From the moment Canadians cast their ballots in the 2019 federal election, it was clear that the Canadian democratic system was in need of reform. Despite the fact that only one in four Canadians voted for the party that formed government, the current system of “first past the post” voting allowed the party to form a government with only a plurality of votes. This, combined with the lack of representation of marginalized communities in decision-making processes, the insufficient accountability of political actors, and the role of money in Canadian politics, has resulted in a lack of fairness in the system. In this essay, I will argue that the Canadian democratic system is characterized by certain flaws which continue to impede the ability of individuals to access fair representation, these include the over-emphasis of for-partisan politics, inadequate representation of marginalized communities in decision-making processes, and the insufficient accountability of political actors.
The Canadian democratic system has been plagued by an over-emphasis of partisan politics, which has resulted in a lack of fair representation for Canadians across the country. This is evidenced by the fact that in 2019, only one in four Canadians voted for the party that formed government, indicating that the majority of Canadians were not represented in the decision-making process. Furthermore, the Canadian electoral system is designed to be a winner-takes-all system, meaning that the party with the most votes is given all the power, regardless of how small the margin of victory may be. This has led to a situation where the majority of Canadians are not adequately represented in the government, as their voices are not heard in the decision-making process. This over-emphasis of partisan politics in the Canadian democratic system has resulted in a lack of fair representation for Canadians across the country, which is a clear indication of the flaws in the system. For example, in the 2019 federal election, the Liberal Party won a majority government with only 33.1% of the popular vote, while the Conservative Party, which received 34.4% of the popular vote, was relegated to the opposition. This demonstrates how the current system is not providing Canadians with an equal opportunity to have their voices heard in the government. It is clear that the Canadian democratic system needs to be reformed in order to ensure that all Canadians are fairly represented in the decision-making process.
The Canadian democratic system is often criticized for its lack of fairness, and this is largely due to the over-emphasis of partisan politics. However, another factor that contributes to this lack of fairness is the inadequate representation of marginalized communities in decision-making processes. For example, Indigenous Canadians make up 5% of the population, yet only 1.4% of the House of Commons is held by Indigenous representatives. This is further evidenced by the fact that Indigenous Canadians are significantly underrepresented in the Senate, with only 6 of the 105 seats held by Indigenous Senators. This lack of representation has been a long-standing issue in Canadian politics, with Indigenous Canadians having been historically excluded from the political process since the country's founding in 1867. This has resulted in a lack of meaningful representation for Indigenous Canadians, as their voices are not adequately heard in the decision-making process. Consequently, this inadequate representation of marginalized communities in decision-making processes further contributes to the lack of fairness in the Canadian democratic system.Moreover, the lack of accountability of political actors has further impeded the ability of individuals to access fair representation. For instance, in 2018, the Canadian government passed Bill C-75, a major piece of legislation which aimed to reform the criminal justice system, without the input of opposition parties or the public. Similarly, the government was able to pass the Cannabis Act of 2018 without any input from the public or opposition parties. This lack of accountability has resulted in the government having unchecked power to pass legislation without any input from the public or opposition parties, thus limiting the ability of individuals to access fair representation. Additionally, the lack of accountability of political actors has caused a lack of transparency in the decision-making process, further contributing to the lack of fairness in the system. This demonstrates that the Canadian democratic system is characterized by certain flaws which continue to impede the ability of individuals to access fair representation.
Building on the previous point, another factor that contributes to a lack of fairness in the Canadian democratic system is the current system of “first past the post” voting. Under this system, a party can form a government with only a plurality of votes, rather than a majority. This was demonstrated in the 2019 federal election, when the Liberal Party won a minority government with only 33.1% of the popular vote, meaning that a party can gain power without the support of the majority of the population, thus creating an unequal representation of the public in the government. Furthermore, this system also leads to a situation in which a party can win a majority of seats in parliament with only a minority of the votes, as was the case in the 2011 federal election when the Conservative Party won a majority government with only 39.6% of the popular vote. This demonstrates how the current system of “first past the post” voting further contributes to a lack of fairness in the Canadian democratic system.
The Canadian democratic system is characterized by certain flaws which impede the ability of individuals to access fair representation, and the lack of transparency and accountability when it comes to the role of lobbyists in the Canadian political system is yet another example of this. Lobbyists are often employed by corporations and other powerful entities to influence the decisions of politicians, and their activities are often shrouded in secrecy, meaning that the voices of marginalized communities are often not heard. This lack of transparency has led to policies being passed that do not reflect the interests of all Canadians, as evidenced by the 2018 tax reform bill which was heavily influenced by corporate lobbyists and resulted in a tax cut for the wealthiest Canadians while leaving the majority of Canadians with no benefit. This demonstrates how the influence of lobbyists can lead to policies that are not fair or equitable, and thus further undermines the ability of individuals to access fair representation.
The role of money in Canadian politics has been a major factor in impeding the ability of individuals to access fair representation. Political parties are able to accept large donations from corporations and other special interest groups, which can influence the decisions of elected officials. This has allowed for the wealthy and powerful to have undue influence in the political process, while the voices of marginalized communities are often left unheard. Additionally, the lack of transparency around campaign finance has been a source of frustration for many Canadians, as it makes it difficult to track who is donating to whom and for what purpose. This further contributes to a lack of fairness in the Canadian democratic system, as it allows for the privileged to have a disproportionate amount of influence in the political process. This highlights the flaws of the Canadian democratic system, as it fails to provide individuals with equal access to representation.
The Canadian democratic system is plagued by a lack of fairness, which is further perpetuated by the fact that the Senate is appointed by the government rather than elected by the people. This means that the Senate does not represent the interests of all Canadians, as it is composed of individuals appointed by the government, rather than elected by the people. This lack of accountability further undermines the ability of individuals to access fair representation within the system, as the Senate is not held to the same level of scrutiny as the House of Commons. This is evidenced by the fact that their decisions and policies are not subject to the same level of scrutiny as those of elected representatives. These issues demonstrate the flaws in the Canadian democratic system which continue to impede the ability of individuals to access fair representation.
The Canadian democratic system has been widely criticized for its lack of gender parity in decision-making processes. In 2019, women only held less than one-third of seats in the House of Commons, and even fewer in the Senate, thus perpetuating the unequal power dynamics that have long been the norm in Canadian politics. This lack of representation further contributes to a lack of fairness in the system, as women are still disproportionately affected by policies that are passed without their input. This means that their voices are not being adequately heard or taken into account, further undermining the ability of individuals to access fair representation within the Canadian democratic system. These issues of gender parity and lack of accountability demonstrate the flaws in the Canadian democratic system which continue to impede the ability of individuals to access fair representation.
The lack of a proportional representation system in Canada is a major source of frustration for many citizens, as it perpetuates a system of majority rule which does not always reflect the needs and views of all citizens. This system, known as the first-past-the-post system, allows a party to form a government with only a minority of the vote, thus creating an unequal balance of power and limiting the ability of individuals to access fair representation. Moreover, this system also makes it difficult for small and third-party candidates to gain traction in the electoral process, further exacerbating the issue of fairness. These issues demonstrate that the lack of a proportional representation system in Canada further contributes to a lack of fairness in the system, and thus, it is essential that the government takes steps to ensure that all citizens have access to fair representation.
The lack of public engagement in the Canadian democratic system has been a source of frustration for many Canadians, evidenced by the steady decline in voter turnout in federal elections since the 1960s. In 2019, only 64.8% of eligible voters cast their ballots, demonstrating a lack of engagement with the political process and a lack of faith in the system. This further contributes to a lack of fairness in the Canadian democratic system, as citizens are not actively engaging in the democratic process and thus their voices are not being heard. This lack of public engagement is indicative of a larger problem with the Canadian democratic system, as it indicates that individuals are not being given the opportunity to have their voices heard and their interests represented. This is yet another example of how the Canadian democratic system is characterized by certain flaws which continue to impede the ability of individuals to access fair representation.
In conclusion, the Canadian democratic system is characterized by certain flaws which continue to impede the ability of individuals to access fair representation. These include the over-emphasis of partisan politics, inadequate representation of marginalized communities in decision-making processes, the insufficient accountability of political actors, the lack of transparency and accountability when it comes to the role of lobbyists, the role of money in Canadian politics, the lack of a proportional representation system, and the lack of public engagement in the democratic process. These flaws demonstrate a lack of fairness in the system, and ultimately limit the ability of individuals to access fair representation. It is clear that in order for Canadians to access fair representation, the Canadian democratic system must be reformed to address these issues. Only then will Canadians be able to access the fair representation that they deserve.
