Canada’s largest media union, the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada is concerned that the slashing of jobs at media outlets across the country will mean a reduction in local coverage of the upcoming federal election.

“Since the last federal election, hundreds and hundreds of jobs have been cut from newsrooms right across the country, in both newspapers and television stations. As a result, local candidates are not going to get the coverage they deserve and Canada’s election process will further mirror the presidential campaigns of the United States, with attention devoted to party leaders, not local representatives and local issues,” said Peter Murdoch, vice-president, media, for the union said in a press release.

J-Source has a team of people from across the country keeping an eye on how local outlets will handle this election. If an outlet in your area is doing something unique or innovative with its coverage as things progress, let us know. How have stretched resources affected the local coverage where you live, if at all? How much have local outlets transferred coverage to the web and how has this changed things? How are outlets reaching out to readers, viewers and listeners with interactive elements? These are just a few of the things J-Source will be watching for in in the coming weeks as the election campaign heats up.

We’ll see if Murdoch turns out to be right.