That quote came from a casual conversation I had last week with a 20-something male, and it features themes that have become common threads across multiple conversations I had during this past provincial election cycle.
I’ve also heard that there is a disconnect between using one’s political voice, and exercising our democratic right to vote. That appears counterintuitive, it seems hard to have one without the other, but we are all left scrambling for explanations after last week’s 52-per-cent voter turnout.
I’ve been privy to this type of commentary because of a partnership between two groups concerned with the future of our democratic process, SFU Public Square and Samara, and more specifically through Samara’s civic engagement initiative Democracy Talks.
As the B.C. program coordinator for this project, I had the great fortune to spend the past two months travelling to five B.C. communities to conduct exploratory conversations with provincial residents. We discussed topics ranging from what is an active citizen to what an ideal democracy looks like.
Over the past week I have been asked to comment on the low voter turnout in this year’s provincial election, but perhaps most telling is that I wasn’t asked that very question the Monday before Election Day, or any other days leading up to the election.
While I think that the general surprise over B.C.’s electoral decision is an understandable reaction to last Tuesday’s results, I wonder why British Columbians are once again surprised by low voter turnout? Pre- or postelection, our electoral democracy hasn’t and doesn’t see past the ballot box.
Adrian Dix expressed his disappointment in the province’s democratic participation during his concession speech; This lack of participation is something that Dix and the NDP felt directly. For the rest of B.C., this awakening should have come with the initial count and the reality that non-voters vastly outnumber those who voted for the governing party.
While we will continue to debate which candidates we prefer, B.C. can’t expect a real change until we start viewing democracy as year-round, as opposed to simply when the writ drops.
Democracy Talks spoke with roughly 325 Canadian residents since the Fall 2012, including 100 here in B.C. over the past two months. Based on those conversations, B.C. citizens are hopeful for a more representative political environment, but they are also admittedly confused with how or what it means to engage with politics and democracy.
While there are many reasons for this disengagement, apathy is not necessarily the right word.
Through Democracy Talks, I’ve learned that while youth (18-to-25) and recent immigrants are traditionally classified as disengaged, these are two groups that are definitely not apathetic. I found that they are aware of what they want from their governments and democracy: accessible, accountable and transparent candidates, campaigns, and political processes. They recognize their responsibility to vote, and to educate themselves, their family members and friends.
Across Canada, Democracy Talks has identified three key themes for political disengagement.
First of all, political participation is not seen as a Canadian value. Youth describe civics and social studies as devoid of real life relevance. Newcomers and immigrants have suggested that the settlement process has been said to be devoid of political education — little information on how to engage past voting.
Second, we hear that voting or mainstream politics is unlikely to be these Canadians’ first step toward participation. Participants saw no incentive to participate when elected officials appear unable or unwilling to engage constructively. T hey believe decisions are already made, and don’t connect change to the ballot box. B.C. participants have expressed their frustrations with elected officials’ lack of accountability, not only to their campaign promises, but also to their elected term.
Lastly, participants have expressed an interest and a desire to learn more, but deeper engagement requires an invitation from those they trust. Participants have shared that there is a lack of a citizen role-model who is active in politics; participants struggle to find their political role, even though they are open to participating, they are unsure how.
B.C. is not worse off than other provinces across the country. Instead, we match those that also have voter turnout numbers that hang in and around 50-54 per cent. This is a national issue of concern, one that I advise municipal, provincial and federal leaders to consider now, not after writ day, and especially not in an awestruck exploration postelection.
I don’t have a firm answer as to how we improve voter turnout, it isn’t that simple, but I do know it cannot start with the ballot box as the target. I’ve heard that it will require engaging our citizens as something more than a vote, advice that comes directly from the mouths of British Columbians who are using their political voice, and finding their way in democratic participation.
Original Article
Source: vancouversun.com
Author: Marissa Lawrence
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