How Mis/Disinformation is Driving Alberta to the Right, Part 2: the 2023 Provincial Election

This article is part two of a two-part series by Broadbent Institute Emerging Leader Parul Kanwar. Click here to read Part 1: Understanding the Origins

Right-wing organizers in Alberta have mastered a significant political weapon: the strategic manipulation of cultural values and fears through mis/disinformation campaigns. The 2023 provincial election serves as a case study of these tactics at work, particularly in Calgary’s diverse ridings where targeted messaging through social media platforms and community networks helped secure razor-thin victories for conservative candidates.

By dissecting the anatomy of these campaigns — from fabricated social media posts to carefully crafted messaging that exploited cultural anxieties — we can understand how digital manipulation and “parental rights” rhetoric are reshaping Alberta’s political landscape. The implications of these strategies offer critical lessons for protecting democratic discourse across Canada, revealing pathways forward through community-centered approaches that emphasize mutual learning and genuine collaboration rather than top-down solutions. showing how progressives can build resilient coalitions that resist the fracturing effects of mis/disinformation.

The 2023 Alberta Elections and How Mis/Disinformation Spreads

The 2023 Alberta provincial election highlighted nuanced voting patterns in culturally diverse ridings targeted by mis/disinformation campaigns, where stoking reaction or complacency gave the UCP an advantage in an otherwise centre-left constituency. The ridings of Calgary Cross and Calgary East, with their significant immigrant populations, exemplified the potential impact of targeted misinformation campaigns in the 2023 Alberta provincial election. According to the 2021 Census, Calgary Cross reported an immigrant population of 45.3%, with 85.2% originating from Asia and Africa, while Calgary East’s demographic composition included 35.8% immigrants, of whom over 82% were of Asian and African descent (Statistics Canada, 2021). In these constituencies, UCP candidates secured narrow victories: less than 3% in Calgary Cross and less than 5% in Calgary East. Evidence of misinformation targeting these communities emerged in the form of “attack on parents” and an attempt to “sever the bond between parents and children” circulated widely in the weeks leading up to the election. 

An example of the mis/disinformation seen during the 2023 election campaign was a fabricated social media post attributed to Rachel Notley, the former leader of the Alberta New Democratic Party. This email, characterized by numerous spelling and grammar mistakes, gained significant traction within ethnic community networks, primarily through online platforms such as WeChat and WhatsApp. It is also unknown who created the screenshot image and how it made its way into circulation among the social networks of diaspora groups in Alberta. It circulated on these networks as a screenshot of a purported tweet by Notley stating: 

“I am a pround [sic] trans rights activist, and here [sic] is no place for christian [sic] fascism in our province. If elected I am committed to ensuring that the kids of alberta [sic] have access to gender affirming surgeries without requiring parental consent, and that non-supportive parents who do not affirm their childs [sic] chosen gender face criminal charges. Enough is Enough”.

Though its origins remain unknown, the fake post was crafted to address contentious issues related to transgender rights, parental consent, and religious values—which are issues that would elicit strong reactions within certain demographic groups.¹ Though the Alberta NDP and Rachel Notley have previously committed to defending the human rights of people with diverse genders and sexualities, as well as those of diverse religious, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds, the implicit tensions between these commitments sparked controversy among certain communities, further fueled by the fake post. 

The post’s message, despite mentioning “christian fascism,” was designed to resonate with religiously conservative voters of various faiths.This approach exploited the complex relationship between traditional religious values, often held by many immigrant communities, and progressive stances on LGBTQ+ rights. The misinformation campaign targeted communities where this would be viewed through a conservative religious or cultural lens. The misinformation campaign exploited linguistic barriers in diaspora communities through strategic use of platforms like WhatsApp and WeChat.² By disseminating information in various languages, the campaign often employed subtle mistranslations that altered the meaning of policies or statements, particularly regarding LGBTQ+ rights and education. 

The narrow margins by which some ethnically diverse ridings were decided suggest a relationship between these dis/misinformation campaigns and electoral outcomes. However, it is crucial to note that establishing a definitive causal relationship would require more comprehensive empirical research. Nonetheless, this situation underscores the urgent need for enhanced media literacy initiatives and fact-checking resources tailored to diverse, multilingual communities. Multilingual fact-checking websites and hotlines, cultural competency training for journalists, partnerships with community leaders to disseminate accurate information, and multilingual digital literacy workshops are just a few tenable options.

The messaging and tone employed in these campaigns were meticulously crafted, targeting the ‘movable middle’; those individuals whose opinions can be changed. Other circulated social media messages often exploited religious and cultural trauma, leveraging deeply ingrained fears and sensitivities within different diaspora communities. A common refrain in these campaigns was the need to “protect the children” by keeping certain topics out of schools, and as a result, certain political candidates and parties associated with these topics. This seemingly agreeable concern for children’s safety acted as a dog whistle, activating reaction while not appearing overtly discriminatory. This type of paternalistic rhetoric often adopts an infantilizing tone, equating vulnerable groups, like transgender individuals, with children who need protection³, or a tone that insinuates that diasporic communities need to align with right-wing political groups to protect their cultural values.

This approach appeals to traditional values held in many immigrant communities, while simultaneously undermining the agency of marginalized groups and the deliberate nature of this messaging is key to its effectiveness. It strategically taps into existing concerns and cultural perspectives, particularly around family structures and social norms. By framing issues in ways that resonate with deeply held beliefs, the campaign obscures its manipulative intent from its target audience, exploiting the complex interplay between cultural preservation and social change. These divisions are recognized within cultural and religious groups themselves, highlighting that these communities are not monolithic. 

Progressive voices from within these diverse communities have spoken out against the reactionary tactics, challenging misinformation campaigns and emphasizing the compatibility of their faith with human rights and social progress. For instance, while the Muslim Association of Canada stated their support for the 2023 protests, other prominent Canadian Muslim community leaders condemned the attacks on the 2SLGBTQ+ community. The divisions stoked by right-wing tactics primarily centered on social issues, particularly LGBTQ+ rights and education policies. Progressive Muslims found themselves in a complex position, contending not only with Islamophobic elements from the political right but also with opposition or disengagement from more conservative members within their own communities. This internal discord was often fueled by disinformation campaigns that framed progressive policies as threats to traditional family values and religious practices.

Right-wing groups have leveraged communication platforms popular in diasporic communities for targeted mis/disinformation campaigns. While platforms like WhatsApp facilitate rapid information sharing within closed groups, others such as Facebook and YouTube use algorithms that can amplify emotional content over facts. Canadian content restrictions on some platforms have also pushed users towards less regulated alternatives. This diverse digital ecosystem presents varied challenges for information integrity, with each platform offering unique vulnerabilities that can be exploited for spreading misleading information within immigrant communities. The ease with which mis/disinformation proliferates is due largely to the closed nature of social media and high trust levels that users maintain in their “private” groups. As well, the absence of challenges explains the use of alternative communications platforms that promote credibly-curated information sources, such as traditional news media and verified journalistic organizations, meaning that users from vulnerable groups develop a dependence on these platforms. These established private communication patterns within diaspora groups, effectively bypass traditional media filters that emphasize journalistic integrity. 

Research into disinformation targeting communities of color is often defined by arguments that false information originates online as part of a directed propaganda strategy designed to mislead or even radicalize its recipients. However, other research indicates that the “online first” model of polarizing techno-propaganda is less relevant for certain communities of color. A study finds that mis/disinformation purposefully designed to manipulate voters from communities of colour are actually circulated mostly through offline channels, such as deceptive “mailers” and misleading campaign advertising in print news, on TV, radio, and even billboards.⁴ Communities of color are most harmed by a lack of consistent access to accurate, trusted, local information, and by the second-order effects of political disinformation, which create barriers to their participation in civic life. While online platforms do pose a problem in widely disseminating harmful contents, there is a lack of institutions that provide credible information that are accessible to ethnic, religious, and cultural minority communities to begin with.

To navigate these complex and sometimes conflicting priorities across diverse constituents, progressives must develop a nuanced understanding of the specific concerns driving different communities to support these movements, the rhetorical strategies successfully employed by conservative organizers, and the underlying social and cultural factors that make these messages resonate across diverse groups. By gaining this deeper understanding, progressives can defuse tensions, reveal underlying commonalities, and counter right-wing scapegoating, recognizing the complexity of identity politics and the nuance of group motivations.

Moving Forward

Mis/disinformation campaigns surrounding the 2023 Alberta election and other recent Canadian elections have often been driven by political and commercial motivations. The success of business-friendly, right-wing governments has frequently resulted in lax regulations for online platforms, allowing minimal moderation of misleading content. This regulatory environment facilitates the spread of disinformation that can benefit certain political agendas, particularly by stoking reactionary tendencies through appeals to conservative value sets. The complexity of this issue demands a multifaceted response. Progressive movements working towards equity must understand these tactics that have favored right-wing movements, especially when they provoke division among working-class and racialized communities. Progressives need to consider several concurrent approaches to combating digital mis/disinformation. These strategies should address not only the content of misinformation but also the underlying regulatory issues and the specific vulnerabilities of targeted communities.

I do not suggest that engaging with diverse communities should be framed as an opportunity to ‘educate’ them. Instead, progressives must facilitate mutual learning and genuine collaboration to strengthen our social movements. It is crucial to avoid dismissing or neglecting ethnic and religious minorities when their views seem to diverge from progressive stances, particularly when these divergences are amplified by far-right rhetoric. These differences often stem from complex historical, cultural, and socioeconomic factors rather than inherently conflicting values. A new approach must recognize the inherent wisdom, experiences, and insights these communities possess, acknowledging that effective solutions emerge from respectful dialogue and shared understanding.

For the short term, real-time fact-checking is vital for pushing back against online mis/disinformation. Several international newswire services such as Reuters and AFP provide fact-checking services that include Canadian news content, debunking common threads of mis/disinformation circulating on social media platforms. During electoral contests, these services could be valuable tools for countering content designed to stoke reactions based on conservative values. However, their effectiveness depends on strategic dissemination by progressive activists embedded in platforms serving racial and religious minority communities. This approach requires building trust and credibility within these online spaces, which should become an integral part of community engagement strategies for progressive movements. To be impactful, these fact-checking efforts need active and reactive engagement to provide a strong counter-narrative, especially during fast-paced electoral campaigns. Success hinges on culturally sensitive communication, partnership with community leaders, and ongoing efforts to improve digital literacy within diverse communities.

A number of practical program initiatives could help address the challenges of mis/disinformation and political disengagement. These efforts should be community-centric and tailored to specific regional and linguistic contexts. The use of familiar relationships and trusted community networks is particularly relevant for immigrant and minority communities to combat the wedge politics that can disengage or provoke reactionary responses. This approach also requires accurate information about electoral processes be available in a variety of languages and in accessible formats. As Nguyễn argues, such culturally and linguistically sensitive strategies are crucial for effective civic engagement across diverse communities.⁵ More civic support for communities where English is not the dominant language is especially necessary to encourage democratic engagement. Historically, these diverse constituencies have shown lower rates of political participation compared to more homogenous areas, a trend that predates the proliferation of online dis/misinformation . This existing gap in engagement makes these communities particularly vulnerable to the effects of misleading information campaigns.

In the medium-term, to create a more inclusive democracy, progressives across Canada need to better understand the significance of electoral mis/disinformation campaigns targeting racialized, religious, and diasporic communities. Discussions in Canada about public trust in civic institutions must move away from top-down models that are derived from the perspectives of people in power. These top-down models typically involve policies, outreach strategies, and engagement initiatives designed by government officials, established political organizations, or academic experts without sufficient input from affected communities. Instead, discussions should include insights from the working-class, grassroots level of people coming from these communities. Efforts for community empowerment must bring up the voices of the least engaged to understand why they refrain from democratic participation.

Legislative discussions about regulating the tech sector and content moderation must also include equitable representation from minority groups so that their experiences and opinions inform these discussions and any subsequent policy decisions.

For people existing at the intersection of diaspora and queer identities, this becomes especially challenging to reconcile when the focus should not be on internal divisions within progressive movements for rights and equality, but against strengthening anti-democratic forces. Singling out communities of color should not be viewed as an effort to ‘educate’. Rather, Canadian progressives must work to support, listen, and learn from these communities so that they can build a movement to fight the deluge of disinformation and enable civic engagement. If progressives choose to neglect these communities’ equitable inclusion and ignore this fight against divisive mis/disinformation, Canadian democracy will deteriorate. 

Alberta’s 2023 election illustrates the potential consequences of unchecked mis/disinformation campaigns targeting diverse communities. The success of these tactics, as evidenced by the electoral outcomes, has emboldened Premier Danielle Smith’s administration to pursue policies that challenge progressive values. This trend serves as a warning for progressives across Canada about the far-reaching implications of allowing such divisive strategies to proliferate unchallenged.

Notes