Professional Documents
Culture Documents
DEMOCRACY
360
THE SECOND REPORT CARD
ON HOW CANADIANS
COMMUNICATE,
PARTICIPATE AND
LEAD IN POLITICS
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Trust 15 CONCLUSION 21
Diversity 15 APPENDIX 22
METHODOLOGY 37
ENDNOTES 38
THANK YOU 38
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
B-
2017
C
2015
Samara Canadas second edition of the
Democracy 360 is a made-in-Canada report
card on the state of Canadas democracy. Built
on the understanding that democracy is about OVERALL
more than just casting a ballot every four years,
the report card examines the complex relationship ALL
OVER
between citizens and political leadership and how
they interact, especially between elections. It
measures three areas essential to a healthy democracy:
KEY
FINDINGS 54%
Canadas democra- Communication At 68%, voter Participation in Canadians award- Diversity of rep-
cy earned a B-, an between Cana- turnout was up 7 formal political ed above passing resentation in the
improvement from dians and their percentage points, activities, such grades to MPs and House of Com-
its C in 2015. leaders increased. the highest its as donating to a political parties on mons continues to
been since 1993. campaign, was their core jobs. be a challenge.
still low.
2
The year 2017 is Canadas sesquicentennial year. This is a moment that en-
courages reflection about Canadas past, present and futureand what legacy
from 2017 should shape the next 150 years. In 1967, as the country turned
100 years old, the federal government invested heavily in physical infrastruc-
While the 360 doesnt show failing grades, there are signs from abroad that
democracy is fragile, with the number of full democracies in decline. With that
in mind, Canadians should consider investing in education and an improved
political culture in order to strengthen our democracy. More importantly, a
country as rich in resources and people should be striving for exceeds A country as rich in
expectations rather than the meets expectations of a B-. How might resources and people
should be striving for
exceeds expectations
rather than meets
expectations.
3
3 INCREASED CIVILITY IN POLITICAL DISCOURSE
Canadas current political culture too often risks turning citizens off, rather DO YOU AGREE
than inspiring their involvement. Accusations, online attacks and unwill- OR DISAGREE?
Do you agree or disagree?
ingness to compromise have become embedded in the culture. Everyone
Where would you choose to
involved in politicsfrom citizens, to leaders, to media outletsneeds to
invest in civic infrastructure?
create a more constructive and welcoming atmosphere. Let us know on
Twitter (SamaraCda) or
Facebook (Samara Canada).
4 EMPOWERED REPRESENTATIVES
Striking a healthy balance of power between parties, party leaders and MPs
is at the heart of meaningful and effective Parliament. MPs require the time
and autonomy to study legislation and hold government to account, and
cross-partisan committees should be empowered and respected.
Power that is diffuse, representative and diverse can lead to solutions that
are innovative and well-suited to the population served. Ensuring a diverse
House requires the commitment of parties and electoral district associa-
tions as well as party leaders.
4
THE
STORY
5
WHAT IS DEMOCRATIC INFRASTRUCTURE?
Democratic infrastructure is a mix of laws and institutions, as well as the un- ENGAGE WITH
written political norms and culture that allow us to work together as citizens to SAMARA
Its Canadas sesquicentennial
make decisions.
and we want to hear from you!
How is democracy doing in
how their democratic institutions and culture operate? Ensuring that the coun- your community? What letter
grade would you award to
try has the infrastructure in place to make good decisions in the 21st century
Canadas democracy?
will be more fundamental to Canadas success than any single policy question.
Check out Samaras
Thus, asking Canadians about the health of their democracy has never been interactive online tool at
more important. samaracanada.com.
This is why the Democracy 360 report card goes deeper, measuring 19
indicators and 38 sub-indicators. Together, these indicators provide a
71
comprehensive picture of how Canadians feel about their democracy.
%
grade to Canadas democracy, as well as a letter grade for each of the three
areas (see page 10).
of Canadians say they
made in Canadas democratic infrastructure to build a better country and to democracy works
in Canada
guard against decay.
6
Our country has built a democratic infrastructure with a solid foundation of
laws and rules that protect the integrity of democratic institutions and
processes. For example, Elections Canada, an independent and nonpartisan GERRYMANDERING
federal agency, oversees federal elections, ensuring eligible Canadians have Dividing a geographic space
into ridings to give one
the opportunity to vote and be counted under the same rules. Additionally,
political party an electoral
independent electoral boundary commissions insulate changes to riding
majority in a large number of
boundaries from partisan gerrymandering. Restrictive fundraising rules and districts while concentrating
transparency of donations reduce the influence of money in politics, federally the voting strength of the
and in many provinces. These safeguards may make it easier for Canadians opposition in as few
districts as possible.
In 2011, the Arab Spring seemed to promise Arab countries would be the
next shining lights of democracy. Today, these hopes have been extin-
guished as autocratic regimes curtail rights in these countries.
7
Despite Canadas relative strength as a democracy, it has not and still does
not always serve its citizens equally. Canadian women were excluded from
the democratic process for decades. Canadians of Japanese descent were
disenfranchised. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission is a sobering and it is very important
reminder of how Canadas democracy failed its First Nations, Inuit and Mtis
people. Our democracy has flaws, and it is very important to reflect on them in sesquicentennial year.
this sesquicentennial year.
with democracy.
88
Omnibus bills and time allocation have made the scrutiny of bills and budgets
While
warned, The relationship
among Parliament, the prime minister, ministers and public servants is in
need of repair. Those with the power to introduce change for the better are
reluctant to do so because they enjoy being able to wield tremendous power.5 %
Nine years later, little has changed. of Canadians are involved
38
in their communities, only
At the same time, the growing celebritization of political leaders in Canada
and internationally reduces public scrutiny of their policies. In Brand
Command: Canadian Politics and Democracy in the Age of Message Control, Alex
Marland, a professor of political science at Memorial University, describes
how citizens have become more interested in political leaders personal lives
%
devote themselves to
than their policies. [T]he government is facing market pressures to deliver formal political activities
information in an entertaining manner, such as through emphasizing
personalities and pop culture.6
The media plays a vital role in educating and informing the public so they
can hold government to account. However the Public Policy Forum (PPF), an
8
been lost in the past six years, reducing the medias ability to produce public
affairs journalism. In the 2017 report The Shattered Mirror: News, Democracy
and Trust in the Digital Age, PPF demonstrated how a weakened media
landscape leads to a weakened democracy.7
Liberal democracy has overcome many crises in its relatively short history.
But its capacity to do so has lulled both the rulers and the ruled in Western
societies into a state of complacency, said Canadian scholar Jennifer Welsh
in her 2016 book The Return of History.8 David Frum, a Canadian-American po-
litical commentator, put it more bluntly: No one should be self-congratulatory.
Everyone should worry,9 including Canadians.
The inaugural Democracy 360 report card in 2015 captured public opinion
There were changes at the provincial level too; in 2016, Manitoba and Yu-
kon elected new governments, while the governments of Alberta, Northwest
governing.
Many Canadians also closely followed another political contest: the American
presidential election. Observing the run-up to the presidential race in the Unit-
ed States may have influenced how Canadians thought of their own leaders.
9
THE
REPORT
CARD
COMMUNICATION
THE ASPIRATION:
Canadians who talk about politics and policy
with greater understanding and Members of
Parliament who serve as reliable, vibrant, two-
way links between citizens and government.
Canadians are generally more interested in talking about politics than in the
previous report card, and politicians have reached out to talk to a majority
of them. This outreach may not be consistent or conducted in a way that
resonates with all Canadians. Yet, it provides an opportunity for Canadians to
engage with politics and hear others political perspectives. MPs have in-
B+
creasingly tuned into social media. 2017
DISCUSSION
B
2015
Discussion, already a strength of Canadas democracy in
the previous report card, continued to improve. Two-thirds
of Canadians (67%) reported having a discussion about
politics in the previous 12-month period, up 6 percentage
ATION
points from before. COMMUNIC
10
investment many candidates made in their digital activities during
the 2015 election.
CONTACT
32
Only
Even during an election year, when we expected to see a spike in reported
contact, only 63% of Canadians reported being contacted by a party, candidate
%
of Canadians reported
contacting an elected
media as a way to connect with constituents. All but one MP (99.7%) is present
on Facebook, 99% of MPs are on Twitter, 88% are on YouTube, and 56% are on
Instagram. A handful of MPs are even experimenting with Snapchat.
This report card saw fewer MPs sending householders, the paper pamphlets
delivered to all households in a riding and paid for through the House of
Commons. While 98% of MPs sent householders in the 2015 report card, this
report card sees only 90% of MPs doing so. It is possible that MPs see social
media as a better way to connect with Canadians, yet householders can be a
way for MPs to reach all constituents homes, particularly those who are not
very active online. For MPs who choose to use them to communicate about
policy in a substantive way, householders can be a way to directly inform
or the media.
11
PARTICIPATION
THE ASPIRATION:
Citizens who are more politically engaged
at the ballot box and between electionsand
who feel invited and compelled to put their
time and energy into politics to effect change.
VOTER TURNOUT
Voter turnout is often considered the most important way citizens engage
with politics. For this reason, declining voter turnout over the last thirty
concern.
C+
The 2015 federal election saw a reversal of this trend, including among youth.
Voter turnout rose to 68%, 7 percentage points higher than the 2011 election, 2017
and the highest turnout since 1993. Among Canadians aged 18 to 24,
voter turnout increased by an incredible 18 percentage points,
-
2015
C
with 57% of young people having their voices heard.
Turnout among Canadians aged 25 to 34 also increased
by 12 percentage points, reaching 57%. Encouragingly, the
gap between the age cohort with the highest turnout
(Canadians aged 65 to 74) and the cohort with the lowest
PATION
(Canadians aged 18 to 24) lowered from 36 points to 22. PARTICI
12
FORMAL POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT
Surprisingly, higher voter turnout and discussion did not translate into
greater participation in other formal political activities. Few Canadians par-
ticipated in a political activity, such as attending a political meeting (30%) or
donating to a candidate or party (19%). Currently, only 8% of Canadians say
they are a member of a party, which means it is a very select few who have
a direct hand in shaping formal politics in Canada. It seems many Canadi-
ans, even those who are politically engaged, still do not see party politics as
their preferred way to engage in civic life.
It is possible the low rates of formal political involvement are because of the
partisan nature of formal political activities. Perhaps Canadians are As party members choose
unwilling to jump aboard a partisan ship, whether in an election year or
also choose the direction
in Canada. Indeed, the Conservatives, NDP and Bloc Qubcois are going shape Canadian politics.
through a period of change: As they choose their new leaders, they will also
choose the direction of their parties, which will shape Canadian politics.
If formal politics continued to turn Canadians off, that was not the case in
civic engagement more broadly. Many more Canadians were engaged in
community activities than were engaged in formal political activities. A robust
88% of Canadians participated in at least one civic engagement activity, a 4
percentage point increase from the previous report card; Whether donating
to charity (84%), volunteering for a charitable cause (59%), or working with
others to solve a community problem (46%), Canadians are deeply involved in
their communities.
13
LEADERSHIP
THE ASPIRATION:
Political leadership that operates in ways that
are more responsive, transparent and inclu-
sive, with Members of Parliament and political
parties that are less focused on winning and
more collaborative in their decision-making.
PERFORMANCE
Canadians are generally more pleased with the leadership of their MPs and
political parties than in the inaugural report card, though the grades award-
ed are still very low. Canadians believed MPs did a better job in all their core
roles, including representing their constituents (53%) and the views of their
party (63%), holding the government to account (50%), and debating and
voting on issues in the House of Commons (56%). Notably, the highest scores
still go to MPs representation of their parties, rather than their important
legislative work. Why is the work around Parliament given such poor marks?
C
Can this work be made more approachable, understandable and constructive 2017
so that Canadians award higher marks here.
D
the 9 percentage point rise in approval ratings for political 2015
parties, from 48% to 57%. Parties performed better on a
wide range of functions, from hearing ideas from party
members (55%), to reaching out to Canadians so their views
LEADERSHIP
could be represented (53%), to coming up with new policy
ideas (53%). Canadians, during an election period, gave political
parties a 57% grade on recruiting candidates and competing in
electionsa 7 percentage point increase from the 2015 DERSHIP
Democracy 360. Canadians were also happier with efforts to
LEA
encourage people to vote, giving parties a 66% on this indicator.
14
TRUST
Trustthe glue of politicshas largely been in decline over the past 30 years
across the world. Some of this shift is attributable to the erosion of blind trust
political leaders still need some public trust for democracy to succeed.
In this report card, 47% of Canadians trust both MPs and political parties to
do whats right, a 7 percentage point increase for MPs and a 5 percentage
point increase for parties. While this is positive, as it demonstrates trust need Trust that is built on
not track downwards forever, more than half of Canadians do not trust politi-
cal actors, which is an important place for improvement. openness and transparency,
by many parties and
There may be reason for skepticism as to how sustainable this increased successive governments,
level of trust will be. Often, with new governments theres a honeymoon peri- might avoid these peaks
and valleys.
od where trust is high, but as a governments tenure wears on, trust generally
-
cy, by many parties and successive governments, might avoid these peaks
and valleys.
DIVERSITY
4
Having political leaders look like their constituents is important for allowing Only
%
House can lead to innovative thinking.
While our current Cabinet was selected to be more reflective of the Canadian
of MPs in the 41st
population, Parliament generally, with 74% men, still has a long way to go. Parliament are aged 18
Women represent half of Canadas population, but they are only 26% of its to 30, a cohort that
17
comprises
MPs. Visible minorities are better representedthey make up 17% of MPs and
19% of the population. Indigenous MPs make up 3% of the House and 4% of
the population. In terms of representation of the youngest cohort of voters
Canadians, representation has lost ground since 2015. Only 4% of MPs in the
41st Parliament are aged 18 to 30, a cohort that comprises 17% of the Cana-
%
of the population
dian population.
15
than in 1867 when it was made up exclusively of white men, more improve-
ment is needed to ensure Canadas seats of power reflect the diversity of its
people.
16
THE NEXT
150+
Fifty years later, in 2017, this sesquicentennial year calls for a renewed
investment in our democratic infrastructure. This may be less tangible than
the physical kind, but it remains just as vital to the success of Canada. This sesquicentennial
While the 360 doesnt show failing grades, there are signs from abroad and
investment in our
within Canada that democracy is fragile and requires everyday attention. democratic infrastructure.
More importantly, a country as rich in resources and people as Canada should
strive for exceeds expectations rather than meets expectations, in report
card parlance. How might Canadians go from Cs and Bs to As?
Politics functions like the systems that exist under a city: the location of water
pipes and power cables is known only to a few. When approaching politics,
Canadians need a map of the underground before they start digging. In other
words, Canada needs to create a system where everyone gets a thorough
civics education.
On top of increased civic education, Canada needs to address the very real
barrier of low motivation. Before anyone considers investing time and energy
17
into a cause, they must be motivated to do so. As Samara has shown in
previous research,10 engaging unsuccessfully with an opaque bureaucracy
can be off-putting for many.
But this education around how politics works cannot end with high school
graduation. Decisions made by politicians and government affect Canadians
every day, and when they dont understand how decisions are made and how
When Canadians dont
to make the political process work for them, their lives are made poorer. But
how can people outside of schools be reached? Its much harder.
Workplaces could provide in-work training and support around civic education for them, their lives are
and our rights and responsibilities as citizens. Some of this work has been made poorer.
done by labour unions in the past, but with unionization rates falling steadily,
new efforts are needed.
It is equally critical that political leaders themselves consider how they can
contribute to Canadians civic knowledge or detract from it. Politicians need to COMMUNICATION
begin to explain policy simply and without toxic partisanship. Political parties Canadians who talk about
politics and policy with greater
can educate and include Canadians in policy development at the grassroots
understanding and Members
level.
of Parliament who serve as
Additionally, community-based organizations, including associations, clubs reliable, vibrant, two-way links
between citizens and
and even the local YMCA, can reinforce learning by bringing political leaders to
government.
-
er to advocate for causes of concern to their community. For newcomers,
community organizations and settlement agencies can take an active role in
explaining how they can contribute to Canadas political culture by knowing
who their representatives are, by joining a political party or even running for
18
2 MEANINGFUL CONSULTATION OF THE PUBLIC BY MPS
Canadas current political culture too often risks turning citizens off, rather
than inspiring their involvement. Accusations, online attacks and unwilling-
ness to compromise have become embedded in the culture, such that only
those with the skin of a rhino are willing to put themselves forward for public
19
something goes wrong, even if they arent personally responsible, political
leaders can engage in that most Canadian of activities and just say sorry.
4 EMPOWERED REPRESENTATIVES
What would empowered representatives look like? MPs would have the time
and autonomy to study legislation and hold government to account. (In this
report, MPs performance on holding government to account and watching
how they spend money received the lowest marks.) It would also mean that
the work of cross-partisan committees are empowered and respected. There
would be fewer whipped votes and more chances for MPs to vote against
their party, when they choose.
20
5 INCREASED DIVERSITY IN REPRESENTATION
Power that is diffuse and diverse can lead to solutions that are innovative and
well-suited to the population served. That diversity begins with who is in the
Over the last 150 years, it has evolved to include women, visible minorities,
MPs as young as 19 and Indigenous peoples. However, the data shows that
there is still a long way to go.
CONCLUSION
As Jennifer Welsh asserted in the 2016 CBC Massey Lecture, [we should]
remember that our own liberal democratic society was not inevitablethat it
21
SAMARAS 2017 DEMOCRACY 360: APPENDIX
SATISFACTION WITH DEMOCRACY
National
2014 2016 Change
65% 71% 6
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
76% 69% 70% 80% 69% 72%
National
2014 2016 Change
31% 29% -2
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
33% 17% 34% 27% 36% 30%
COMMUNICATION
CANADIANS DISCUSS POLITICS
The percentage of Canadians who reported having a discussion about politics in the previous 12
months: via email or text message, via reposting or commenting online, face to face or on the phone, by
following a politician on social media or by following a political group on social media.
National
2014 2016 Change
61% 67% 6
22
Discuss via email or text message:
National
2014 2016 Change
31% 34% 3
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
29% 30% 37% 29% 36% 35%
National
2014 2016 Change
35% 33% -2
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
32% 31% 34% 35% 36% 33%
National
2014 2016 Change
52% 54% 2
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
55% 51% 56% 56% 57% 49%
National
2014 2016 Change
23% 34% 11
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
35% 34% 36% 30% 35% 30%
23
Follow a political group on social media:
National
2014 2016 Change
17% 21% 4
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
17% 21% 22% 14% 21% 19%
National
2014 2016 Change
31% 32% 1
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
35% 26% 35% 29% 32% 35%
National
2014 2016 Change
63% 63% 0
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
62% 68% 61% 66% 57% 64%
24
MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT SEND HOUSEHOLDERS
Youtube:
PARTICIPATION
VOTER TURNOUT
The percentage of Canadians that voted in federal elections.
National
2011 2015 Change
61% 68% 7
25
Provincial
Province 2011 2015 Change
YK 63% 74% 11
NT 47% 61% 14
NU 39% 53% 14
BC 56% 68% 12
AB 52% 65% 13
SK 60% 68% 8
MB 56% 66% 10
ON 58% 64% 6
QC 64% 67% 3
NL 53% 60% 7
NB 66% 73% 7
PEI 74% 80% 6
NS 61% 71% 10
26
RATES OF FORMAL ENGAGEMENT
The percentage of Canadians who participated in at least one formal political activity in the previous 12
months: were a member of a party, attended a political meeting, donated to a candidate or party, volun-
teered for candidate or campaign or gave a political speech in public.
National
2014 2016 Change
36% 38% 2
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
39% 33% 37% 35% 41% 45%
Member of a party:
National
2014 2016 Change
9% 8% -1
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
5% 6% 8% 6% 13% 11%
National
2014 2016 Change
29% 30% 1
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
32% 27% 30% 29% 33% 35%
National
2014 2016 Change
19% 19% 0
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
18% 15% 17% 18% 26% 26%
27
Volunteered for candidate or campaign:
National
2014 2016 Change
17% 15% -2
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
16% 14% 15% 15% 16% 16%
National
2014 2016 Change
9% 9% 0
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
8% 9% 10% 6% 11% 7%
RATES OF ACTIVISM
The percentage of Canadians who participated in at least one form of activism in the previous 12
months: signed a petition, boy/buycotted or protested/demonstrated.
National
2014 2016 Change
69% 68% -1
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
64% 69% 68% 64% 63% 72%
Signed a petition:
National
2014 2016 Change
64% 59% -5
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
55% 59% 60% 52% 55% 64%
28
Boycotted or Buycotted:
National
2014 2016 Change
37% 40% 3
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
35% 42% 40% 36% 40% 41%
Protested or demonstrated:
National
2014 2016 Change
22% 21% -1
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
20% 23% 23% 19% 19% 18%
National
2014 2016 Change
84% 88% 4
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
93% 85% 89% 90% 88% 90%
Donated to a charity:
National
2014 2016 Change
78% 84% 6
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
89% 79% 84% 88% 85% 85%
29
Volunteered for a charitable cause:
National
2014 2016 Change
53% 59% 6
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
60% 51% 60% 63% 65% 64%
National
2014 2016 Change
38% 41% 3
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
45% 29% 45% 43% 46% 43%
National
2014 2016 Change
40% 46% 6
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
45% 42% 45% 48% 51% 50%
LEADERSHIP
DIVERSITY IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS
30
Women: Indigenous People:
Foreign-born Canadians:
Source: Parliament of Canada data compared to Statistics Canada 2011 census data
Trust in MPs:
National
2014 2016 Change
40% 47% 7
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
49% 55% 45% 44% 40% 42%
Trust in parties:
National
2014 2016 Change
42% 47% 5
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
49% 58% 44% 44% 42% 41%
SATISFACTION:
Satisfaction with MPs:
National
2014 2016 Change
46% 53% 7
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
60% 56% 53% 51% 45% 49%
31
Satisfaction with political parties:
National
2014 2016 Change
42% 50% 8
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
57% 50% 49% 52% 43% 50%
National
2014 2016 Change
54% 54% 0
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
52% 54% 53% 56% 61% 55%
National
2014 2016 Change
62% 59% -3
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
55% 58% 60% 56% 62% 63%
32
MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENTS JOB PERFORMANCE REVIEWS
Average percentage grade for MPs on six core jobs that focus on representation, accountability and
legislation.
National
2014 2016 Change
47% 54% 7
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
54% 57% 54% 53% 53% 52%
REPRESENTATION
Representing the views of people in their riding :
National
2014 2016 Change
45% 53% 8
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
53% 56% 54% 53% 51% 51%
National
2014 2016 Change
57% 63% 6
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
63% 65% 63% 62% 62% 62%
National
2014 2016 Change
46% 53% 7
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
54% 54% 54% 53% 51% 51%
33
ACCOUNTABILITY
Holding the government to account and watching how the government spends money:
National
2014 2016 Change
42% 50% 8
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
50% 54% 49% 49% 49% 48%
LEGISLATION
Debating and voting on issues in the House of Commons:
National
2014 2016 Change
48% 56% 8
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
55% 59% 56% 54% 54% 54%
National
2014 2016 Change
43% 50% 7
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
49% 54% 50% 49% 49% 48%
34
POLITICAL PARTIES JOB PERFORMANCE REVIEWS
Average percentage grade for political parties on six core jobs that focus on elections, engagement and
policy development.
National
2014 2016 Change
48% 57% 9
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
57% 59% 57% 57% 54% 55%
ELECTIONS
Recruiting candidates and competing in elections:
National
2014 2016 Change
50% 57% 7
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
56% 60% 57% 57% 55% 55%
National
2014 2016 Change
55% 66% 11
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
67% 67% 66% 66% 62% 66%
ENGAGEMENT
Hearing ideas from party members:
National
2014 2016 Change
47% 55% 8
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
54% 58% 55% 55% 51% 52%
35
Reaching out to Canadians so their views can be represented:
National
2014 2016 Change
42% 53% 11
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
52% 55% 54% 53% 50% 51%
POLICY
Coming up with new policy ideas and solutions:
National
2014 2016 Change
44% 53% 9
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
53% 56% 54% 53% 51% 51%
National
2014 2016 Change
48% 57% 9
Regional
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Man/Sask Alberta BC
58% 59% 57% 56% 52% 55%
Source: 2016 Samara Citizens Survey
36
METHODOLOGY
WHAT IS SAMARAS DEMOCRACY 360?
The Democracy 360 is Samara Canadas made-in-Canada report card on the state of Canadas
democracy, which focuses on the relationship between citizens and political leadership.
-
ipation and political leadership. The Democracy 360 will allow Canadians to compare and assess their
democracy over time. First published in 2015, the Democracy 360 will be published every two years in
order to measure improvement or decline. This is the second edition, published March 28th, 2017.
3. Feasibility:
If you have any additional questions about the methodology, or if youd like to request the Samara 360
Citizens Survey for precise data manipulation, survey question wording, and unweighted frequencies,
contact info[@]samaracanada.com.
37
ENDNOTES
1
Democracy Index 2016. Economist Intelligence Unit. Jan 2017.
2
Declining trust in government is denting democracy. Economist Intelligence Unit. 25 Jan 2017.
3
Freedom in the World 2016. Freedom House. Jan 2017.
4
Ibid.
5
Savoie, Donald. The broken chain of answerability. The Globe and Mail, 16 May 2008.
6
Marland, Alex. Brand Command: Canadian Politics and Democracy in the Age of Message Control. Vancouver: University of British
Columbia Press, 2015, p. 91.
7
The Shattered Mirror: News, Democracy and Trust in the Digital Age. Public Policy Forum, 02 Feb 2017.
8
Welsh, Jennifer. The Return of History: Conflict, Migration, and Geopolitics in the Twenty-First Century. Toronto: House of Anansi,
2016.
9
How Trump can build a U.S. autocracy: David Frum. Interview by Anna Maria Tremonti. The Current. CBC. 02 Feb 2017. Radio.
10
The Real Outsiders: Politically Disengaged Views on Politics and Democracy. Samara Canada, 07 Dec 2011.
11
Cheering or Jeering? Members of Parliament Open Up About Civility in the House of Commons. Samara Canada, 14 Jan 2016.
12
Welsh, Jennifer. The Return of History. The 2016 CBC Massey Lectures. Massey College, University of Toronto, Toronto.
THANK YOU
Samara would like to thank all of our individual donors as well as Bennett Jones LLP and Your Canada
Your Constitution for their continued support of this project.
As a charity, Samara relies on the generous support of donors and is proud to have a broad base of
support. We are so grateful to all the individuals and groups who have contributed to Samaras research
and education efforts and made our success possible. If youre interested in supporting Samaras work,
please visit samaracanada.com or contact us at 416-960-7926.
38
Copyright Samara Canada 2017
PUBLISHER: Samara Canada
PUBLICATION DATE: March 28th, 2017
WRITERS: Jane Hilderman and Kendall Anderson
EDITORS: Allison Jane Smith and Jos Ramn Mart
DESIGNER: Genevive Biloski
SURVEY DATA COLLECTION: Drs. Peter Loewen and Daniel Rubenson
DATA ANALYSIS: Lior Sheffer
OTHER DATA COLLECTION: Christina Vietinghoff, Erica Chan,
Jos Ramn Mart, Gabrielle Feldmann and Katie Wynen