Do we really live in a Democracy? la deuxième partie

Listening to the Elections Canada radio ads had me pondering the state of democracy in Canada – assuming Canada can still be referred to as a democracy. A claim that strikes me as highly questionable when you give some thought to the matter.

Democracy is one of those either/or states, either it is or it isn’t. There is no such thing as a partial democracy. Either all the people have the right and ability to vote, the right and ability to run for office and the right and ability to vote for candidates of their choice – or you don’t have a democratic system.

The economic policies, actions, inactions and failure to address poverty and homelessness by the federal government have driven tens of thousands, perhaps even a hundred thousand plus Canadians onto the streets in an ever increasing tide of homelessness and poverty. Unknowable further tens of thousands (or again a hundred thousand plus) find themselves couch surfing etc. from place to place and are not in stable housing.

None of these thousands of dispossessed will be receiving voter information cards in the mail to tell them where to vote. If you go to your local polling station on Election Day they will want proof of address and proof of identity.

How do you provide proof you are living under a bridge, in a tent, in a park, in a field, under a tree et al?

We take having ID for granted, but for many of the disposed ID has long been lost and the only record of their ID is photocopies at Income Assistance. Others lack even that for proof of identity.

One person denied their right to vote is too many.

Our current Federal Election will see thousands, tens of thousands perhaps hundred(s) of thousands of the disposed disenfranchised.

How can Canada be called a Democracy when it has disenfranchised so many of its citizens?

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If you visit the Elections Canada website you will find the following statements:

“The right to be a candidate in a federal election is protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The procedures and responsibilities are spelled out in the Canada Elections Act.”

“Unless specifically declared to be ineligible under section 65 of the Canada Elections Act, any person qualified as an elector may run for election.”

And yet the Canada Elections Act proceeds to do exactly that – deny me and others the right to run for Parliament.

The requirement that a $1,000.00 deposit be posted by all candidates denies those who are not wealthy enough to be able to spare $1,000.00 or backed by political parties their Charter right to run for election to Parliament. The requirement of an onerous deposit particularly discriminates against the dispossessed and poor, denying them their right to seek federal office.

The violation of rights does not end there. By denying a candidate the right to run for election, all those who would have voted for the candidate are denied their right to vote for the candidate of their choice.

Democracy is suppose to be about voting for the candidate of your choice, not being forced to vote for the candidate you dislike the least.

How can Canada be called a Democracy when citizens are denied their right to seek federal office, denying other citizens their right to vote for candidates they may want to choose by limiting those who can run for federal office?

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When we accept and allow thousands upon thousands of Canadian citizens to be disenfranchised;

When we accept and allow a significant portion of Canadian citizens to be denied the ability to exercise their right to seek office through imposed financial barriers;

When we accept and allow the choice of Canadian citizens as to who will represent them to be limited to a chosen few, the choice becoming that of who is least objectionable dislike;

We no longer have a democracy.

“The death of democracy is not likely to be an assassination from ambush. It will be a slow extinction from apathy, indifference, and undernourishment.”

Robert Maynard Hutchins