What political issues do Canadians care about, and how do our feelings about those issues define how we see ourselves? Two of Trent’s political historians, Dr. Dimitry Anastakis and Dr. Christopher P. Dummitt, weighed in on the topic in a recent interactive feature by The Toronto Star talking about the political ideologies of famous Canadians.

Professors Anastakis and Dummitt were asked by The Star to discuss the political stances of Canadian figures like Sir John A. Macdonald, Jack Layton, and David Suzuki as part of an article highlighting a new interactive tool called the Political Sentimeter. The tool aims to provide clarity to voters by asking people about their political values and labelling their political stances based on their responses.

Commenting on the tool, Prof. Anastakis says he finds value in the way that the Political Sentimeter provides context for many different ideologies, stating that it’s “a fun way to see how people see themselves, and how they can be ‘labelled’ through their political, economic and social preferences.”

Prof. Dummitt’s take is similarly enthusiastic: “I love the idea of the test — anything that will engage Canadians in their politics, and help them to vote based on their ideas (and not the personalities of the leaders or the emotional manipulation of attack ads) is useful.”

Both scholars credit the atmosphere at Trent for informing their research on political history. As Prof. Anastakis notes, “We are very fortunate at Trent where we have a wide range of leading scholars in a number of fields and departments who study Canada and are connected to the broader question of politics...This exposure to diverse scholars and their interests makes us all better teachers and students of politics, and Trent has provided an excellent space to engage in political discussion.”

Prof. Dummitt agrees, stating “Trent is such a vital hub of Canadian Studies and Canadian history…the interdisciplinary community in Canadian Studies and in the Frost Centre is welcoming to everyone. I’m challenged to think outside of my field, and to take in and wrestle with the fascinating ideas of my colleagues.”

Both professors regularly provide commentary on political issues in local and national media. Dr. Anastakis has been quoted in publications like The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, and Maclean’s, while Dr. Dummitt has been featured in The Ottawa Citizen, The Literary Review of Canada, and TVO’s political affairs program “The Agenda with Steve Paikin.”

Posted on Tuesday, December 16, 2014.