A recent survey of 1,000 Canadians found that the Raptors have overtaken the Conservatives as the most popular political party in the country. Based on the polling results, an election held today would return a majority Raptors government.

In an exclusive interview with MJPSatire, chief pollster Andrew McBaskets broke down the numbers even further: 54 per cent of Canadians list the Raptors as their preferred party, while a full two-thirds name Kawhi Leonard as their preferred prime ministerial candidate.

The results were consistent across the country, with over half of Albertans and Quebecers agreeing that the Raptors are best prepared to govern. University of Calgary professor Kiana Michels explained the significance of these results, telling MJPSatire that “we haven’t seen such national unity in Canada since, well, ever.”

According to McBaskets, the poll numbers capture only a moment in time and attitudes are likely to shift as Canadians, particularly Quebecers and Albertans, start remembering that the Raptors are from Toronto. In fact, a concurrent poll found significantly less support for the party when it was listed as the “Toronto Raptors.”

Time will tell how the Raptors’ newfound popularity plays out in Canadian politics, but it’s clear that both the Liberals and the Conservatives now have more than just each other to worry about.

This piece is part of the MJPS Satire section. Although potentially based on true events, it is not intended to accurately portray reality. Opinions expressed through this article are solely those of the author and do not reflect the position of the McGill Journal of Political Studies or the Political Science Students’ Association. 


Featured image by Lauren Hill