Blue Jays Game 3 could influence how we vote, says expert
"The Blue [Jays] team came from behind. They won three straight. And they won the series just like the Blue team is going to win on October 19th."- Conservative candidate Jason Kenney last week
Conservative candidate Jason Kenney couldn't resist the urge to link his party's fortunes with baseball's Toronto Blue Jays.
And today is a crucial one for both.
The federal election has landed on the same day as game three of the American League Championship Series, between the Jays and the Kansas City Royals. One will be decided on the field at the Rogers Centre.... the other at ballot boxes across the country.
Follow CBC's Canada Votes 2015 & Éric Grenier's Poll Tracker tonight
And while baseball and politics will be competing for many Canadians' attention tonight, we're asking whether the big game could have a real effect on the election result — Because there's even some research to suggest that Mr. Kenney may have been on to something, that a surging team, can help the incumbent.
- Andrew Healy is a professor in the Department of Economics at Loyola Marymount University. He studies how sports events can influence voters. He was in Los Angeles.
- Josh Labove is a PhD candidate at Simon Fraser University in political geography, and Blue Jays fan. He doesn't quite buy that thesis. He was in Estero, Florida.
- Stephen Marche is a novelist, columnist and Jays bandwagon jumper. He was in our Toronto studio.
READ: Novelist Terry Fallis weights in on election day and the Blue Jays
Do you think the Blue Jay game will affect voter turnout tonight?
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This segment was produced by The Current's Lara O'Brien, Josh Flear, Julian Uzielli and Ottawa Network Producer Max Paris.
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