Chapter10 11/05/2004 8:37 AM Page 248 The Citizen and ...

248 Unit II ■ Government and Law

Clayoquot Protest, 1993, one of nine panels byIan Wallace. The panels show the artist’s impression of aprotest by about 12 000 people against logging of old-growth rainforest in the Clayoquot Sound area on thewest coast of Vancouver Island in 1993. They objected toan agreement between the B.C. provincial governmentand the logging industry to open a large percentage of thearea for logging. The forest industry is a mainstay of theB.C. economy, and the protest split communities.

Expressing ideas In the course of the protest, 859people were arrested and charged with breaking the law.What do you think is the artist’s opinion about this act ofcivil disobedience?

The Citizen and Government

FOCUS ON

• What roles do politicalparties play in Canadianpolitics and decisionmaking?

• Is our first-past-the-postelectoral system fair?

• How do lobby andpressure groups influencegovernment decisions?

• How can individualsinfluence political decisionmakers?

• What role do the mediaplay in influencing policydecisions?

Counterpoints Issue

• Should citizens havemore input in theprocesses of government?

10Chapter10 11/05/2004 8:37 AM Page 248

Chapter 10 ■ The Citizen and Government 249

IntroductionLet’s say you live on a busy street. Cars speed pastyour home every day, and you worry that some-one will be injured. It seems to you that someform of traffic calming, such as narrowing theroad, installing crosswalks or speed bumps, orhanding out more speeding tickets, is called for.How would you get your ideas put into action?

Or suppose you feel strongly that the votingage for elections should be lowered. How couldyou work to make that aim a reality? Would lettersto the editor of a widely read newspaper accom-plish anything? Or should you speak to somebodywho works in a government department? Shouldyou join the youth wing of a political party, or joina group that is pressuring the government tochange the voting age?

An important aspect of citizenship is work-ing to make changes that you feel will improveyour community, region, or the country as a whole.

In order to be effective, you need to know howto direct your efforts. You need to know who isresponsible for making decisions, and who canhelp you achieve your goals. How can citizens gettheir views and opinions heard? What opportuni-ties are there for unelected citizens to influencedecision making? In this chapter, you will exploreanswers to these questions.

Choosing the GovernmentCanadians have a democratic government. All vot-ers have an equal opportunity to choose their rep-resentatives, and the freedom to express theirviews freely. As you have seen, we live in a repre-sentative democracy, and the way that mostCanadians take part in political decisions is tovote in elections for the representative of theirchoice.

ElectionsIf you are over eighteen years of age and aCanadian citizen, you are eligible to cast a ballot.Elections are held at least every five years for fed-eral and provincial parliaments. Municipal elec-tions usually occur more frequently—often everytwo to three years. In British Columbia, munici-pal elections are held on the same day every threeyears.

Voting in elections is perhaps the most widelyused method for citizens to influence government.Provincial voter participation varies from electionto election and from province to province.Participation in municipal elections also variesconsiderably, but is usually lower than in provin-cial or federal elections—and the difference of afew votes often determines the winner. Dependingon the size of the municipality and the electionissues, voter turnout can range from 20 to 70 percent.

Those who choose not to vote make the votesof others more influential. For example, imaginethat fewer than half of the eligible citizens in yourmunicipality cast ballots in a mayoralty election.The person who is elected mayor may not havethe support of the majority of citizens because

Figure 10-1 Students protest cuts to educationfunding.

Developing understanding How effective do youthink protest demonstrations are for getting decisionmakers to pay attention to a cause? Why is mediaattention important to these demonstrators? Howelse can students such as you make their voicesheard by government?

Chapter10 11/05/2004 8:37 AM 49


only a minority bothered to vote. In this case, eachvote cast was of greater influence than if every el-igible citizen voted.

Election CampaignsWhen the prime minister decides it is time to callan election, he or she asks the governor generalto dissolve Parliament. Usually, the prime minis-

ter chooses a time near the end of his or her five-year term when public opinion polls show thatthe ruling party is popular. However, sometimesthe government will call an early election to testwhether it still has the support of the people. Forexample, in 1979, Prime Minister Joe Clark, whowas leading a minority government, had to call anelection because a key policy, his budget, was de-feated in the House of Commons. In 2000, PrimeMinister Jean Chrétien called an election lessthan three and a half years into his term—beforethe new, untried leader of the Canadian Alliance,Stockwell Day, could garner wide public support.

Most candidates in federal and provincial elec-tions are members of political parties, althoughsome run as independents. Usually, local partymembers choose candidates, although sometimesthe leader of a party will select a candidate to run.The names of all candidates, including any inde-pendents, go onto the ballot. A candidate needsmoney and plenty of volunteers to run an elec-tion campaign. This is when some citizens aremost actively involved in politics. They answerphones, distribute campaign literature, put upsigns, canvass for support from door to door, drivevoters to the polling station, and raise money.

Political parties usually solicit donations fromindividuals and businesses to pay for their cam-paigns. The costs of campaigning have becomean issue of concern to many people, includingthose involved in political parties. Some candi-

Federal Voting Participation

Year Percentage

1980 69

1984 75

1988 75

1993 70

1997 67

2000 63Source: Reports of the Chief Electoral Officer.

Figure 10-2 The percentage of eligible voters who votedin Canadian federal elections, 1980–2000.

Thinking critically What is the average voter turnout infederal elections for this period? The voting average forprovincial elections and for municipal elections is lowerthan this average. How would you explain this? Why doyou think voter participation has dropped so drasticallysince 1988?

Rules of the Election Expenses Act

Rule

Political parties’ campaign spending is limited bythe number of eligible voters in a riding.

The source of all donations of more than $200 to apolitical party in a single year must be made public.

When they register to run in the election, all candi-dates must pay a deposit, which is returned whenthey submit their expense records. Candidates whoreceive more than 15% of valid votes are reim-bursed for 50% of election expenses.

Reason

To prevent parties from launching massive cam-paigns against opponents in smaller ridings.

To hold the parties accountable for the money theyreceive and to make public any particularly largecontributions by a single company or group.

To help candidates with fewer funds to campaign,and to discourage candidates who are not seriousfrom campaigning.

Figure 10-3 These rules are partof the Elections Expenses Act,1974.

Thinking critically Why is it important to have rules governing electionspending? What other rules would you like to see imposed on electioncampaigns?

Chapter10 11/05/2004 8:37 AM Page 250


dates have a great deal of money to spend, whileothers do not. This can distort the electionprocess, giving an advantage to the candidate whocan pay for an image or presentation that attractsvoters. Others believe that expensive advertisingand other campaign tactics divert attention awayfrom the examination of real issues and problems.

Public Opinion PollsDuring elections, public opinion on projected vot-ing behaviour is constantly surveyed and the re-sults reported by the media. Political parties seekpublic opinion throughout the year, but particularlyduring elections. Parties typically spend 15 percent of their election budgets on polling. Pollingcompanies hired by political parties contact across-section of the population that is believed to

represent the views and opinions of Canadians ingeneral. The people are asked questions aboutvoting preferences and their opinions regardingpolitical leaders, parties, and issues. The answerscollected from the polls are tabulated and given tocampaign organizers, who often alter the speechesof candidates to emphasize issues of importanceto voters. Television commercials, debate re-sponses, and even candidates’ appearance may bealtered to reflect the findings of the polls.

Some commentators are concerned that pub-lic opinion polls published during election cam-paigns affect voters’ choices. If a party is shown tohave a large lead in popular support just prior to anelection, for example, some voters may believetheir vote is unnecessary, or wasted if they planto vote for an alternative party. This is one reasonwhy public opinion polls showing the level of voter

Figure 10-4 Volunteers on the campaign trail, 2000(clockwise from top left): A poster crusade aimed atgetting voters to the polls; a worker deliveringcampaign signs; “down time” for an exhaustedvolunteer on election night.

Chapter10 11/05/2004 8:37 AM Page 251


Figure 10-5 Less than a month before the 2000federal election was called, Canadian Alliance leaderStockwell Day arrived at a news conference on apersonal watercraft.

Thinking critically How important do you think theappearance of political leaders is to their success?Explain your answer.

Figure 10-6 Before the advent of the secret ballot in1874, Canadian voters used to have to declare theirvote in public.

Developing understanding What are thedisadvantages of voting publicly, as shown in thispicture?

Figure 10-7 Today, voting is done by secret ballot.Citizens mark their choice behind a screen, and placetheir ballot in a closed box. Counting of ballots, whichis done by hand, is strictly scrutinized.

support for parties are not allowed to be publishedin the twenty-four hours immediately prior to anelection.

On election day, polling stations are set up inevery riding. Schools and places of worship areoften used as polling stations. The names of alleligible voters who have registered are listed ateach poll, and a polling officer crosses off thename of each individual as he or she votes. Votingtakes place in private, behind a small screen, andno campaign signs or literature are allowed at oraround the polling station.

Chapter10 11/05/2004 8:37 AM Page 252


A C T I V I T I E S

1. In some countries, like Australia, voting in electionsis compulsory for eligible voters. Do you think Canadashould adopt this system? Why or why not?

2. Because of the size of the country and the numberof time zones, results of federal elections in the Eastare announced half an hour before voting stationsare closed in British Columbia. Some people arguethat this can influence the way people in the Westvote. Do you consider this a problem that should beaddressed? Why or why not?

3. Do you think the voting age should be lowered toseventeen? Prepare a letter to send to your mem-ber of Parliament to explain your opinion.

4. An election, it is often said, is won on the backs ofthe volunteers. What types of jobs are done to helpget someone elected in Canadian elections? Howimportant do you think volunteers are in running elec-tion campaigns? Why might people volunteer to workin a campaign?

5. Research how public opinion polls are conducted.What are their drawbacks? How reliable to you thinkthey are in reflecting public opinion?

The Electoral SystemWhen the polls close, the votes are counted andthe candidate with the most votes in each ridingis announced the winner. This is called the first-past-the-post system. The winner does not nec-essarily have to win a majority of the votes cast; heor she simply has to win more votes than any ofthe other candidates. This system has the virtue ofbeing simple and straightforward. Its supportersalso argue that it means there is usually a clearwinner of elections and that minority governmentsdo not often happen. However, the result doesnot always represent the wishes of the majorityof voters (see Figure 10-8).

First-past-the-post is so named because a candi-date has only to win more votes than his nearestcompetitor to take the riding, not an absolute ma-jority of the votes cast. The most direct conse-

quence is to exaggerate the majority enjoyed bythe winning party, often grotesquely: with less thanhalf the popular vote, governments have beenformed with nearly all of the seats…. [I]t producesresults that are increasingly at odds with voters’desires.

Source: Andrew Coyne, Toronto Star, October17, 1996.

For this reason, some people advocate aswitch to some form of proportional represen-tation (PR). PR systems are used in countriessuch as Israel, Holland, and Italy. Each politicalparty puts forward a list of all its candidates. Voterssupport a candidate on the basis of the party he orshe represents. The number of seats a party winsin the legislature is based on the total number ofvotes it receives. For example, in a 100-seat leg-islature, a party that received 38 per cent of thepopular vote would have thirty-eight seats in thelegislature. The candidates who got the most votesfrom the party’s list would fill the thirty-eight seats.

One objection is that this kind of PR systemwould mean that local representation—havingan MP allocated to each riding—would disap-pear, or change. Another is that, since most elec-tions using PR do not give one party a majority,parties often have to create coalitions, or alliances,to form a government. The experience in someother countries appears to be that these coali-tions often cannot be maintained for very long.

Candidate Votes

Herb Dhaliwal, Liberal 17 705

Ron Jack, Canadian Alliance 15 384

Herschel Hardin, New Democratic Party 3 848

Dan Tidball, Progressive Conservative 2 649

Others 1 880

Figure 10-8 The results of the federal election of 2000in the riding of Vancouver–Burnaby.

Thinking critically Did Herb Dhaliwal win 50 per cent ormore of the votes? Should a candidate or a governmenthave to win 50 per cent or more of votes cast? Explainyour opinion.

Chapter10 11/05/2004 8:37 AM Page 253


Figure 10-9 Results of the2000 election by province.

Reading a map

1. How does this map support the viewthat the Bloc Québécois andCanadian Alliance are regionalparties?

2. The Liberal Party claims to be theonly party that can call itself a“national” party. How does this mapsupport that claim? How does it not?

Figure 10-10 In 2000, a simplemajority in Parliament required151 seats.

Reading a table

1. In which year did thegoverning party win 50 percent of the vote?

2. Explain how the LiberalParty formed the govern-ment in 1997 with less than40 per cent of the vote.

3. Explain how in 1993 theBloc Québécois became theopposition party when theReform party gained a largernumber of votes.

4. Why do you think thepresent system of votingcauses regional dissent inCanada? Explain youranswer.

800 km4000

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

MANITOBA

ALBERTA

ALASKA(US)

GREENLAND

SASK.ATLANTIC

OCEAN

HUDSONBAY

ARCTICOCEAN

PACIFICOCEAN

UNITED STATES

BRITISH COLUMBIA

NOVA SCOTIA

NUNAVUT

QUEBECNEWFOUNDLAND

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

N.W.T.

NEW BRUNSWICKONTARIO

YUKONTERRITORY

The Parties

Liberal Party

Alliance

Bloc Québécois

New Democratic Party

Progressive ConservativeParty

Party 1984 1988 1993 1997 2000

Bloc Québécois

% of votes 13.5 10.7 11Number of seats 54 44 38

Reform/Canadian Alliance

% of votes n/a 18.7 19.4 26Number of seats 1 52 59 66

Liberal

% of votes 28 32 41.3 38.4 41Number of seats 40 83 177 156 172

New Democratic Party

% of votes 19 20 6.9 11.1 n/aNumber of seats 30 43 9 21 13

Progressive Conservative

% of votes 50 43 16 18.9 n/aNumber of seats 211 169 2 19 12

Others

% of vote 3 5 3.6 1.5 0Number of seats 1 2 1 2 0

Total seats 282 295 295 301 301

n/a = not availableGoverning parties are indicated in bold type.

Chapter10 11/05/2004 8:37 AM Page 254


This increases the number of elections and di-minishes the stability of the government. Somecountries, however, such as Germany and NewZealand, have developed systems that combineelements of PR and first-past-the-post, and theseappear to work very well.

An important argument favouring a changein the first-past-the-post system for Canada is thatthe present system accentuates regionalism inCanada. For example, although the CanadianAlliance won all but three seats in Alberta in the2000 federal election, 25 per cent of voters in thatprovince voted Liberal. In Ontario, a large numberof voters supported the Canadian Alliance, butthe party won only two seats there. The sameproblem exists at a provincial level. In PrinceEdward Island, the opposition in 2001 consistedof one member, even though his party won morethan 40 per cent of the vote.

Political Parties Most elected representatives at the federal andprovincial level belong to one of the political par-ties. Political parties act as a way of representingthe views of Canadians in the decision-makingprocess. Members of a political party share a com-mon set of beliefs. These beliefs together arecalled an ideology. The ideology of a party pro-

vides a framework for its decisions and policies.One way of describing the ideology of a party is todescribe it as generally left wing, centre, or rightwing, as shown in Figure 10-11.

From 1867 to 1988, two long-established po-litical parties were dominant in Canada: theProgressive Conservative Party and the LiberalParty. In the federal election of 1988, as you sawin Figure 10-10, the Progressive ConservativeParty lost a massive number of seats. Two newparties took their seats: the Reform Party, whichbecame the Canadian Alliance in 2000, and theBloc Québécois.

The Canadian Alliance, like its predecessor,the Reform Party, gets most of its support fromthe western provinces. It grew out of feelings ofwestern alienation—the conviction among manywesterners that the federal government in Ottawafavoured the central provinces of Ontario andQuebec, and that western voices were not beingheard. The party hopes to extend its appeal to vot-ers in other provinces who would like to see sub-stantial changes in the way government operates,particularly how the federal government respondsto the concerns of various regions in Canada.

As you saw in Chapter 8, the Bloc Québécoisformed after the failure of the Meech LakeAccord, and became the official opposition afterthe election of 1993. Its support comes entirelyfrom Quebec.

Left-Wing

Support change in order to im-prove the welfare of all citizens.

Governments should play a largerrole in people’s lives, especially inproviding social services.

Law and order are important toprotect the rights of all citizensfairly and equally.

Centre

Tradition is important, but changemust be supported if most peoplewant it.

Governments should play a roleonly when it improves the lives ofcitizens.

Law and order are important toencourage and protect the rightsof individuals.

Right-Wing

Tradition is important; changeshould be treated with caution.

Governments should play a smallrole. Private businesses shouldensure needs of citizens are met.

Emphasizes law and order to pro-tect society and its traditions.

Figure 10-11 The political spectrum in Canada. People who studypolitics sometimes use a political “spectrum” to explain the range ofbeliefs and views on a civic issue. In this political spectrum, beliefsand views are categorized “left-wing,” “centre,” or “right-wing.”Often, political parties are linked with these categories.

Identifying viewpoint What words orphrases would you use to summarize thethree ideologies shown in the politicalspectrum? Which of the positions on thespectrum is most attractive to you? Explain.

Chapter10 11/05/2004 8:37 AM Page 255


Joining a Political PartyThose who choose to join a political party cannominate and vote for the candidates who willrun in their riding. To join a political party, youneed to be eighteen years of age. However, mostof the major political parties have special youthwings that allow young people to have their sayregarding policies and future directions for the

party. Youth wings often have considerable influ-ence over party policies, as parties are anxious toget young people involved to ensure the party’ssurvival in the future.

Why do people join political parties? Somewish to improve the quality of life in their com-munity, region, or nation. Others believe stronglyin the ideology of the political party and act ontheir beliefs. Still others are attracted to the power

Jenny Kwan’s political career is full of firsts. At theage of twenty-seven she became the youngest

person ever elected to Vancouver City Council. Then,at thirty, she and Ida Chong were the first Chinese-Canadian women to sit in the British ColumbiaLegislative Assembly. In 1998 she became the firstChinese-Canadian cabinet minister in B.C. history, when she was appointed minister of Municipal Affairs.Since then she has held two more provincial cabinetposts, first as Minister of Women’s Equality and then asMinister of Community Development, Co-operatives,and Volunteers. Here is what she has to say about howand why she entered politics.

“When people ask me how I got politicized, I think backto my childhood. My family arrived in Vancouver in 1975,when I was nine. I had childlike expectations, and the re-ality shocked me. My mother had to work for $10 a dayin the farms outside Vancouver. We lived in worse ac-commodation than we had in Hong Kong. There weresix kids and my parents, living in a tiny two-bedroombasement suite.

“At school I was made fun of by other children. Iremember one incident in the washroom. Two girlsstarted to call me Chink. I locked myself in a stall, butthey climbed over each side.… I grew up wishing that Iwasn’t Chinese. As a child, I had full command of thelanguage, but I made myself forget it. It’s ironic because

now I spend a lot of time trying to relearn the languageand culture.

“When I was twenty-one, I was asking myself soul-searching questions about life and purpose. I decided toanswer them by going back to Hong Kong and China. Italked to people in the villages who all wanted to go tomore progressive places. I grew to love China, but themore I saw, the more I realized it was up to me to takeadvantage of the opportunities in Canada.

“I went back to Vancouver and worked for an ad-vocacy group called the Downtown Eastside Residents’Association. On the first day, I knew I had found mycalling. All kinds of people came to see us. Some hadbeen wrongfully evicted by a landlord. Many were im-migrants. Most were poor. We helped them exercisetheir rights. Housing is fundamental to providing stabil-ity in people’s lives.…

“My career goal had always involved ensuring thereis equality and justice for everyone. When I was ap-proached to run for City Council, I thought it might allowme to achieve my goals. But when I was elected, I wasthe only representative of my party, the Coalition ofProgressive Electors, and the youngest person onCouncil. It was the toughest three years of my career.…

“That time on Council got me ready for the fightof running provincially. I went door knocking for a wholemonth. The residents of the riding took me into theirhomes. They wanted to discuss crime and safety.

up clo seJenny Kwan: Politics with Passion

Chapter10 11/05/2004 8:37 AM Page 256


and influence of politics. Many influential peo-ple in politics today got their start by joining a po-litical party.

Perhaps the real question is why do so fewpeople—only about 2 per cent of the popula-tion—join political parties. Individuals are farmore likely to seek change by participating in aspecial-interest group or a non-governmentalorganization (NGO) than by joining a party.

NGOs are non-profit organizations that work toimprove some aspect of people’s lives. ManyNGOs work internationally, providing servicesand lobbying governments to change unfair lawsor policies. Examples of some NGOs are theUnited Way, the Canadian Red Cross, DoctorsWithout Borders, Oxfam, and the WesternCanada Wilderness Committee.

Figure 10-12 Jenny Kwan, member of the BritishColumbia legislature for Vancouver–Mount Pleasant.

Employment. Poverty. Education. Just like my parents,these residents wanted a better quality of life for theirchildren.

“When Ida Chong and I got elected to the legisla-ture, it sent a strong message: we all have a legitimaterole to play in our democratic society. We should neverforget that the Asian community didn’t have the voteuntil 1948. That wasn’t long ago.

“People say I’m too idealistic, but I take it as a com-pliment. Women campaigned to get the vote and werecriticized for being idealists. Well, thank God they werebecause otherwise I wouldn’t be here as an elected of-ficial. I have a saying: if I get up in the morning andknow not what I want to achieve, then what is the pur-pose of getting up? I believe in my ideals so strongly, I’mwilling to fight for them.”

Q u e s t i o n s

1. Jenny Kwan has worked for change both as part ofan advocacy group and as an elected representative.What do you think are the pros and cons of each ofthese forms of political involvement?

2. Why is it important to encourage people from all eth-nic backgrounds to participate in politics? What bar-riers might immigrants such as Jenny Kwan face inpursuing a political career? What can we do as a so-ciety to overcome those barriers?

3. What qualities do you think are needed to be an ef-fective politician? What educational background doyou think would be a good preparation for such a ca-reer? Does this career choice interest you at all?Why or why not?

Chapter10 11/05/2004 8:37 AM Page 257


A C T I V I T I E S

1. a) What is considered to be the strength of the first-past-the-post system? What is the major disad-vantage of this system?

b) What problems associated with first-past-the-postwould proportional representation (PR) address?What new problems might PR create?

2. Why do you think politicians are reluctant to changethe system of first-past-the-post?

3. Choose one of the political parties shown in Figure 10-13, and research its policies and ideologies. Thendecide where on the political spectrum shown inFigure 10-11 you would place it. Explain your deci-sion.

4. a) What reasons would you give to explain why sofew people join political parties in Canada?

b) What advice would you give to party organizationsto help them recruit members from your agegroup?

Influencing GovernmentBetween elections, individuals can and do influ-ence their government by contacting their MP,MLA, or alderperson to express their view, or sim-

ply to request information, assistance, or inter-vention. Canadians also communicate with pub-lic servants, who conduct the daily business ofthe government. Letters to the editor and radiophone-in shows are another way that citizens com-municate their thoughts and ideas to government.

While individual contact between citizens andgovernment can make a difference, especially atthe local level, and is welcomed by most electedrepresentatives, it is not the most effective wayto initiate change. Individual action may also beslow and too time-consuming and expensive.

Pressure Groups and LobbyistsGroups who seek to influence government poli-cies and decisions are called interest groups orpressure groups. A pressure group is made upof people who share a certain viewpoint and wantto change or influence government policy in orderto promote their common interest. There are twokinds of pressure groups. Institutionalized pres-sure groups are well established and have formal or-ganizations. Examples of these groups are shownin Figure 10-14. Issue-oriented groups are less per-manent. People form these groups to accomplishlimited aims, and disband after they have ac-complished their aim. A group that lobbies a local

Figure 10-13 Thelogos of the mainpolitical parties in2001.

Chapter10 11/05/2004 8:37 AM Page 258


Area Group

Economics Business Council on National IssuesCanadian Manufacturers AssociationCanadian Labour CongressConsumers’ Association of Canada

Religion Canadian Council of ChurchesCanadian Jewish Congress

Health Canadian Medical AssociationCanadian Cancer Society

Gender, race, or ethnicity National Council of WomenBlack Action Defence CommitteeArab Palestinian AssociationCanadian Polish Congress

Environment GreenpeaceSierra Club

Human rights Amnesty InternationalFree the Children

Figure 10-14 Someinstitutionalized pressuregroups in Canada.

Figure 10-15 Pressure groups in action, clockwise from top left:environmentalists stage a sit-in at an MP’s office; a lobby group for thedisabled protests cuts to provincial services; a poster campaign targets youngpeople; petitioners gather signatures; an issue-based protest march.

Chapter10 11/05/2004 8:37 AM Page 259

b u i l d i n g y o u r s k i l l s

Conducting an Interview

Conducting an interview is an important skill if youwant to collect opinions and information from individu-als. What kind of preparation should an interviewer dobefore an interview? Here is how one journalist inter-viewed Craig Kielburger about his visit to India andPakistan in 1996 and the aims of his pressure group.

Q: How did you first become interested in the issue ofchild labour?

A: In April 1995, I read about Iqbal Masid, the youngPakistani rug weaver who was killed because he spokeout against child labour. I was horrified. I did more re-search on the issue and found out that over 200 mil-lion children worldwide have to work, many underconditions of terrible exploitation. I made a presenta-tion on the topic to my class and, after that, a few ofus decided to form Free the Children, a group dedicatedto ending child labour. Since then, our group has grownto over two hundred members all across Canada, andwe’re still growing.

Q: Why do you think that Canadians in general, and es-pecially young people, should be concerned about thisissue?

A: Canadians should be concerned about issues thataffect them, either directly or indirectly. Children underthe age of eighteen have rights that are internationallyrecognized. Among these is the right to an education.Young people in Canada can identify with children inother countries who are being mistreated and abused.It is our moral responsibility to speak out against thissituation. We should learn more about the issue, andwork to bring child labour to an end by pressuring gov-ernments and businesses to take action.

Q: What led you to go on your own fact-finding trip toAsia?

A: My visit was organized by a branch of theInternational Labour Organization dedicated to the elim-ination of child labour. For seven weeks, I visited a num-ber of Asian countries, gathering information.… During


government to have a traffic light installed wouldbe an example of this kind of pressure group.

Over the years, pressure groups have per-suaded the government to write new legislation,move airports and industries, establish parks andwildlife reserves, reduce taxes for certain indus-tries, control or not control pollution, and providemore government funding for research and de-velopment of certain products and services.

Free the Children: Young Peoplein ActionOne pressure group that has been remarkably suc-cessful on an international level is Free theChildren. Craig Kielburger started the group whenhe was just twelve years old. Its goal was to endchild labour around the world. The group began by

writing letters, circulating a petition, and speakingout in their school and community about the issue.They gained a reputation as passionate and con-vincing speakers. A trip to South Asia gave Craigan opportunity to witness the conditions of childlabourers first hand. It also helped the group togain media attention, as Prime Minister JeanChrétien, who was visiting the region on a trademission, agreed to meet with Craig to discuss theissue of child labour.

Since its beginnings in 1995, Free theChildren has raised awareness of children’s rights,and has grown from a small group of friends toan international organization operating in overtwenty countries. The group’s members

…have become international spokespersons forchildren’s rights. They have built schools, created

Chapter10 11/05/2004 8:37 AM Page 260


my trip, I learned that the Team Canada trade missionwas going to be arriving in Asia. A press conferencewas organized, where I was asked if I was going to bemeeting with Prime Minister Chrétien. I said that I wouldlike to discuss the issue with him, and ask him to talkabout it with the leaders he was going to meet. [LaterI did meet with him, and he] promised me that he woulddo this.

Q: Do you think that your meeting with Prime MinisterChrétien accomplished anything positive?

A: Yes, I think it did. He raised the issue with the lead-ers of India and Pakistan, two countries where childlabour is quite common, especially in the rug-makingtrade. Government and business leaders also promisedthat they would follow up on the issue by makingCanadians more aware of it. Education is the key to get-ting people more involved and active in trying to endchild labour.

Q: What do you say to adults who think thatyoung people like yourself lack the knowl-edge and maturity to speak out on issues liketrade and human rights?

A: Young people have a special interest inworking to end social injustice around theworld. It’s our future we’re concerned about,and practices like child labour really have noplace in society today. Despite our youth, wecare a lot about the things that are going onin the world, and with knowledge, enthusi-asm, and teamwork, we can bring aboutsome positive changes.

Q: What do you say to young people whothink that it’s pointless to try to changethings, and that they’re wasting their timedoing so?

A: I would say to them that they should thinkabout the potential power that young people have.Imagine if thousands of teenagers from across Canadaput pressure on governments and businesses to stopimporting products made by child labour. Young peoplehave the energy, enthusiasm, and dedication to makechanges. What we need is more education and the op-portunity to form groups that can get the job done.That’s what we’re trying to do with Free the Children,and we seem to be making our point to the people inpower.

A p p l y i n g t h e S k i l l

1. Read the questions that the journalist asked CraigKielburger. Make up three further questions that youwould add to find out more about how to organize apressure group like Free the Children.

2. Make up a list of questions that you would like toask Jenny Kwan to find out more about her aims andhow she became involved in political life.

3. Arrange an interview with a politically active individ-ual in your community. Your goal is to find out moreabout why this person is politically active, and whatstrategies his or her group has found to be successfulin initiating change. Summarize what you havelearned about political activism during the interviewin a report to the class.

Figure 10-16 Craig Kielburger, meeting with the press inIndia in 1996.

Using evidence How does this photograph support theview that Kielburger was skilful in getting his view acrossto the media?

Chapter10 11/05/2004 8:37 AM Page 261


alternative sources of income for poor families, ledcampaigns against sweatshop and child labor, con-vinced governments to stiffen laws to chargetourists who sexually exploit children, are raisingfunds to build a peace center and have created aninternational network of children helping children.

Source: Free the Children Web site,www.freethechildren.org/info/Whatisftc1b.htm

One of the goals of Free the Children is toencourage young people to exercise their rightsand become politically active. Children set thepolicies of the group; adults play a supportive roleas secretaries and advisers, but cannot vote onmajor decisions.

Should Citizens HaveMore Input in theProcesses ofGovernment?In Chapter 9, you saw that the caucus of the governingpolitical party and the Cabinet approve policies and newlegislation before they are introduced to the legislature.Sometimes these policies are based on the party plat-form—the promises that the leader and candidatesmade when they ran for election. By electing the gov-erning party, electors (although usually not the majority)have given approval for these policies. Other times, thepolicies are new initiatives introduced by the govern-ment without input from the general public.

Prime ministers, who have the most control overthe direction government will take, have two bodies toadvise them on policy: the Privy Council Office (PCO),which is made up of senior public servants, and thePrime Minister’s Office (PMO), which is made up ofparty members who are trusted by the prime minister.Members of the PMO are not elected, and have specialaccess to the leader of the government. Provincial pre-miers have similar unelected advisers. The number ofpeople serving in the PMO has risen dramatically since1968, and with it, the body’s power. In Ontario in thelate 1990s, even elected members of the governing

party complained about the power that the people inthe premier’s office wielded in policy making.

So, it is not surprising that many people feel theyhave little say in government policies. Elected officialssometimes seem inaccessible to the ordinary citizen.The levers of power seem to be firmly in the hands ofbureaucrats, advisers, and pressure groups that do notalways represent the views of the majority.

What avenues are there for the citizen who is notinvolved in the political system to be heard? People cancontact members of Parliament and voice their opin-ions, join a pressure group or political party, protest in apublic demonstration, phone in to talk shows, or writeletters to newspapers. If they are more persistent, theycan prepare submissions to present to standing com-mittees if these are held when legislation is beingpassed, although there is no guarantee their concernswill be addressed. Still, many Canadians feel that theirgovernments do not hear them. Should steps be takento allow the general public to have more say in policiesand decision making?

Dennis Streifel (see Chapter 9, page 243) has twosuggestions to allow more public input: that the publicbe allowed to ask questions in question period, and thatlegislation should be publicly debated before it is intro-duced. Electronic mail and other forms of rapid com-munication make it easier for people’s opinions to beknown. The Canadian Alliance want to include moreuse of referendums, so that the public can vote on ac-cepting or rejecting proposals for legislation. They alsofavour the recall of representatives who do not followthe electors’ wishes. All these suggestions are aimed atincreasing the level of citizen participation.

However, Canada has a representative democracy.With over 30 million people in the country, it is impos-sible to have direct democracy. We elect people to act

c o u n t e r p o i n t s

Chapter10 11/05/2004 8:37 AM Page 262


Applying PressureHow do pressure groups try to achieve their aims?One way to influence government is by provid-ing research, polls, reports, and advice to gov-ernment ministries. The government often seeksout the technical expertise of such groups. Theseresources provide the government with clear andaccessible information that they can use in mak-

ing decisions. However, it also gives the groupmore influence over decisions made by the gov-ernment, and in some cases presents the groupwith a conflict of interest, in which the goals ofthe interest group are likely to prevail. For exam-ple, the minister of finance routinely consultswith business groups in setting tax policy. Whilethese consultants’ knowledge of the market can be

to be heard have more influence than those who aresilent.

The era of electronic communication certainlymakes it easier to convey individual voters’ opinions onissues, but not everyone has access to these tools. Asystem that asked for more citizen participation wouldhave to ensure that each person’s voice is heard onlyonce on an issue. We have careful supervision of votingin elections to make sure that there is no pressure ap-plied to people, and that counting of votes is carefullyscrutinized. A similar system would have to apply topublic input on policy decisions and voting on legisla-tion. No such system is in place.

A n a l y s i n g t h e I s s u e

1. Suppose that the government is proposing to intro-duce a bill or policy that you disagree with. Outlinethree steps that you could take to show your oppo-sition. Rank them in order of effectiveness.

2. a) Should members of Parliament be able to askquestions from the general public in question pe-riod? Why or why not?

b) Draw up a plan for allowing citizens’ questions tobe asked in question period. For example, whowould choose the questions? How many citizenquestions should be asked? Should the governingparty be made aware of the questions before-hand? Do you think this reform would make gov-erning parties more responsive to citizens’concerns? Why or why not?

3. Prepare an organizer to show the pros and cons ofeach of the reforms suggested in this feature.

4. Do you think that citizens should have more say indeciding on government policies? Explain your an-swer.

on our behalf. They belong to political parties, and inorder to have a stable government, the party membersvote as one on legislation, even if some may disagreewith a policy. If a member disagrees continually, or on animportant issue, he or she must resign from the party.These members usually continue to sit in the legisla-ture, and the voters can decide whether to reelect themin the next election. Some political commentators feelthat party discipline is too strict, and that there should bemore free votes; but on major policy initiatives, this is un-likely.

The federal government has held very few refer-endums in its history, the most recent being the oneon the Charlottetown Accord in 1992. Voters were giventhe opportunity to vote on whether or not they acceptedthe Accord. The Accord was rejected, but the vote il-lustrates some of the problems with referendums.Voters have to respond with a simple “yes” or “no” tocomplex issues. Even a seemingly simple question like,“Should Canada adopt capital punishment?” is morecomplex than it seems. What crimes should be pun-ishable by capital punishment? Who will make this de-cision?

Direct democracy assumes that the people will beactively engaged in learning about legislation and poli-cies. Usually, issues in politics are complex, with manycompromises to be made for agreement to be reached.Yet surveys show that most voters are too busy withtheir families and working lives to spend much time onpolitical issues. Only 2 per cent actually join political par-ties; sometimes more than 30 per cent do not vote infederal elections. What percentage of the populationwould be prepared to spend the time to be properly in-formed about issues, and convey their thoughts to thegovernment? Lack of participation by a large numberof voters would mean that those who make the effort

Chapter10 11/05/2004 8:37 AM Page 263


helpful to the government, these groups have avested interest in the outcome of such policies,and cannot be expected to give objective advice.

Institutionalized groups often use lobbyists.A lobbyist is someone who is paid to representthe interests of a particular group to key decisionmakers, such as high-level bureaucrats in the pub-lic service or politicians. They often have expertisein the field of the pressure group. Some profes-sional lobbyists are former high-ranking membersof the public service and maintain contact withtheir former colleagues, such as deputy ministers,Cabinet ministers, other key government officials,and the opposition. Outside the government, lob-byists may target other pressure groups, the media,and important party members.

The danger with lobbying is that people withspecial influence can persuade governments toput in place policies that favour their group butare not necessarily in the public interest. An ex-ample is the tobacco company lobby, which hasfought government efforts to limit advertising fortobacco products. In 1989, when people werevery concerned about the power of lobbyists ininfluencing decisions, a bill was passed requiringlobbyists to register. Public servants who resignedfrom their jobs could not work as lobbyists until ayear had passed since their resignations.

Another avenue that groups can use is thecourts. For example, in 1988 Canada’s law pro-hibiting abortion was struck down by the SupremeCourt. The case was backed by a coalition of pro-choice groups. However, court cases can cost alot of money, and the outcome is not guaranteed.Also, while courts can strike down a law, they can-not order that it be replaced by something else.That is up to the government. For those pressuregroups who are hoping to convince the govern-ment to create new laws or policies, the best thecourts can do is to make governments aware thata law may be needed.

One aspect of pressure group activity thatcauses some concern is funding. Some groups arelarge enough to be self-financing. However, pub-lic interest groups are often dependent on fundsfrom government. While receiving governmentfunds can help give a group a voice in policy mak-ing, it can also limit the effectiveness of the group.

The National Action Committee on the Status ofWomen (NACSW) began receiving operationalgrants from the government in 1973. However,its funding was drastically cut in 1988 by theProgressive Conservative government, after theNACSW spoke out against government policies.

Some critics argue that if pressure groups aretoo successful, then democracy is put at risk. Theyargue that if government is influenced too greatlyby well-organized minority interest groups, thenthe wishes of the majority may not be heard—oreven sought. They are critical of the influencethat certain pressure groups seem to have overgovernment, particularly those well-funded andhighly organized groups with professional lobbyists.

A C T I V I T I E S

1. Explain in your own words the meaning of the termspressure group and lobbyist.

2. a) Make a list of the steps that Craig Kielburger usedto organize political action.

b) What organizations helped him apply political pres-sure? What role did the media play in his suc-cess?

c) Do you agree with Kielburger that youngCanadians have a responsibility to speak out aboutinjustices in other countries? Give reasons foryour views.

3. Identify an issue that is important to you. How wouldyou like to influence the government on this issue?Write a letter to your MP, MLA, or local representa-tive explaining your position.

4. Develop a code of ethics for professional lobbyists touse in dealing with government and other officials.For example, is it acceptable for a lobbyist to takean official to lunch? Contribute to a politician’s elec-tion campaign or political party? Buy an official gifts?

Role of the Mass MediaThe mass media include television, radio, news-papers, and magazines. They are the chief meth-ods of communicating ideas and information inour society. Citizens get most of their day-to-day

Chapter10 11/05/2004 8:37 AM Page 264


information about government actions from mediareports. Journalists are free to criticize govern-ment actions, or to question the decisions made byelected representatives and officials. As well, themedia report on public opinion polls. This givesthe government feedback on what people thinkabout its policies. For these reasons, the mediaare very important in the political process.

The influence of the media goes beyond therole of go-between. In many ways, the media canactually influence government—and citizens’ at-titudes towards it. Issues that receive largeamounts of media coverage often get more atten-tion from government. Since there are always morestories to report on than there is space to reportthem, editors must make choices about what theythink is important. In this way, the media can ac-tually change the direction of government policy.

Yet what makes a good media story is not al-ways what is most deserving of attention.Sometimes important issues are not given any at-tention by the media. Activist groups know thatsimply making a statement about an issue is un-likely to get them much attention in the media,but organizing an event of some kind—a protestrally, for example—may be more successful.Sometimes crowds march in silence until the tele-vision cameras appear. Then, organizers encouragethe marchers to shout slogans and chant so theirmessage will appear in the news.

Media ConcentrationIn recent years, media ownership has become moreand more concentrated in the hands of a few cor-porations. For example, between 1989 and 1999,the number of daily papers that were run inde-pendently of a large newspaper chain dropped fromtwenty-three to seven. Two or three large chains,such as Southam/Thomson, Hollinger, or CanWestGlobal, owned most of the remaining papers.

This concentration means that the news readby significant numbers of Canadians is from lim-ited sources, rather than from a variety of sources.At some point, critics argue, if ownership is in thehands of a very small group, it will go against theintent of diversity and plurality in a democracy.Like a powerful pressure group, media owned by

Number of newspapers owned by large chains

Number of independent newspapers

1999

1989

99 7

96 23

Figure 10-17 Describe the trends in newspaperownership in Canada shown by this graph.

Figure 10-18 Finance Minister Paul Martin issurrounded by reporters outside the House ofCommons in the wake of concern over Canada’sresponse to a crisis in the global economy, 1998.

Developing understanding Why do politiciansusually welcome attention from the media? Whatproblems might they have if they refuse to talk to themedia when the public wants answers to an issue?

Chapter10 11/05/2004 8:37 AM Page 265


a small group will come into conflict with the pub-lic interest while promoting its own interests.Questions about bias arise. Can the views ofCanadians be represented accurately and fairlyby a select and powerful group?

Civil DisobedienceThere are numerous ways for citizens to maketheir voices heard in Canada: through the vote,through individual actions such as letter writing,and through joining pressure groups and usingthe media. Yet, they may not be successful inchanging the policies and actions of governments,because governments must balance the needs andwants of many different segments of society.

Suppose you feel that the actions of the gov-ernment are actually unethical or undemocratic.Is it ever acceptable to break the law as a way ofprotesting government actions?

Civil disobedience is the act of intention-ally breaking, or refusing to keep, laws one con-siders unjust. The term was coined by anineteenth-century U.S. writer, Henry Thoreau.He felt that the basic democratic principle of ma-jority rule existed not because the majority wasalways right but because it was more powerfuland could force the minority to comply. “If themachinery of government is unjust,” Thoreau said,“break the law. Let your life be a counter frictionto stop the machine.”

This form of protest has been used by some ofthe greatest moral leaders of our time—includ-ing the U.S. civil rights activist Martin LutherKing and the Indian politician Mohandas Gandhi.

Both these men embraced non-violent civil dis-obedience in their quest for justice, and both ul-timately died for their cause.

If everyone in society disobeyed laws withwhich they personally disagreed, we might have noeffective order. Different people would be living bya variety of rules, and the result would be chaos.Imagine your classroom if every student couldchoose which rules he or she would obey. Greatthinkers such as Gandhi and King agree that civildisobedience is warranted only when there is sig-nificant harm from the law itself. Relatively trivialmatters do not merit breaking the law, as the harmto society of that violation could be greater thanthe benefit. As well, those who choose to prac-tise civil disobedience should be willing to facethe consequences of their actions. Running awayfrom this responsibility would diminish the moralauthority being demonstrated.

1 Civil disobedience should not involve violence.

2 Civil disobedience should be directed againstlaws that are seriously harmful.

3 Civil disobedience requires taking responsibil-ity for one’s actions. Willingness to face pun-ishment shows the strength of one’s beliefs.

Figure 10-19 The principles of civil disobedience.

Figure 10-20 The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. wavesto the crowd before his “I have a dream” speechduring the March on Washington, DC, August 28,1963. The march was organized to support proposedcivil rights legislation and to end segregation in theU.S. South.

Chapter10 11/05/2004 8:37 AM Page 266


Clayoquot SoundActs of civil disobedience—blocking logging roadsnear Clayoquot Sound, British Columbia—brought the issue of clear-cut logging to publicattention in 1993. The provincial government hadbeen faced with a difficult decision about the fu-ture of the area. It opted for compromise. It setaside 34 per cent of the area as protected lands,and allowed selective and environmentally sensi-tive logging of another 21 per cent. The area avail-able for general logging was reduced from 80 percent to 40 per cent. The government claimed thatopinion polls showed a majority of the populationwas in favour of the solution.

However, opposition to the compromise wasvocal, and led to the largest example of civil dis-obedience in Canadian history. Protesters orga-nized blockade after blockade, sitting in groupsin the middle of the road to prevent loggers fromentering the forest. Police had to drag each indi-vidual from the road. Most protesters offered noresistance, other than to refuse to move. Over 800people were arrested in the summer of 1993 alone.

Figure 10-21

The 1993protests againstlogging in theClayoquot Valleybrought thelargest massarrests in BritishColumbia’shistory.

Most received warnings, fines of up to $500, or jailsentences. Since that time, the issue of loggingpractices in the area has been monitored, and alldecisions regarding the clear-cutting of old-growthforest are closely examined.

A C T I V I T I E S

1. Do you think it is dangerous to allow newspaperownership to be concentrated in the hands of a smallgroup? Explain your response. What are the potentialbenefits of such concentration?

2. Working in a small group, think of an issue or causeyou would like to bring to the media’s attention. Thenbrainstorm a list of events you could stage in order togain some media attention for the issue. Rememberthat, especially for television, your event needs toprovide opportunities for interesting visuals, as wellas getting your message across.

3. Explain the three basic guidelines for practising civildisobedience. Why are these guidelines an impor-tant part of this approach to changing governmentpolicies?

Chapter10 11/05/2004 8:37 AM Page 267


Develop an Understanding

1. Explain how each of the following allows you to in-fluence the government of Canada:

a. voting in an election

b. joining a pressure group

c. membership in a political party

Use mind maps, ideas webs, flow charts, or othergraphics to clarify your written explanations.

2. Describe the role of the media in the democraticprocess. Give examples to illustrate each aspect ofthe media’s role.

3. Explain the following terms and their possible rolein political decision making: professional lobbyists;pressure groups; the Prime Minister’s Office; pub-lic opinion poll.

4. List three statements that Craig Kielburger makesin his interview that particularly impressed you.Explain why these statements had an impact on you.

Explore the Issues

5. A pressure group called Fair Vote Canada formedafter the 2000 federal election. Members want toreform the electoral system so that the distortionscaused by the first-past-the-post system are less-ened.

a. How would you advise this pressure group to or-ganize?

b. Whom would you suggest they target with theirideas?

6. What advice would you give to political party orga-nizers who want to increase membership in theirparty?

7. a. In your own words, describe the difference be-tween a left-wing and a right-wing ideology for apolitical party.

b. Where on the ideological spectrum do your ownbeliefs fall? Why?

8. You have just formed a new provincial (or federal)party, the Youth Party of British Columbia (or Canada).Develop policy statements covering at least threedifferent areas of government. What issues wouldyou want to see on the political agenda?

Research and Communicate

9. Make a collage from newspaper clippings and otherillustrations of your choosing that show the impor-tance of citizens influencing government.

10. Create a poster that shows your view of how indi-viduals and groups can affect government decisionmaking. Consider how to get your message acrossto other students and concerned citizens.

11. Examine your local newspaper, listen to a newsbroadcast on a local radio station, and watch a newsreport on television, paying attention to editorialsand letters to the editor in the newspaper. Workingwith one, two, or three other students, analyse theeditorials and news reports by answering the fol-lowing questions. a. What news reports about government are em-

phasized in each medium? Does each mediumconcentrate on the same stories, or is a varietyof stories presented? Why do you think this isso?

b. What is the general tone of the reports—criti-cal, supportive, or both?

c. If the news reports express opinions about thegovernment, do they present more than oneside of an issue? Do the reporters express apersonal preference in the issues?

d. How do different stations or papers cover thesame event? Why do you think this occurs?

e. Write a paragraph to present your opinion aboutthe influence of the media in politics. Providereasons and examples to support your view ofthe role of the media in the making of politicaldecisions.

12. Investigate the recent changes in South Africa andits voting laws. Black South Africans—the major-ity of citizens—have only recently gained the rightto vote. How did these changes come about? Whatwere the results of the first election in which blackscould vote? Why are the changes to the votinglaws in South Africa so important for the future ofthat country?

L O O K I N G B A C K

Chapter10 11/05/2004 8:37 AM Page 268


13. Investigate the voting patterns of Canadians in ei-ther provincial or federal elections. The Web sitefor Elections Canada at <www.elections.ca> is auseful source. Choose one of the following topicsto focus on, or create one of your own.a. Do voters who live in rural areas tend to sup-

port the same party as urban voters?

b. Are there certain regions that are more likely tosupport a particular party, regardless of theleader or the issues?

c. Do certain areas of your own province tend to bedominated by particular parties or ideologies?

d. Are people more likely to vote in municipal,provincial, or federal elections?

What conclusions can you draw about the votingpatterns of Canadians? Present your findings onmaps, charts, or graphs, as well as in written form.

14. Organize a list of suggestions for increasing voterturnout in federal and provincial elections. Howmight you persuade students to vote in school elec-tions? Would you use similar or different techniquesto promote increased voter turnout?

15. Select one of the pressure groups mentioned inthis chapter (or another group of your choosing)and investigate its history, political activity, mem-bership numbers, and goals. Try to evaluate the in-fluence of the group on government policy anddecision making.

Chapter10 11/05/2004 8:37 AM Page 269

Chapter10 11/05/2004 8:37 AM Page 248 The Citizen and ...

Documents

Transcript of Chapter10 11/05/2004 8:37 AM Page 248 The Citizen and ...