Before the campaign kicks off...

Dear 338Canada readers,

A few thoughts before the federal campaign kicks off:

Many new readers have asked "who the hell are you" and "who funds your site" (not necessarily in a nice way). Here: My name is Philippe J. Fournier, I teach physics and astrophysics in a public college in Montreal. I do not have any affiliation with any political party, neither provincial nor federal, and both Qc125 and 338Canada are my creations that I funded myself. The website generates modest revenue through Google Adsense advertising. I say "modest" because there is absolutely no way I could quit my day job to run this site. Ad revenue just simply isn't enough. I do it as a side gig and out of pure passion.
About advertising that you will see on the website: The ads are generated by the Google algorithm based on cookies that are stored in your phone or computer. I have no control over them, nor would I want to. Some of you will see ads for hardware stores, others will see dating sites, it depends on your internet browsing and has nothing to do with me.
Almost assuredly, you will see political ads on the website. It could be from political parties or registered third parties. Again, I have no control over this. Last year during the Ontario and Quebec elections, readers sent me screenshots of my website with ads for the PC or Liberals or the Parti Québécois. Please don't. It does not "prove" any bias, since I don't control any of it. It will happen, and it will be different depending on whose computer or phone you are using.
Remember: those who accuse me of bias are usually the most die hard partisans. How ironic.
About my contribution with other media: I write occasional columns for L'actualité, Maclean's, and I will comment the election on CTV Montreal. The people in charge of those media have all been incredibly nice to me, and have given me absolute 100% freedom. I have never received any editorial directive by any of those media, and I would immediately quit if they did. Nobody tells me what to write or say.
Starting this Sunday August 25th, 2019, the 338Canada website will be updated daily. As new polls are published and their full tables are made available, the vote/seat/odds projection will all be updated in (almost) real-time. ("Daily" is close to "real time", is it not?)
The projections are based on polls, demographic data and past trends. They have correctly called the winner in 91% of districts in three provincial elections (see results here and here). Translation: it's good, but it's not gospel. Remember: This also means the model was wrong in 9% of districts (out of those 9%, about more than half were leanings or toss ups). The House of Commons has 338 seats, meaning that if this ratio is maintained, the model will miss about 30 districts. Please remember that.
If a poll comes out, please don't send me an email to warn me about it. I have received about 50 of those emails just last week and it fills up my inbox. I know it comes from a good place, and that you are trying to be nice (which I appreciate), but please worry not: I am on top of it.
If you follow 338 on Facebook, you must have noticed that many comments disappear. When a thread gets out of hand with trolls trolling or people fighting, deleting the whole thread is a real time-saver for me. If I delete one of your comments, it may be because the thread that followed got out of hand.

Once again, this website would have never worked out without readers, so I am very grateful to all of you - especially those who share this page and comment respectfully.

Thank you all.

Philippe J. Fournier

Philippe J. Fournier is the creator of Qc125 and 338Canada. He teaches physics and astronomy at Cégep de Saint-Laurent in Montreal. For information or media request, please write to info@Qc125.com.

Philippe J. Fournier est le créateur de Qc125 et 338Canada. Il est professeur de physique et d'astronomie au Cégep de Saint-Laurent à Montréal. Pour toute information ou pour une demande d'entrevue médiatique, écrivez à info@Qc125.com.