M&C Consulting and Qweries Launch Prototype “Canadian Election Platform Resources”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ottawa, Seattle | April 21, 2011 What questions do you have about Canada’s party platforms as you prepare your vote in the May 2 general election? As they stand, do the current platforms make you want to vote? If so, how? If not, why?

That’s the goal of “Canadian Election Platform Resources,” a community site where Canadians help one another dissect and decipher party platforms.

“We’re hoping to provide accessible, crowdsourced answers to the questions Canadians care about,” said Giovanna Mingarelli, the Principal and Founder of M&C Consulting, a communications and crowdsourcing company; one of two companies driving the project.

“Infusing the election with the wisdom of crowds can lead to more open campaigns and enhanced participation on the part of voters.”

The site has launched with a handful questions about education and childcare, including some of specific interest to students, First Nations community and women. Political parties and voters are encouraged to vote and add topics to the existing platforms.

“It’s a huge challenge for voters to find out where parties stand on the issues that matter to them,” said Jon Pincus, the Founder and Chief Technology Officer of the emerging Q&A web-startup, Qweries, which provides the infrastructure for the website.

“The information is there in the party platforms, but it takes a lot of time. A question-and-answer format makes it easy for people to find answers.”

Testing two different technology approaches to see which sparks the most involvement, the English site is found at canadianelectionpartyplatforms2011.ca and the French-language site is found via programmeelectoralelections2011.ca.

About the Companies

M&C Consulting: launching in Spring 2011, M&C Consulting is a communications and action branding company, blending crowdsourced technology with traditional marketing strategies to help clients turn intentions into action. With over 10 years experience at the federal level of government, Giovanna is also known for her work with Equal Voice: Electing Women in Canada and as a leading superhero on IfWeRanTheWorld.

Qweries: Founded by Jon Pincus, a former Microsoft executive, Qweries helps everybody find answers, have conversations, and share information by prioritizing diversity and design. Jon is also known for his involvement in election protection projects like the Voter Suppression Wiki and Twitter Vote Report.

For more information, please contact:

Jean-François Del Torchio

Jeanfrancois {at} mingarelli {dot} co

819-921-5003