When the Liberal Party won the 1968 Canadian election, Pierre Elliot Trudeau rode a popular personal wave called “Trudeaumania” to victory. At the recent October 19 Federal Election, his son Justin Trudeau, appears to have used some of the same “magic”, enabling the Liberals to win a majority and reducing the governing Conservative Party to opposition status along with the NDP, Bloc and Greens.

No doubt however that other factors played a role in the conservatives defeat. For example, were many Canadians looking for a change in the political landscape, what happened to the NDP fortunes and had the Harper Government reached its “best before date”? The speaker will unpack the election results and articulate which promises the Liberal Government may prioritize. He will also speculate on whether collaboration with provinces and other parties may improve.

Speaker: Dr. Harold Jansen

Harold Jansen a political scientist at the University of Lethbridge interested in the ways in which Canadians and Albertans interact with their governments through political parties and new technology. He completed his B.A. at the University of Alberta and earned his M.A. at Carleton University in Ottawa before returning to the University of Alberta and finishing his Ph.D. in Political Science in 1998.

Jansen came to the University of Lethbridge shortly after receiving his Ph.D. and has been here ever since. His research has focused on Alberta politics, electoral systems and electoral reform, Canadian political party finance, and the impact of the Internet on political communication and democratic citizenship.

Passionate about teaching, Jansen appreciates the opportunities which smaller universities offer for mentoring undergraduate students. From July 2013 to June 2015, he served as one of the university’s two Board of Governors Teaching Chairs and on July 1, 2015, Jansen became Chair of the Political Science department at U of L.

Moderator: Christina Cuthbertson Date: Thursday, October 29, 2015
Time: Noon - 1:30 PM (30 minutes each for presentation, lunch and Q & A) Location: Country Kitchen Catering (lower level of the Keg) 1715 Mayor Magrath Dr. S Cost: $11.00 (includes lunch) or $2.00 (includes coffee/tea at the presentation)

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