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It's Unemployment, Stupid! Why Perceptions About the Job Situation Hurt the Liberals in the 1997 Election

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  • Richard Nadeau
  • André Blais
  • Neil Nevitte
  • Elisabeth Gidengil

Abstract

The Liberals almost lost their parliamentary majority in June 1997. This article argues that preceptions of the unemployment situation hurt the Liberals and cost them the support of almost three percentage points of votes. We examine the reasons why Canadians did not render a more positive judgement on the job situation despite a decrease of the official unemployment rate in Canada during the Liberal mandate. The results of this study raise a number of questions about voters' behaviour, about the diffusion and penetration of both general and economic information within the electorate, about the criteria with which voters use to judge governments, and on the incentives these governments might have to manufacture political business cycles.

Suggested Citation

  • Richard Nadeau & André Blais & Neil Nevitte & Elisabeth Gidengil, 2000. "It's Unemployment, Stupid! Why Perceptions About the Job Situation Hurt the Liberals in the 1997 Election," Canadian Public Policy, University of Toronto Press, vol. 26(1), pages 77-94, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:cpp:issued:v:26:y:2000:i:1:p:77-94
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    6. Nadeau, Richard & Niemi, Richard G. & Amato, Timothy, 1994. "Expectations and Preferences in British General Elections," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 88(2), pages 371-383, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. J. Stephen Ferris & Marcel-Christian Voia, 2019. "Elections, Economic Outcomes and Policy in Canada: 1870 - 2015," Carleton Economic Papers 19-11, Carleton University, Department of Economics.
    2. J. Stephen Ferris & Marcel-Cristian Voia, 2021. "Elections, economic outcomes and policy choices in Canada: 1870 – 2015," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(16), pages 1840-1855, April.

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