Depopulating the Political Sidelines: CBC News Online Forum and Public Spheres in Canada

The subject of the Internet's potential to foster a public sphere has become a growing area of research in the social sciences in the last two decades. My research explores comments made by participants on the CBC News online politics forum during the May 2011 federal election in Canada. Based on conditions proposed by Jurgen Habermas in his concept of the public sphere and operationalized by Lincoln Dahlberg in his pioneering study of the Minnesota e-Democracy listserv, my thesis explores the potential for the CBC News online forum to foster a public sphere for Canadians. While examining the CBC News online forum against the criteria of the public sphere, I also interrogate Habermas' concept of a universal public sphere using the works of Nancy Fraser and other scholars, who argue for multiple public spheres.

Proceedings of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Canada at the annual convocation, 1872

Annual Convocation proceedings for the year 1872. The title varies slightly and convocation is held at different cities or towns in Canada. Fifteenth annual convocation.

Proceedings of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Canada at the annual convocation, 1873

Annual Convocation proceedings for the year 1873. Title varies slightly and convocation is held at different cities or towns in Canada. Sixteenth annual convocation.

Proceedings of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Canada at the annual convocation, 1874

Annual Convocation proceedings for the year 1874. The title varies slightly and convocation is held at different cities or towns in Canada. Seventeenth annual convocation.

Proceedings of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Canada at the annual convocation, 1875

Annual Convocation proceedings for the year 1875. The title varies slightly and convocation is held at different cities or towns in Canada. Eighteenth annual convocation.

Proceedings of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Canada at the annual convocation, 1876

Annual Convocation proceedings for the year 1876. The title varies slightly and convocation is held at different cities or towns in Canada. Nineteenth annual convocation.

Proceedings of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Canada at the annual convocation, 1877

Annual Convocation proceedings for the year 1877. The title varies slightly and convocation is held at different cities or towns in Canada. Twentieth annual convocation.

Proceedings of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Canada at the annual convocation, 1878

Annual Convocation proceedings for the year 1878. The title varies slightly and convocation is held at different cities or towns in Canada. Twenty-First annual convocation.

Proceedings of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Canada at the annual convocation, 1879

Annual Convocation proceedings for the year 1879. The title varies slightly and convocation is held at different cities or towns in Canada. Twenty-second annual convocation.

Proceedings of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Canada at the annual convocation, 1880

Annual Convocation proceedings for the year 1880. The title varies slightly and convocation is held at different cities or towns in Canada. Twenty-third annual convocation.

Proceedings of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Canada at the annual convocation, 1881

Annual Convocation proceedings for the year 1881. The title varies slightly and convocation is held at different cities or towns in Canada. Twenty-fourth annual convocation.

Proceedings of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Canada at the annual convocation, 1882

Annual Convocation proceedings for the year 1882. The title varies slightly and convocation is held at different cities or towns in Canada. Twenty-fifth annual convocation.

Proceedings of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Canada at the annual convocation, 1883

Annual Convocation proceedings for the year 1883. The title varies slightly and convocation is held at different cities or towns in Canada. Twenty-sixth annual convocation.

Proceedings of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Canada at the annual convocation, 1884

Annual Convocation proceedings for the year 1884. The title varies slightly and convocation is held at different cities or towns in Canada. Twenty-seventh annual convocation.

Proceedings of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Canada at the annual convocation, 1885

Annual Convocation proceedings for the year 1885. The title varies slightly and convocation is held at different cities or towns in Canada. Twenty-eighth annual convocation.