Canada's Democracy Is In Jeopardy

[maplesyrup]

Why Johnny won't vote

If people rationally calculated the costs and benefits of voting, most would likely abstain. Yet, however low the perceived stakes may be, most people do vote. What motivates many is a sense of duty. Seventy-five per cent of our respondents strongly agreed that "It is every citizen's duty to vote in federal elections," and 32 per cent said that they'd feel very guilty if they didn't vote in a federal election. Seventy-six per cent of those with a strong sense of duty said that they were certain to vote. That figure rose to 87 per cent among those who said that they would feel very guilty if they failed to vote.

However, young Canadians are much less likely to share these sentiments: Only 55 per cent strongly agreed with the statement about duty, and only 18 per cent said that not voting would make them feel very guilty.

If a diminished sense of duty is part of the explanation for declining turnout among young Canadians, reversing that trend is clearly going to be a long-term challenge.

There is a serious malaise amongst a lot of potential Canadian voters concerning Canada's electoral process.

It is a shame that so many Canadians feel disconnected from our political process, and there is nothing on the federal horizon that is going to reverse this trend, of fewer and fewer Canadians participating in our voting process.

[Big Blue Machine]

I think the most of the youth (some are interested in politics) see politicans as old grump greedy farts. Some are, like Paul Martin :

[caesar]

let's face it; we haven't had any real good candidates to vote for. Most of our voting is just to prevent the party/leader we dislike the most from getting in.

[willy]

Who is a good candidate then?

Name one.

[caesar]

acutely???????? do you mean actual????

ME

[Slavik44]

well if political parties could throw in some Charisma, it would help. To often I hear about policy geared towards the young, but really if the young are not listening that becomes useless. Personally i blevie most younger voters are ones who are really into politics, like myself, and are simply willing to put up with a bunch of relativley un-interesting people, interupt each other every 10 seconds.

But politicians make it worse by demanding lots of expirence to be able to have the honour to screw this country over, which eliminates basically eliminates the candidacy of the few young party members there are.

[takeanumber]

A review of the ballot from 2004:

Grumpy, grey, white man who thinks everything is a priority.

Grumpy, bitter, white man who would have sent young ppl to Iraq.

Grumpy, grey, white man who is slimey.

Grumpy, grey, white man who wants to break up the country.

Such choice!

[willy]

Caesar, run then and see if anybody will vote for you.

Until then I like the Grumpy, bitter, white man who would have sent young ppl to Iraq.

Again, do we not have anyone with at least one name. In the whole country you must know of someone.

I like who ran for the conservatives for the most part. The grass is not always greener.

[maplesyrup]

I think the most of the youth (some are interested in politics) see politicans as old grump greedy farts. Some are, like Paul Martin :

We need some current day Canadian political heroes like Louis Reil!

[Cartman]

Older folks vote b/c they feel they have invested more over time, have more experience and have the time to consider issues. Political ruins await any politician that ignores the elderly and they know it. Youth are given lip service b/c they will do little about it. For example, the student loan service is in shambles and even during the last election with some vulnerable gov't members, little effort was made to sway their attention. This was the best opportunity for real positive change.

I think we are right to not simply support a charismatic or populist leader, but I would really like to see a leader that is not too easily swayed to compromise principles. People are cynical and believe gov't irrelevant. I recently watched the Tommy Douglas biography and wish we had someone like him now...vision and strength.

[RB]

Look it the day of the federal election after I voted I decided to take a dip in the pool at the voting station and caught up with some young lads maybe 5 of them who did not have the slightest interest in voting.

Why?

1) Oh, they did not follow the politics

2) and besides they did not think their vote is going to make a difference

3) and youth votes are just not important

Well there were some young women at the pool also and I could not help that we cheer the young rodeos to vote “for the liberal” of their choice.

Now I reflect that in that spirit on the moment these folks are rather impulsive aiming to please the masses, and succumb to some influence and persuasion by peers and well .. girls.

I think what is needed is encouragement for the youths to get involved in their politics and that the young voters are likely to relate to other young people so maybe Paul Martin and Grumpy, grey, white man might signal what is “official process” in voting and is as intimidating as the parents.

So my feeling is there is no need for the young people to:

- Protest about things that do not affect their world

- They are not motivated to vote even when new law can infringe on their rights

- They unmotivated to seek action

- They think they are unaffected by politics

- Furthermore, since they feel this voting is unimportant, there is no need to become politically engage in some “official process” ….. official is intimidating – and then the feeling of being just “unqualified to vote” or to speak about the voting

The politics and politicians do not speak well to young people.

What I saw is that these young folks become rooted in their own lives, they go to school, get an education and hope for the eventual good job, they get a car, they can buy their food, shop for their wants, keep their friends and still have their dreams. Politics is not important really

[Cartman]

Until then I like the Grumpy, bitter, white man who would have sent young ppl to Iraq.

Who are we talking about here? My understanding is that every leader is against sending our troops (at least now). I think that I would be hard pressed to find any politician currently in favour of sending troops to Iraq. Maybe Stockwell?

[Guest eureka]

One area that is neglected as far as youth goes, is school. There is little emphasis on such things as current affairs and teachers would not dare now to raise political issues.

More to the whole topic is the role of the media. Lack of coverage of anything that is not sensational and the "sond bite" that has replaced coverage and analysis.

It has been said that the basis of democracy is an uninformed public. I find that the public is in a state of ignorance and will find little real political information in the media.

No wonder people drop out when they get only bias and real issues not discussed since they are not "sexy" enough. Who knows what the parties really stand for.

[Big Blue Machine]

We need a youngisher leader that can appeal to youth. Remember in 1968, youth got caught up in Trudeaumania.

[JWayne625]

People are tired of being lied to, and since it seems the prerequisite for being a politician is that you have to be a pathological liar most peole have just tuned out. It doesn't really matter who we elect to office because whenever we elect a different party to power they spend the first 4 years making up excuses for not carrying through with the promises they made to get elected. The usual excuse is that the "other guys" left things in such a financial mess that we need to either raise your taxes or the new approach is to raise all the various fees (taxes by another name).

It is quite obvious to me that we would rather elect one of the most corrupt government's we have had in years to office, than give a newly created party a chance to see how badly they will screw us. Oh well, I guess the shafting you're used to is better than the unknown, whatever turns you on.

Myself I keep hoping that we'll smarten up before it is too late. Some continue to talk about democracy, but what I have observed is that we are still allowed the privilege of electing our dictatator's for the next term. Our political system has turned into a sad joke. We elect politicians to office to make the laws which are supposed to govern us, but our politicians no longer do that. It seems they have allowed our appointed and unaccountable judges to perform that function. Oh well, I guess if you don't want to take the responsibilty for a particular law, you can always blame it on the judges, and they don't have to answer to anyone. They are virtaully appointed for life so they have to screw up real bad before they get fired. That leaves our politicians to just sit back and collect your paycheque for doing absolutely nothing except travelling extensively and spending someone else's money. Pretty good job if you if have the financial resources and the political backing to run for one. The salary and benefits are great, especially the pension benefits, that is if you can manage to get elected and reelected.