Browsing by Author "McCann, Jan-Michelle"

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    MPs.ca : internet usage among federal parliamentarians
    (2005) McCann, Jan-Michelle; Sayers, Anthony
    The use of new communication technologies by political elites has throughout history shaped their ultimate effects on existing systems of political communication. The Internet's vast potential to increase citizen engagement in Canada's policy-making process leads to the question of how Canada's political elites, our elected Members of Parliament, are choosing to make use of this technology. Data collected directly from the MPs of Canada's 3 ih Parliament suggests Internet usage among federal parliamentarians is high, with online communication choices shaped by a structure of incentives and disincentives affecting the MPs individual choice about Internet use. The result is that Canada's MPs are using the Internet in a relatively similar fashion regardless of demographic and partisan differences - our federal parliamentarians are adopting and adapting online communication tools that facilitate their traditional roles, while ignoring complex communication tools that might increase citizen engagement and thus increase the MP's individual political risk