Emma McIntosh
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emmamci.bsky.social
Emma McIntosh
@emmamci.bsky.social
11K followers 790 following 160 posts
Investigations @thestar.com. Formerly @thenarwhal.ca. Fan of FOI and lake swims. Hosted Paydirt, a podcast miniseries about the Greenbelt scandal. Signal: emmamci.76
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emmamci.bsky.social
Fric, a former NDP candidate, runs a very popular X account called Polling Canada and writes a bit for 338Canada.

His work at Cardinal Research has been picked up by 338 and by CBC's polling aggregator. Cardinal has also polled recently on the the Calgary/Edmonton mayoral races
Phillippe J. Fournier, the editor in chief of 338Canada, told the Star he was aware of Cardinal Research’s connection to Davies and scrutinizes its polls accordingly. 338Canada gives the firm a relatively low rating, which means its results sway the site’s projections less than other pollsters. “If I see that the numbers are trying to not measure the narrative, but drive the narrative, I would certainly call them out,” Fournier said, adding that he hasn’t seen reason to distrust Cardinal’s work so far. The firm’s finding of higher levels of support for the Alberta Republican Party was “maybe a tad high, but it’s not implausible,” he said, noting that it hasn’t been confirmed by other pollsters yet. “I know Curtis (Fric), and he told me ‘I’m the one doing the numbers, and nobody else.’ And so his word was good enough for me, because I’ve known him online for years, and we spoke on the phone a few times. He’s extremely diligent with his work.” When it was released in September, Cardinal’s Alberta poll didn’t set off red flags for Grenier of the Writ. New pollsters are always treated with skepticism, he says. But elections are the only real test of a pollster’s accuracy, he says, and Cardinal had “okay results” in some recent provincial races and their methodology in Alberta seemed reasonable, Grenier said. Their results also seemed “plausible,” given the RPA’s showing in recent byelections. Grenier worked on CBC’s Poll Tracker for the 2025 federal election and included a Cardinal survey in the model. CBC spokesperson Chuck Thompson said the broadcaster only adds polls to its tracker if they were commissioned by media outlets or independently self-commissioned by polling firms, and that it weights them based on the track record of the pollster. “Polls commissioned by political parties, interest groups or advocacy organizations are excluded,” Thompson said in an email. “Irrespective of any ownership ties, this poll met that criteria.” Thompson did not answer when asked whether CBC will include Cardinal’s polls in the future.
October 17, 2025 at 2:46 PM
emmamci.bsky.social
Corporate records show Cardinal Research was incorporated as a trade name of one of Davies' companies back in 2024. Davies confirmed the connection to the Star, then later appeared to try to walk it back.

Cardinal's lead researcher Curtis Fric denied it outright.
Davies said that prior to the sale, he was only “loosely involved” with Cardinal and played no role in Cardinal Research’s surveys. Those operations were led, Davies said, by a “very sharp gentleman” named Curtis Fric, Cardinal’s Ontario-based lead researcher and the public face of the polling firm. In an earlier interview with the Star, Fric had denied any connection between Cardinal Research and Davies or the Alberta Republican Party. He did not answer followup questions about the apparent discrepancy between his account and the one later given by Davies.
October 17, 2025 at 2:46 PM
emmamci.bsky.social
When I left Calgary I was excited to stop having my summers ruined by wildfire smoke so much. Joke's on me I guess!
a fire smoke map showing the smoke missing Calgary but covering Toronto
June 9, 2025 at 3:15 PM
emmamci.bsky.social
Finally picked up my copy of @gabrielledrolet.bsky.social’s book and you should too!!
A hand holding a copy of “look ma, no hands,” a book by Gabrielle Drolet
May 28, 2025 at 10:36 PM
emmamci.bsky.social
Today is my first day with @thestar.com’s investigations team. It’s a real dream job in a million ways. Grateful to be here and excited to get started!

My new inbox is open for tips: emcintosh@thestar.ca
A sign that says “Toronto star”
April 14, 2025 at 5:29 PM
emmamci.bsky.social
This is truly surreal! Congrats to the other nominees — these are such revelatory, amazing stories and I’m baffled but honoured to see one I wrote among them.

All the kudos in the world to editor extraordinaire @elaineanselmi.bsky.social as well 🥳
2024 Ca] AWARDS FINALISTS Ficedom of Information Jourralism ALLISON JONES The Canadian Press Ontario hospitals, LT homes spent nearly $1B on agency staff last year EMMA MCINTOSH The Narwhal Containment breached A PRESSE CAROLINE TOUZIN, ARIANE LACOURSIÈRE La Presse Centres jeunesse et foyers de groupe de la DPJ: De plus en plus de mesures de contention ou d'isolement THOMAS GERBET Radio-Canada Northvolt: Québec a retiré des arguments scientifiques de son analyse AMANDA FOLLETT HOSGOOD BC legally collected personal info tied to the Wet suweten conflict This award is kindly sponsored by the Ken and Debbie Rubin Public Interest Advocacy Fund
April 4, 2025 at 8:08 PM
emmamci.bsky.social
Best thing I did in 2024 was see some owls!! After a four-year owl drought I finally found some, and some finally found me. Shoutout every owl (not pictured, two northern hawk owls seen on a reporting trip) 🦉
A sleepy saw-whet owl in a tree A sleepy long-eared owl in a tree An awake barred owl in a tree A screech owl in the hollow of a tree
December 31, 2024 at 7:38 PM
emmamci.bsky.social
also I will simply never get over spike field. iykyk
an illustration titled "spike field" that shows large, menacing-looking spikes casting shadows on an area of flat land with tiny people walking around them. A caption at the bottom reads: Figure 4.3-3. Spike Field, view 1 (concept and art by Michael Brill)
November 28, 2024 at 5:25 PM