Official Google Canada Blog

Planning Election Day with Google in 4 easy Steps

Sunday, October 18, 2015

Here’s a timely phrase that’s on the mind of a lot of Canadians this year: how to vote.

This election day, Google has the answer to this important question and a whole lot more! From the ballot box to watching live results, here’s what you need to know to participate in your democracy on October 19th.

Step 1: Make sure you know how and where to vote—and who’s on your ballot!

For the first time ever in Canada, simple searches for [how do i vote], [register to vote] and [my election candidates] will confirm what you need to bring to the polls, and will show you who is running in your riding on Monday.

Step 2: Pledge to Vote

You’ve found all the information you need for Monday, but have you pledged to vote yet? Visit our interactive tool and make your pledge to vote today. And don’t forget to challenge your friends and remind them how important it is to head to the polls!

Go to CBCNews.ca/pledge and share why you are turning out to vote.

Step 3: Track the results

After the polls close on Monday, you can track all the real-time election results by searching [election results]. If you use Google Now, you’ll get updates on the winners straight from the app to your smartphone!

Step 4: Watch election night coverage

Tune in to the latest live news coverage from Canadian broadcasters at YouTube.com/elxn42.

Throughout the election, Canadians have turned to YouTube as a source of news, commentary and insight. We’ve tuned into YouTube to watch our leaders debate live, and for the latest election trending videos.

Starting at 5PM on October 19th, tune into the YouTube Canada Elections Hub at youtube.com/elxn42 for live election coverage from Canadians news organizations such as Global News, CBC, RadioCanada and Vice News.

All set Canada? Happy Voting!

Posted by Kate Sokolov, Program Manager, Politics & Elections Google

How Canada searched the #Elxn42 Campaign

Friday, October 16, 2015

As voting day fast approaches, let’s take a step back to look at the issues, stories and leaders Canadians searched over the 78 day election.

Leader Searches

At the outset of the election we looked at the most searched federal leader in each of Canada’s 338 ridings. In the month of July, Stephen Harper was the most searched federal leader in 56% of Canada’s ridings. The number didn’t change much after the campaign got underway, when Stephen Harper remained the most searched leader in 54% of ridings. Justin Trudeau was the top searched leader in 33% of ridings and Thomas Mulcair was the top search in 10% of ridings.

We just ran the numbers for October and have seen a different pattern emerge as the election continues. In October, Justin Trudeau has become the top searched leader in 50% of Canadian ridings, Stephen Harper in 45% of ridings, and Thomas Mulcair in 3%.

A riding-by-riding breakdown of search interest for the federal leaders over the course of the campaign.

#MansbridgeBump

In early September CBC’s Peter Mansbridge sat down with each of the federal leaders. And, with each interview came a jump in searches as Canadians went online to learn more about the various party leaders

Issues

In terms of the issues that have generated the most search interest over the course of the campaign, the refugee crisis and niqab saw the largest spike in searches along with several issues associated with Canada’s economy.

The refugee crisis generated strong search activity across the country. To see what was the top searched issue in your riding, explore this interactive map.

#ComeTogether

The only real competition for Canadian search attention during the campaign was Canada’s own Toronto Blue Jays. So with two big October showdowns looming on the calendar, we took a look at how interest in the Jays compared with interest in our democracy. Looks like a dead heat!

Issues aside, Canadians are clearly passionate about participating in their democracy and making an informed decision come voting day. The top question Canadians searched about the election: When is the election? The answer is, of course, Monday October 19th.

Mark your calendar… and see you at the polls!

Posted by Aaron Brindle, Google Canada

#Elxn42: Tuning in and taking action!

Thursday, September 24, 2015

It’s just under a month to go before Canadians head to the polls... and the stakes are high as the five federal party leaders take the stage tonight for the first French language debate, hosted by Radio-Canada, La Presse and Télé-Québec. To watch, go to youtube.com/elxn42 at 8pm ET, where the entire debate will be streamed in both French and English.

#DEBATDESCHEFS

As the federal election campaign heats up, Canadians are making sure they’re prepared for voting day. Last weekend, the phrase ‘How do I register to Vote?’ was a trending search on Google. And ‘When is the Canadian election?’ remains a top searched question in Canada (Answer: October 19th!).

If you plan on exercising your franchise on that day - why not #PledgeToVote and challenge your social network to do the same? Head over to CBCNews.ca/pledge, to take the pledge today.

Enjoy tonight’s debate. And make sure to follow youtube.com/elxn42 tomorrow for the latest analysis and coverage from the campaign trail.

Posted by Aaron Brindle, Google Canada

#PledgeToVote!

Monday, September 21, 2015

The story of civic engagement in Canada can be told with just a few numbers:

268,387 - The number of people who voted in Canada’s first election in 1867

79 - High watermark of voter participation, as nearly 80 percent of Canadians vote in 1958

14,823,408 - The number of ballots cast in the last federal election, with a voter turnout of 61 percent

But the story, of course, does not end there.

Today, in collaboration with the CBC , we’re launching Pledge To Vote, a new, interactive tool encouraging Canadians to pledge their intention to vote in the upcoming federal election and to challenge others to do the same.

Pin, Pledge, Post

It’s super simple to use. Go to cbc.ca/pledge and share why voting is important to you. Your pledge will appear on the Pledge To Vote map, where you can explore what issues other Canadians care about, and why they are making the same pledge.

#PledgeToVote

Now the fun part! After making the pledge, challenge your social networks to #PledgeToVote. Watch the pledges on the map grow and see how your #PledgeToVote challenge ripples across social media.

“When is the election?”

It’s been a trending question Canadians have searched these past few weeks on Google – the answer is October 19th. If you plan to make a little room in your calendar that day to participate in our great democracy, why not #PledgeToVote and encourage others to do the same…. See you at the polls!

Posted by Aaron Brindle, Google Canada

Live on YouTube: The Globe and Mail #elxn42 Leaders' Debate tackles our Economy

Friday, September 11, 2015

Next week, the election trail stops in Calgary as Conservative Party Leader Stephen Harper, New Democratic Party Leader Thomas Mulcair and Liberal Party Leader Justin Trudeau get set to lock horns over Canada’s economy in the second debate of the 2015 campaign.
Canadians can follow round two of the federal election debate live and in full on the YouTube Canada Elections Hub, via our partners at The Globe and Mail, who will be live streaming the debate on The Globe and Mail YouTube Channel. No matter where you are in the world, get access to the most important events of the 2015 federal election on the screen of your choice, whether that’s a television, laptop, tablet or phone.

Recent events have thrust the economy into the spotlight as one of the most critical ballot-box issues facing Canadian voters in the upcoming election. While this debate will shed light on each party’s economic platform, Google Search Trends point to some of the economic topics that are already resonating most with Canadians:

Since the outset of the campaign, we’ve seen trending questions about whether Canada is in a recession and in the past week alone, recession has become one of the fastest rising issues Canadians are searching for on Google:

Tune in to the YouTube Elections Hub on Thursday, September 17 at 8:00PM EDT to catch the debate live from Stampede Park in Calgary, Alberta. And if you miss it, we’ll have the full debate, highlight clips and commentary from across the web, available to watch at youtube.com/elxn42 after the debate is over.

Posted by Leslie Church, Head of Communications & Public Affairs, Google Canada

YouTube takes to the airwaves with YouTube Hits on Rogers Radio stations

Friday, September 4, 2015

Canada’s favourite YouTubers are getting a new way to connect with their fans this week, with the launch of YouTube Hits on Rogers Radio.
YouTube Hits is the first of its kind in Canada and will reflect the amazing world of YouTube. Each week, the show will feature a rotating cast of Canadian and international YouTube stars, and feature a blend of established and emerging artists based on YouTube viewership to reveal what Canadians and the world are watching online.

YouTube has always been a place for fans and artists to discover and connect, just as radio has long been a place to listen to your favourite stars and learn about emerging talent. That’s why we’ve teamed up with our friends at Rogers to launch YouTube Hits on terrestrial radio - to support great new music from today’s biggest names and to help uncover rising stars.
Hosted by Rogers Radio personalities Blake Carter and Adam Wylde (Blake & Wylde, KiSS 92.5), the weekly hour-long show will highlight the hottest music, trends and topics. The first show will include on-air appearances by four Canadian YouTube stars Daniela Andrade (700,000 subscribers) ConvosWith2YrOld (790,000 subscribers), MakeUpByEman (350,000 subscribers) and Corey Vidal (225,000 subscribers).
YouTube Hits will air every weekend beginning Saturday, Sept. 5 across the country on Rogers's top-rated youth brands. Check local listings for times and details of upcoming guests.
Posted by Jenn Kaiser, Communications Manager, YouTube Canada

#Elxn42: The Digital Election

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Whether you’ve used the internet to fact check information during a debate, explore a party’s campaign platform, or watch a debate live on YouTube, Canadians are turning to the web during this election more than ever before.
With week three of the campaign trail underway, we took a look at the role the internet is playing in #elxn42.

Even the term #elxn42 is a nod to the new Digital Voter -- one who spends almost all their time online when looking for information about politics and elections. In fact, nearly half of Canadian voters in this election report watching less live TV than four years ago.

@googlecanadaYouTube Canada Elections HubPosted by Leslie Church, Head of Communications & Public Affairs, Google Canada

Official Canada Blog

Planning Election Day with Google in 4 easy Steps

How Canada searched the #Elxn42 Campaign

#Elxn42: Tuning in and taking action!

#PledgeToVote!

Live on YouTube: The Globe and Mail #elxn42 Leaders' Debate tackles our Economy

YouTube takes to the airwaves with YouTube Hits on Rogers Radio stations

#Elxn42: The Digital Election

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