Blogging the Hill: Garth Turner and the Canadian Parliamentary Blogosphere

Abstract

Canadian parliamentarian Garth Turner was expelled from the caucus of the governing Conservative Party in 2006. Turner was ousted because comments on his blog allegedly breached caucus confidentiality. While political blogs are mainstream in American politics, the study of Canadian political blogs is in its infancy. This research addresses one aspect of political weblogs: blogging by Canadian parliamentarians through a case study of Garth Turner Unedited. While most current Canadian parliamentarians are online with their own web sites promoting the constituency and party activities, Garth Turner is only one of a few parliamentarians that embrace blogging in its full capacity. The research demonstrates that the blog has become a virtual community for political participation and expression.