides In Canada And Their Consequences For Redistributive Politics}}}, author = {Simon Kiss and Peter Graefe and Matt Polacko}, volume = {85}, doi = {10.1016/j.electstud.2023.102648}, year = {2023}, month = {oct} }
The Changing Nature of Class Voting in Canada, 1965–2019
Matthew Polacko, Simon Kiss & Peter Graefe
Canadian Journal of Political Science/Revue canadienne de science politique
Public Opinion Social Democracy
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Much attention has been paid to the changing class cleavage that structured political conflict in the twentieth century. In contrast to most advanced democracies, class voting has traditionally been weak in Canada. Using the entire series of the Canadian Election Study (1965–2019), we find the historic pattern of working-class voting for the New Democratic Party (NDP) held outside of Quebec in recent elections, before suddenly falling off in 2019. Starting in 2004, we find a clear and distinct trend where the working class has increased its support for the Conservatives. Although greater partisan sorting is occurring over the economy, cultural issues such as moral traditionalism and anti-immigration are now significant drivers of working-class Conservative support. The findings carry important implications for class-party relationships and reveal that Canada, despite its comparatively weak nativist cleavage, is not immune from the tensions social democratic parties have recently experienced in maintaining cross-class coalitions amid socio-economic structural changes. , Résumé On a accordé beaucoup d'attention à l'évolution du clivage de classe qui a structuré les conflits politiques au cours du vingtième siècle. Contrairement à la plupart des démocraties avancées, le vote de classe a traditionnellement été faible au Canada. En utilisant la série complète de l'Étude sur l'élection canadienne (1965-2019), nous trouvons le modèle historique du vote de la classe ouvrière pour le NPD, qui s'est maintenu en dehors du Québec lors des dernières élections, avant de chuter soudainement en 2019. À partir de 2004, nous trouvons une tendance claire et distincte dans laquelle la classe ouvrière a augmenté son soutien aux conservateurs. Bien qu'un plus grand tri partisan se produise sur l'économie, les questions culturelles telles que le traditionalisme moral et l'anti-immigration sont maintenant des moteurs importants du soutien de la classe ouvrière au Parti conservateur. Les résultats ont des implications importantes pour les relations entre les classes et les partis et révèlent que le Canada, malgré son clivage nativiste relativement faible, n'est pas à l'abri des tensions que les partis sociaux-démocrates ont récemment connues pour maintenir des coalitions interclasses dans un contexte de changements structurels socio-économiques.
@article{polackoChangingNatureClass2022, title = {The {{Changing Nature}} of {{Class Voting}} in {{Canada}}, 1965–2019}, author = {Matthew Polacko and Simon Kiss and Peter Graefe}, volume = {55}, number = {3}, pages = {663--686}, doi = {10.1017/S0008423922000439}, url = {https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/canadian-journal-of-political-science-revue-canadienne-de-science-politique/article/changing-nature-of-class-voting-in-canada-19652019/FA5E431D849C30B9E531EC046A6107B6}, year = {2022}, month = {sep}, note = {Last visited on 02/25/2025} }
Beyond Region and Ideology: Cultural Theory and Risk Perception in Canada
Simon Kiss, Erick Lachapelle & Eric Montpetit
Canadian Journal of Political Science / Revue canadienne de science politique
Public Opinion Risk
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Cultural theory (CT) has been widely used to explain variations in risk perception but has rarely been tested in Canada. This contribution represents the most thorough attempt to adapt CT to the Canadian context. Study results suggest that respondents’ commitment to egalitarianism was strongly correlated with risks from technology, while respondents’ commitment to hierarchism was strongly correlated with risks from criminal or unsafe behaviours. Respondents’ commitment to individualism was also correlated with risks from criminal and unsafe behaviours but differed from hierarchism in that individualism was not correlated with risk perceptions from prostitution and marijuana use. Respondents’ commitments to fatalism were strongly correlated with risk perception of vaccines. These conclusions are reinforced by results from a survey question that tests the extent to which such cultural predispositions map onto the myths of nature hypothesized by CT and by a survey experiment that tests how cultural commitments predict perceived risks from a controversial pipeline.
@article{kissRegionIdeologyCultural2020, title = {Beyond {{Region}} and {{Ideology}}: {{Cultural Theory}} and {{Risk Perception}} in {{Canada}}}, author = {Simon Kiss and Erick Lachapelle and Eric Montpetit}, volume = {53}, number = {2}, doi = {10.1017/S0008423920000177}, year = {2020}, month = {apr} }
Right-Wing Populism in a Metropolis: Personal Financial Stress, Conservative Attitudes, and Rob Ford’s Toronto
Simon J. Kiss, Andrea Perrella & Zachary Spicer
Journal of Urban Affairs
Public Opinion
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@article{kissRightwingPopulismMetropolis2020, title = {Right-Wing Populism in a Metropolis: {{Personal}} Financial Stress, Conservative Attitudes, and {{Rob Ford}}’s {{Toronto}}}, author = {Simon J. Kiss and Andrea Perrella and Zachary Spicer}, volume = {42}, number = {7}, pages = {1028--1046}, doi = {10.1080/07352166.2019.1657021}, url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07352166.2019.1657021}, year = {2020}, month = {oct}, note = {Last visited on 07/15/2025} }
Opposition to Carbon Pricing and Right-Wing Populism: Ontario's 2018 General Election
Simon Kiss & Erick Lachapelle
Environmental Politics
Public Opinion Risk
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@article{kissOppositionCarbonPricing2019, title = {Opposition to {{Carbon Pricing}} and {{Right-Wing Populism}}: {{Ontario}}'s 2018 {{General Election}}}, author = {Simon Kiss and Erick Lachapelle}, doi = {10.1080/09644016.2019.1608659}, year = {2019}, month = {apr} }
The Ambiguous Definition of Open Government: Parliamentarians, Journalists and Bloggers Define Open Government In Accordance With Their Interests
George W. Wootten & Simon J. Kiss
Canadian Journal of Political Science
Political Communication
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We present the results of a 2014 survey of Canadian parliamentarians, journalists and bloggers in which respondents were asked to rank competing definitions of open government. Overall, respondents preferred to define open government in terms of access to information and sources. However, controlling for age, ideology and language, we also found that respondents in the different positions ranked definitions of open government differently. Journalists are more likely than any other group to define open government in terms of access to information and sources. In contrast, parliamentarians who were members of a governing party were as likely to choose definitions of open government that emphasized public participation as they were to choose definitions that emphasized access to information. Opposition parliamentarians share more similarities with government parliamentarians than with journalists. These results suggest that key actors in the Canadian policy landscape define open government in ways that are consistent with their institutional interests. We suggest that these results reflect ways in which open government operates more like a buzzword, which helps explain the common pattern whereby opposition parties make promises to be more open and, after taking power, operate in less open ways. Moreover, these results raise questions about the extent to which open government can actually operate as an organizing principle.
@article{woottenAmbiguousDefinitionOpen2019, title = {The {{Ambiguous Definition}} of {{Open Government}}: {{Parliamentarians}}, {{Journalists}} and {{Bloggers Define Open Government In Accordance With Their Interests}}}, author = {George W. Wootten and Simon J. Kiss}, volume = {52}, number = {3}, pages = {479--499}, doi = {10.1017/S0008423918000446}, url = {https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0008423918000446/type/journal_article}, year = {2019}, month = {sep}, note = {Last visited on 02/06/2025} }
Balanced Journalism Amplifies Minority Voices: A Case Study of a Fluoridation Plebiscite
Simon Kiss, Karly Rath & Andrea Perrella
Canadian Journal of Communication
Political Communication
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Background Public opinion surveys usually report majority support for fluoridation in North America. Yet many local plebiscites produce opposite results. One possible reason is the nature of local media coverage. Analysis This article reports on a content analysis of news coverage and letters to the editor about a fluoridation plebiscite in Waterloo, Ontario. Qualitative research suggested that the groups opposed to fluoridation were more motivated and better organized than those in support. The net effect was news coverage more neutral toward fluoridation than supportive or critical, predominantly framed in terms of risks rather than benefits. Conclusion and implications The findings here emphasize the reactive nature of contemporary journalism. In local fluoridation plebiscites, champions are required to produce news coverage that better conveys the benefits to the public.
@article{kissBalancedJournalismAmplifies2018, title = {Balanced {{Journalism Amplifies Minority Voices}}: {{A Case Study}} of a {{Fluoridation Plebiscite}}}, author = {Simon Kiss and Karly Rath and Andrea Perrella}, volume = {43}, number = {4}, doi = {10.22230/cjc.2018v43n4a3355}, year = {2018}, month = {nov} }
Public Perceptions of Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking) in Canada: Corporate Ownership, Issue Familiarity, and Cultural Bias
Erick Lachapelle, Simon Kiss & Éric Montpetit
Extractive Industries and Society
Public Opinion Risk
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New applications of hydraulic fracturing (HF) methods to release natural gas from shale deposits have emerged as a hotly contested political issue. Consequently, researchers commonly seek to identify factors shaping public perceptions of this technology. While research conducted in North America has focused primarily on the United States, this paper contributes to a growing body of work examining Canadian perceptions toward HF. We build on the existing regionally-focused literature on public perceptions of HF in Canada with an analysis of data collected from a nationally-representative (n = 2012) survey of attitudes toward hydraulic fracturing administered to the adult Canadian population in 2016. We find that an individual’s cultural biases are strong predictors of their attitudes toward hydraulic fracturing, and that these effects are moderated by levels of issue familiarity. Analysis of an embedded survey experiment further reveals that attitudes in Canada are somewhat affected by cues regarding the developer’s status (i.e. whether a Canadian, American or government-owned corporation), and that a nationalist bias is especially prominent among people with hierarchical predispositions. We further find that familiarity with hydraulic fracturing is associated with significantly less support, and that this relationship is moderated by a respondent’s region of residence. We discuss these findings in light of the existing literature and outline areas for future research.
@article{lachapellePublicPerceptionsHydraulic2018, title = {Public {{Perceptions}} of {{Hydraulic Fracturing}} ({{Fracking}}) in {{Canada}}: {{Corporate Ownership}}, {{Issue Familiarity}}, and {{Cultural Bias}}}, author = {Erick Lachapelle and Simon Kiss and {\a'E}ric Montpetit}, volume = {5}, number = {4}, doi = {10.1016/j.exis.2018.07.003}, year = {2018}, month = {sep} }
Does Canadian Federalism Amplify Policy Disagreements?
Éric Montpetit, Erick Lachapelle & Simon Kiss
IRPP Ideas, Analysis, Debate
Public Opinion
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Federations have to strike a delicate balance between unity and regional diversity. In the Canadian case, the highly decentralized nature of the federal system enables the provinces and regions to exercise considerable autonomy. In this context, policy disagreements have often been interpreted through the prism of regionalism. Some observers of Canadian politics have expressed concerns that this amplifies disagreement and could undermine the legitimacy of national policies and institutions.
@article{montpetitDoesCanadianFederalism2017, title = {Does {{Canadian Federalism Amplify Policy Disagreements}}?}, author = {{\a'E}ric Montpetit and Erick Lachapelle and Simon Kiss}, volume = {65}, url = {https://irpp.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/study-no65.pdf}, year = {2017}, month = {sep} }
Risk Perception, Psychological Heuristics and the Water Fluoridation Controversy
Andrea ML Perrella & Simon Kiss
Canadian Journal of Public Health
Public Opinion Risk
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Objectives: Increasingly, support for water fluoridation has come under attack. We seek an explanation, focusing on the case of Waterloo, Ontario, where a 2010 referendum overturned its water fluoridation program. In particular, we test whether individuals perceive the risks of water fluoridation based not on ‘hard’ scientific evidence but on heuristics and cultural norms. Methods: A sample of 376 residents in Waterloo were surveyed in June 2012 using random digit dialing. We use factor analysis, OLS regression, as well as t-tests to evaluate a survey experiment to test the credibility hypothesis. Results: Perceptions of fluoride as a risk are lower among those who perceive fluoride’s benefits (B = .473, p {$<$} 0.001) and those whose cultural view is ‘egalitarian’ (B = .156, p {$<$} 0.05). The experiment shows a lower level of perception of fluoride’s benefits among respondents who are told that water fluoridation is opposed by a national advocacy group (Group A) compared to those who are told that the government and the World Health Organization support fluoridation (Group B) (t = 1.6547, p {$<$} 0.05), as well as compared to the control group (t = 1.8913, p {$<$} 0.05). There is no difference between Group B and the control, possibly because people’s already general support for fluoridation is less prone to change when told that other public organizations also support fluoridation. Conclusion: Public health officials should take into account cultural norms and perceptions when individuals in a community appear to rise up against water fluoridation, with implications for other public health controversies.
@article{perrellaRiskPerceptionPsychological2015, title = {Risk {{Perception}}, {{Psychological Heuristics}} and the {{Water Fluoridation Controversy}}}, author = {Andrea ML Perrella and Simon Kiss}, volume = {106}, number = {4}, pages = {e197-e203}, doi = {10.17269/cjph.106.4828}, year = {2015}, month = {may} }
Responding to the 'New Public': The Arrival of Strategic Communications and Managed Participation in Alberta
Simon Kiss
Canadian Public Administration
Political Communication
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This article examines the rise of more strategic, professional and politically sensitive communications in the Government of Alberta and argues that citizen demands for transparency and participation are also reasons for the increased importance of strategic government communications. Accommodating these demands in the context of traditional representative democracy requires politically sensitive staff who can manage processes without jeopardizing the government's re‚Äêelection or policy agenda. This article draws on analyses of government documents, interviews and the archives of premiers Getty and Klein.
@article{kissRespondingNewPublic2014, title = {Responding to the '{{New Public}}': {{The Arrival}} of {{Strategic Communications}} and {{Managed Participation}} in {{Alberta}}}, author = {Simon Kiss}, volume = {57}, number = {1}, pages = {26--48}, doi = {10.1111/capa.12053}, year = {2014}, month = {mar} }
Where Did All The Baby Bottles Go? Risk Perception, Interest Groups, Media Coverage and Institutional Imperatives in Canada's Regulation of Bisphenol A
Simon Kiss
Canadian Journal of Political Science / Revue canadienne de science politique
Risk
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As part of a multi-year, \$816 million initiative to assess the risks posed by thousands of commonly used chemicals and compounds, Canada became the first country in the world to declare that bisphenol A (BPA) was toxic and justified regulation in April 2008. The process set up to conduct this risk assessment differed from the previous Canadian experience with the regulation of hazardous substances in that it was more formal, systematic and more pluralistic with much greater participation from interest groups. This case study explores the politics and process behind this decision and argues that the government's decision went beyond what scientific evidence could justify. The decision resulted from long-term institutional factors such as the incentive structure of Canadian federalism and values embedded in legislation as well as short-term factors such as media coverage, public opinion and interest group pressure. Grâce à une initiative pluriannuelle de 816 millions de dollars pour examiner les risques posés par l'utilisation courante de milliers de produits et de composés chimiques, le Canada est devenu le premier pays dans le monde à déclarer que le bisphenol A (BPA) est un produit toxique et que de ce fait devrait s'en suivre des régulations quant à son utilisation à partir d'avril 2008. De part le fait que le processus d'évaluation des risques suivi s'est fait sur une base plus formelle, systématique et pluraliste avec davantage de participation de groupes d'intérêt, il diffère de ce que le Canada avait l'habitude en matière de régulation de substances dangereuses. Cette étude de cas examine les politiques et processus qui ont servi à la prise de cette décision et met en avant l'argument qu'en fait le gouvernement ne disposait pas de suffisament de preuves scientifiques pour la justifier. La prise de décision résulterait de l'influence de facteurs institutionnels à long terme tels que des mesures d'incitation du fédéralisme canadien et des valeurs ancrées dans la législation, ainsi que de facteurs à court terme tels que la couverture médiatique, l'opinion publique et la pression des groupes d'intérêt.
@article{kissWhereDidAll2014, title = {Where {{Did All The Baby Bottles Go}}? {{Risk Perception}}, {{Interest Groups}}, {{Media Coverage}} and {{Institutional Imperatives}} in {{Canada}}'s {{Regulation}} of {{Bisphenol A}}}, author = {Simon Kiss}, volume = {47}, number = {4}, eprint = {43298446}, pages = {741--765}, url = {https://www.jstor.org/stable/43298446}, year = {2014}, archiveprefix = {jstor}, note = {Last visited on 02/05/2025} }
Legislation by Agenda-Setting: Assessing the Media's Role in the Regulation of Bisphenol A in the U.S. States
Simon Kiss
Mass Communication and Society
Risk
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Starting in 2008, debate about potential hazardous effects from exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) migrated from the pages of scientific journals to the U.S. media, regulatory authorities, and state legislatures. In the context of deep scientific conflict about the existence of adverse health effects attributable to BPA, this article asks why it was the case that some state legislatures considered or adopted legislative bans on products made from BPA, whereas others did not. Drawing on existing theories of agenda-setting and policy change via punctuated equilibrium as well as a well-defined methodology (event history analysis), evidence of agenda-setting is presented. Particularly, it is argued that routine and high-impact health coverage was significantly related to the chance that a state legislature considered legislation banning products made with BPA. This was indirectly, but importantly, related to the actual adoption by state legislatures of legislative bans on products made with BPA.
@article{kissLegislationAgendaSettingAssessing2013, title = {Legislation by {{Agenda-Setting}}: {{Assessing}} the {{Media}}'s {{Role}} in the {{Regulation}} of {{Bisphenol A}} in the {{U}}.{{S}}. {{States}}}, author = {Simon Kiss}, volume = {16}, number = {5}, pages = {687--712}, doi = {10.1080/15205436.2013.768345}, url = {http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15205436.2013.768345}, year = {2013}, month = {sep}, note = {Last visited on 05/08/2020} }
Negotiating Electronic Surveillance in the Workplace: A Study of Collective Agreements in Canada
Simon Kiss & Vincent Mosco
Canadian Journal of Communication
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Innovations in information and communication technology have deepened the problem of workplace surveillance by expanding the capacity to measure and monitor worker activity. This article assesses the extent to which trade unions in Canada have made privacy a sufficiently serious concern to see that privacy protections are incorporated into collective agreements. It assesses the progress made since Bryant’s 1995 study, published in this Journal, which found practically no reference to electronic privacy protection in Canadian agreements. Specifically, the article reports on a content analysis of existing Canadian collective agreements to determine the extent to which privacy has been recognized by trade unions; to examine which sectors, industries, or individual unions have incorporated surveillance protection into their collective agreements; and to identify specific models of surveillance protection clauses in collective agreements.
@article{kissNegotiatingElectronicSurveillance2006, title = {Negotiating {{Electronic Surveillance}} in the {{Workplace}}: {{A Study}} of {{Collective Agreements}} in {{Canada}}}, author = {Simon Kiss and Vincent Mosco}, volume = {30}, number = {4}, pages = {549--564}, doi = {10.22230/cjc.2005v30n4a1671}, url = {https://cjc.utpjournals.press/doi/10.22230/cjc.2005v30n4a1671}, year = {2006}, month = {jan}, note = {Last visited on 10/10/2024} }

Non-Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles

The Changing Class Basis of Canadian and Social Democratic Futures
Matthew Polacko, Peter Graefe & Simon Kiss
Perspectives
Social Democracy
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@article{polackoChangingClassBasis2026, title = {The {{Changing Class Basis}} of {{Canadian}} and {{Social Democratic Futures}}}, author = {Matthew Polacko and Peter Graefe and Simon Kiss}, number = {5}, url = {https://perspectivesjournal.ca/changing-class-socdem-future/}, year = {2026}, month = {jan}, note = {Last visited on 01/27/2026} }
Conservative Populism, or Unpopular Liberalism? Review of the 2018 Ontario Provincial Election
Andrea Perrella, Simon Kiss & Barry J. Kay
Canadian Political Science Review
Public Opinion
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Ontario’s general election on June 7, 2018, brought the Progressive Conservative party to government for the first time in the 21st Century. The PCs’ victory over the incumbent Liberals, however, reached this point despite much turmoil. Months before the election the party faced a crisis when its leader, Patrick Brown, resigned amid a scandal. The PC party hastily organized a leadership election that put Doug Ford at the helm, who then led the party to victory. The following election review traces these steps and looks at some dynamics that contributed to both the PC leadership vote and the overall result of the election. The PC leadership election is analyzed, providing evidence that Ford’s rise may reflect some of the populist sentiment that has gripped other democracies. The analysis then turns to the general election, focusing on media coverage and issue salience, particularly as they relate to the party leaders. Survey data are examined to build some explanatory vote-choice models, which shows that voters in the general election appeared less moved by populism than a desire to punish the Liberals.
@article{perrellaConservativePopulismUnpopular2020, title = {Conservative Populism, or Unpopular Liberalism? {{Review}} of the 2018 {{Ontario Provincial Election}}}, author = {Andrea Perrella and Simon Kiss and Barry J. Kay}, volume = {14}, number = {1}, pages = {118--146}, url = {http://ojs.unbc.ca/index.php/cpsr/article/view/1790}, year = {2020}, month = {nov}, note = {Last visited on 02/22/2024} }
Triple Play: The Ontario 2014 General Election
Andrea ML Perrella, Simon Kiss & Barry J. Kay
Canadian Political Science Review
Public Opinion
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The 2014 general election in Ontario was the third straight time when the opposition Progressive Conservative party was poised to win, only to find itself returned to the opposition benches. Part of the incumbent Liberal party’s victory certainly can be attributed to strategic choices of the party, positioning itself closer to where voters wanted them to be. However, there is also a case to be made that the PCs squandered their chance to form government. The following article walks through some of the key points of the campaign, and the context within which it was held.
@article{perrellaTriplePlayOntario2017, title = {Triple {{Play}}: {{The Ontario}} 2014 {{General Election}}}, author = {Andrea ML Perrella and Simon Kiss and Barry J. Kay}, volume = {11}, number = {1}, pages = {157--181}, url = {http://ojs.unbc.ca/index.php/cpsr/article/view/1461}, year = {2017}, note = {Last visited on 10/10/2024} }
How to Win and Lose an Election: Campaign Dynamics of the 2011 Ontario Election
Simon Kiss, Andrea Perrella & Barry Kay
Canadian Political Science Review
Public Opinion
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We review the 2011 Ontario general election, which reduced the incumbent Liberal party to a minority government. We place attention on campaign dynamics and issue salience.
@article{kissHowWinLose2014, title = {How to {{Win}} and {{Lose}} an {{Election}}: {{Campaign Dynamics}} of the 2011 {{Ontario Election}}}, author = {Simon Kiss and Andrea Perrella and Barry Kay}, volume = {8}, number = {1}, doi = {10.24124/c677/2014497}, year = {2014}, month = {aug} }

Reports

Comparing The Ideology and Attitudes of Canada's Public Health Workforce and General Population
Simon Kiss, Patrick Fafard, Andrea Perrella, Ketan Shankardass & Erick Lachapelle
Laurier Institute for the Study of Public Opinion and Policy
Public Opinion Risk
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@TechReport{kissComparingIdeologyAttitudes2025, type = {Report}, title = {Comparing {{The Ideology}} and {{Attitudes}} of {{Canada}}'s {{Public Health Workforce}} and {{General Population}}}, author = {Simon Kiss and Patrick Fafard and Andrea Perrella and Ketan Shankardass and Erick Lachapelle}, institution = {{Laurier Institute for the Study of Public Opinion and Policy}}, doi = {10.51644/HYEO2285}, url = {https://scholars.wlu.ca/lispop/6/}, address = {Waterloo}, year = {2025} }
Housing Supply and Price Increases in Canada: Commentary on Ideology, Evidence and Narratives in the Debate About Housing Affordability in Canada
Matthew Arp & Simon Kiss
Laurier Institute for the Study of Public Opinion and Policy
Housing
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Researching Post-Industrial Political Behaviour with the National Occupation Classification in the 2019 and 2021 Canada Election Studies
Simon J. Kiss & Rafael Campos-Gottardo
Laurier Institute for the Study of Public Opinion and Policy
Public Opinion Social Democracy
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@TechReport{kissResearchingPostindustrialPolitical2025, type = {Report}, title = {Researching Post-Industrial Political Behaviour with the National Occupation Classification in the 2019 and 2021 Canada Election Studies}, author = {Simon J. Kiss and Rafael Campos-Gottardo}, institution = {{Laurier Institute for the Study of Public Opinion and Policy}}, doi = {10.51644/ESHB2939}, url = {https://scholars.wlu.ca/lispop/5/}, address = {Waterloo, ON}, year = {2025}, month = {sep} }
Summary of Findings, Ontario Provincial Election Study 2022
Simon Kiss, Andrea Perrella, Anthony Piscitelli, Matthew Arp, Laura Pin, Jason Roy & Zachary Spicer
Laurier Institute for the Study of Public Opinion and Policy
Public Opinion
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@TechReport{kissSummaryFindingsOntario2022, type = {Report}, title = {Summary of {{Findings}}, {{Ontario Provincial Election Study}} 2022}, author = {Simon Kiss and Andrea Perrella and Anthony Piscitelli and Matthew Arp and Laura Pin and Jason Roy and Zachary Spicer}, institution = {{Laurier Institute for the Study of Public Opinion and Policy}}, doi = {10.51644/ZDIG8948}, url = {https://scholars.wlu.ca/lispop/4/}, address = {Waterloo, ON}, year = {2022}, month = {aug} }
Summary of Waterloo Region Vote Intention, Spring 2021
Simon Kiss, Andrea Perrella & Anthony Piscitelli
Laurier Institute for the Study of Public Opinion and Policy
Public Opinion
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@TechReport{kissSummaryWaterlooRegion2021, type = {Report}, title = {Summary of {{Waterloo Region Vote Intention}}, {{Spring}} 2021}, author = {Simon Kiss and Andrea Perrella and Anthony Piscitelli}, institution = {{Laurier Institute for the Study of Public Opinion and Policy}}, doi = {10.51644/UHWT5404}, url = {https://scholars.wlu.ca/lispop/2/}, address = {Waterloo, ON}, year = {2021}, month = {may} }
Canadians' Views on Energy East: Report Submitted to the Honorable Shannon Phillips, Minister of the Environment (Alberta)
Simon Kiss
Wilfrid Laurier University
Public Opinion Risk
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@TechReport{kissCanadiansViewsEnergy2015, type = {Report}, title = {Canadians' {{Views}} on {{Energy East}}: {{Report}} Submitted to the {{Honorable Shannon Phillips}}, {{Minister}} of the {{Environment}} ({{Alberta}})}, author = {Simon Kiss}, institution = {Wilfrid Laurier University}, address = {Waterloo, ON}, year = {2015}, month = {jul} }
Does Economic Insecurity Undermine Canada’s pro-Immigration Consensus
Matt Polacko, Simon Kiss & Peter Graefe
Institute for Research on Public Policy
Public Opinion Social Democracy
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References

Arp, Matthew, and Simon Kiss. 2025. Housing Supply and Price Increases in Canada: Commentary on Ideology, Evidence and Narratives in the Debate About Housing Affordability in Canada. Laurier Institute for the Study of Public Opinion and Policy. https://scholars.wlu.ca/lispop/9/.
Kiss, Simon. 2013. “Legislation by Agenda-Setting: Assessing the Media’s Role in the Regulation of Bisphenol A in the U.S. States.” Mass Communication and Society 16 (5): 687–712. https://doi.org/10.1080/15205436.2013.768345.
Kiss, Simon. 2014a. “Responding to the ’New Public’: The Arrival of Strategic Communications and Managed Participation in Alberta.” Canadian Public Administration 57 (1): 26–48. https://doi.org/10.1111/capa.12053.
Kiss, Simon. 2014b. “Where Did All The Baby Bottles Go? Risk Perception, Interest Groups, Media Coverage and Institutional Imperatives in Canada’s Regulation of Bisphenol A.” Canadian Journal of Political Science / Revue Canadienne de Science Politique 47 (4): 741–65. https://www.jstor.org/stable/43298446.
Kiss, Simon. 2015. Canadians’ Views on Energy East: Report Submitted to the Honorable Shannon Phillips, Minister of the Environment (Alberta). Report. Wilfrid Laurier University.
Kiss, Simon J., and Rafael Campos-Gottardo. 2025. Researching Post-Industrial Political Behaviour with the National Occupation Classification in the 2019 and 2021 Canada Election Studies. Report. Laurier Institute for the Study of Public Opinion and Policy. https://doi.org/10.51644/ESHB2939.
Kiss, Simon J., Andrea Perrella, and Zachary Spicer. 2020. “Right-Wing Populism in a Metropolis: Personal Financial Stress, Conservative Attitudes, and Rob Ford’s Toronto.” Journal of Urban Affairs 42 (7): 1028–46. https://doi.org/10.1080/07352166.2019.1657021.
Kiss, Simon, Patrick Fafard, Andrea Perrella, Ketan Shankardass, and Erick Lachapelle. 2025. Comparing The Ideology and Attitudes of Canada’s Public Health Workforce and General Population. Report. Laurier Institute for the Study of Public Opinion and Policy, submitted. https://doi.org/10.51644/HYEO2285.
Kiss, Simon, Peter Graefe, and Matt Polacko. 2023. “The Education And Income Voting Divides In Canada And Their Consequences For Redistributive Politics.” Electoral Studies 85 (October). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electstud.2023.102648.
Kiss, Simon, and Erick Lachapelle. 2019. “Opposition to Carbon Pricing and Right-Wing Populism: Ontario’s 2018 General Election.” Environmental Politics, ahead of print, April 29. https://doi.org/10.1080/09644016.2019.1608659.
Kiss, Simon, Erick Lachapelle, and Eric Montpetit. 2020. “Beyond Region and Ideology: Cultural Theory and Risk Perception in Canada.” Canadian Journal of Political Science / Revue Canadienne de Science Politique 53 (2). https://doi.org/10.1017/S0008423920000177.
Kiss, Simon, and Vincent Mosco. 2006. “Negotiating Electronic Surveillance in the Workplace: A Study of Collective Agreements in Canada.” Canadian Journal of Communication 30 (4): 549–64. https://doi.org/10.22230/cjc.2005v30n4a1671.
Kiss, Simon, Andrea Perrella, and Barry Kay. 2014. “How to Win and Lose an Election: Campaign Dynamics of the 2011 Ontario Election.” Canadian Political Science Review 8 (1). https://doi.org/10.24124/c677/2014497.
Kiss, Simon, Andrea Perrella, and Anthony Piscitelli. 2021. Summary of Waterloo Region Vote Intention, Spring 2021. Report. Laurier Institute for the Study of Public Opinion and Policy. https://doi.org/10.51644/UHWT5404.
Kiss, Simon, Andrea Perrella, Anthony Piscitelli, et al. 2022. Summary of Findings, Ontario Provincial Election Study 2022. Report. Laurier Institute for the Study of Public Opinion and Policy. https://doi.org/10.51644/ZDIG8948.
Kiss, Simon, Karly Rath, and Andrea Perrella. 2018. “Balanced Journalism Amplifies Minority Voices: A Case Study of a Fluoridation Plebiscite.” Canadian Journal of Communication 43 (4). https://doi.org/10.22230/cjc.2018v43n4a3355.
Lachapelle, Erick, Simon Kiss, and Éric Montpetit. 2018. “Public Perceptions of Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking) in Canada: Corporate Ownership, Issue Familiarity, and Cultural Bias.” Extractive Industries and Society 5 (4). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exis.2018.07.003.
Montpetit, Éric, Erick Lachapelle, and Simon Kiss. 2017. “Does Canadian Federalism Amplify Policy Disagreements?” IRPP Ideas, Analysis, Debate 65 (September). https://irpp.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/study-no65.pdf.
Perrella, Andrea ML, and Simon Kiss. 2015. “Risk Perception, Psychological Heuristics and the Water Fluoridation Controversy.” Canadian Journal of Public Health 106 (4): e197–203. https://doi.org/10.17269/cjph.106.4828.
Perrella, Andrea ML, Simon Kiss, and Barry J. Kay. 2017. “Triple Play: The Ontario 2014 General Election.” Canadian Political Science Review 11 (1): 157–81. http://ojs.unbc.ca/index.php/cpsr/article/view/1461.
Perrella, Andrea, Simon Kiss, and Barry J. Kay. 2020. “Conservative Populism, or Unpopular Liberalism? Review of the 2018 Ontario Provincial Election.” Canadian Political Science Review 14 (1): 118–46. http://ojs.unbc.ca/index.php/cpsr/article/view/1790.
Polacko, Matthew, Peter Graefe, and Simon Kiss. 2024. “Subjective Economic Insecurity and Attitudes Toward Immigration and Feminists Among Voters on the Right in Canada.” Social Science Quarterly 105 (2): 281–95. https://doi.org/10.1111/ssqu.13336.
Polacko, Matthew, Peter Graefe, and Simon Kiss. 2025. “Revisiting the Sectoral Cleavage in Canada: Evidence From the Canadian Election Studies.” Canadian Review of Sociology = Revue Canadienne De Sociologie, ahead of print, August 18. https://doi.org/10.1111/cars.70014.
Polacko, Matthew, Peter Graefe, and Simon Kiss. 2026. “The Changing Class Basis of Canadian and Social Democratic Futures.” Perspectives, no. 5 (January). https://perspectivesjournal.ca/changing-class-socdem-future/.
Polacko, Matthew, Simon Kiss, and Peter Graefe. 2022. “The Changing Nature of Class Voting in Canada, 1965–2019.” Canadian Journal of Political Science/Revue Canadienne de Science Politique 55 (3): 663–86. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0008423922000439.
Polacko, Matt, Simon Kiss, and Peter Graefe. n.d. Does Economic Insecurity Undermine Canada’s Pro-Immigration Consensus. Institute for Research on Public Policy.
Wootten, George W., and Simon J. Kiss. 2019. “The Ambiguous Definition of Open Government: Parliamentarians, Journalists and Bloggers Define Open Government In Accordance With Their Interests.” Canadian Journal of Political Science 52 (3): 479–99. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0008423918000446.