Web keeps expats in federal election loop

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'It doesn't feel like an election without seeing lawn signs,' Dan Howe says. Paul Chiasson/Canadian Press

Dan Howe left Toronto for London two years ago, but he's still keeping tabs on the 2011 federal election campaign.

"I like following trusted news websites and specific candidates," he says. "But there are also plenty of friends who are passionate about politics turning to Twitter to share news and their opinions, so it is easy to stay up to date."

Howe, who plans to vote via special ballot in the Toronto riding ofTrinity-Spadina, is one of many Canadians following the federal election while living outside the country.

They have a lot of options, between online news sources, Twitter, Facebook and a plethora of political websites.

And, unlike Canadians inside the country, they can control how often they hear about the election.

'Active participant'

'I don't know if it makes sense, but not being saturated with information about the election against my will makes me feel more interested in it.'—Alix Mitchner

"I'm more of an active participant in getting information about the election," says Alix Mitchner, who's teaching English in South Korea. "I get to choose what stories to follow or not follow.

"I don't know if it makes sense, but not being saturated with information about the election against my will makes me feel more interested in it."

Rami Boraie, a dental student in Cairo, feels similarly.

"I find I have a much better understanding of this election then other elections that occurred while I was in Canada," says Boraie, who plans to vote via special ballot in Ottawa West-Nepean.

"I get to more or less do all the research I want and form my own opinion."

But others say online coverage is no substitute for being in the country during a campaign.

Everett Hopfner, a Manitoban studying in Frankfurt, says he's as engaged as he possibly can be given his location in Germany — but he'd prefer to be doing more.

"Had I been in Canada all this time, I would have made a tremendous effort to contribute directly at the local level," he says. "I can wear my candidate's T-shirt here in Frankfurt, but it won't make much of a difference."

"I find it really hard to keep track," says Josh Saunders, who lives in Belgium. "Reading articles just feels vastly different from seeing the campaign unfold before your eyes on TV, radio and lawn signs."

Howe misses that, too.

"It doesn't feel like an election without seeing lawn signs," he says.

Range of sources

Threehundredeight.com is a popular Canadian politics website both in Canada and abroad.

The immediacy of Twitter makes it a popular choice for Canadians looking to stay in touch with the country's political scene.

"I usually check the #elxn41 and #cdnpoli hashtags daily," says Mitchner, who plans to vote via special ballot in the eastern Ontario riding of Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke. "Outside of Twitter, I get most of my information directly from canoe.ca, cbc.ca, and ctv.ca."

But, for some, the amount of partisan opinion available on Twitter is a turnoff.

"I follow using Twitter... but primarily news sites," Boraie says. "[There's] too much civil opinion and bias points on Twitter and social media, so news sites and news streams greatly help."

Many sites dealing exclusively with federal politics and the election are also popular with Canadians outside the country.

"I subscribe to almost no Canadian political blogs, except for threehundredeight.com and eye.ca," says Andrew Wetmore, who lives in Massachusetts.

"The only blog I generally read is the electionalmanac.com's blog," says Mike Grady, who lives in California and is voting in the P.E.I. riding of Cardigan. "It seems to have fair and equal coverage."

Not international news

Many Canadians overseas find it necessary to follow election news on the internet because it isn't warranting much coverage.

'I have not seen a mumbling word about the Canadian election.'—Andrew Wetmore on media coverage in Massachusetts

"I haven't seen much U.K. coverage of the Canadian election," Howe says. "I did read that Stephen Harper will be unlikely to attend next week’s royal wedding, which is a shame."

The election call made the news in Belgium says Saunders, who's already voted in the southern Ontario riding of Kitchener Centre. But he hasn't seen any other coverage.

"Belgians don't really care about what is going on outside of Belgium," he says.

Wetmore, who intends to vote via special ballot in the Toronto riding of St. Paul's, says he has "not seen a mumbling word about the Canadian election."

And when international sources do cover the election, their coverage is geared towards an audience of non-Canadians.

"It's limited to very broad, general summary pieces rather than the day-by-day issues of the campaign," says Hopfner, who voted in the western Manitoba riding of Dauphin-Swan River-Marquette.

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