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Experts: Joe Biden’s presidential inauguration

Published: 19 January 2021

Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th president of the United States on Wednesday under a pledge to "heal" the country as it grapples with an ongoing pandemic, economic uncertainty and deep political divisions. Extra security measures will be in place following the violence that erupted at the U.S. Capitol on January 6 as rioters sought to stop Congress from certifying the president-elect's win over Donald Trump. (CBC News)

Here are some experts from McGill University that can provide comment on this issue:

Daniel Béland, James McGill Professor, Department of Political Science and Director, McGill Institute for the Study of Canada

“We cannot underestimate how significant the transition from the Trump to the Biden administration is for Canada. For instance, soon after inauguration, the Biden administration is likely to take rapid policy actions on key economic, public health, and environmental issues that are likely to have a direct impact on Canada. Some Canadians will applaud these decisions, but others are likely to oppose them.”

Daniel Béland is the Director of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada and James McGill Professor of Political Science. He specializes in the fields of Canadian and comparative politics, as well as the study of public policy, including social policy.

daniel.beland [at] mcgill.ca (English, French)

Barry Eidlin, Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology

“President-elect Biden has built his career by being a political weathervane and based on the proposals his transition team has unveiled so far, it looks like he feels the winds blowing to the left. His pandemic relief package could be bigger, but at least begins to address the magnitude of the crisis. Still, this should not obscure the fact that these measures mainly look good by comparison to the shambolic pandemic response of the Trump administration. They fall far short of what other countries have been able to implement.”

Barry Eidlin is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology. As a comparative historical sociologist, his research explores the changing relationship between social mobilization, political processes, and ideology in advanced capitalist democracies.

barry.eidlin [at] mcgill.ca (English, French)

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