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a Vote of Confidence on Democracy« Thread Started on Jul 26,

Daily newsbrief journal for July 2007, also see http://www.usdemocrats.com/brief for a global 100-page perpetual brief and follow twitter @usdemocrats


a Vote of Confidence on Democracy« Thread Started on Jul 26,

Postby admin » Sat Jan 28, 2012 1:43 pm

a Vote of Confidence on Democracy« Thread Started on Jul 26, 2007, 2:06am » --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Why the World Gives Our Democracy a Vote of Confidence By Jean-Pierre Kingsleyread at source> http://www.embassymag.ca/html/index.php ... ley/Canada may well be the country whose assistance is most-often sought for elections in emerging or reemerging democracies, whether it be for purposes of establishing an electoral system or for monitoring the elections. These requests usually are channeled through international organizations such as the United Nations, the Commonwealth, la Francophonie and the Organization of American States. The reasons for this are multi-faceted and may be broken down into three broad categories. In the first instance, there is the fact that democracy in Canada is viewed as functioning very well. Our history is such that even before 1867, Canada was already holding elections. Admittedly, since 1867, the right to vote has evolved gradually to attain its present level, which in terms of universality may be the broadest in the world. Canada was founded by two peoples, who succeeded in reconciling on the new continent the differences of centuries of rivalry and wars between them in Europe. Canada has also traditionally welcomed immigrants and refugees, reflecting its fundamental values of openness and the fundamental equality between individuals–regardless of race, religion or sex–as part of the fabric of Canadian society. Proportionately, Canada receives more refugees and immigrants every year than any other country. These stories have been told and retold by relatives of the immigrants and refugees as well as by the media. It is part of the fabric of our society that they see. People around the world wish to understand how this has happened, why it has been made to happen, and what is it that works. That leads them to ask questions about the political system, which is at the heart of this success. The answer is that there are fundamental rights that are enshrined in our constitution, such as the freedom of speech for the media, the fact that there is an opposition in Parliament and that it is loyal to the overall objectives of parliamentary democracy, that parliament is indeed a functioning body–something that is very hard to achieve in newly emerging democracies–the fact that there is an independent judiciary ensuring the rule of law and that there are several other independent parliamentary institutions such as the auditor general, the first officer of parliament, that were established in the late 1800s. Secondly, a significant part of the answer concerning those parliamentary institutions that directly impact the political system is the office of the chief electoral officer. Canadian democracy, Canadian electoral democracy, has been very successful because the elections are well-run and seen to be fair and free; they are based on the concept of a level-playing field for candidates and parties. Intimately tied to this concept of a level playing field is the success Canada has achieved in defining the role of money in politics, something that eludes most nations around the world. Moreover, the electorate in Canada is at the center of the legislation; the legislator wanted it that way and it is the task of the chief electoral officer to make sure that that is maintained as well. The political parties and the candidates have fundamental rights that are also enshrined in the legislation and indeed in the constitution: freedom of association, freedom of expression, and the right to be a candidate. The office of the chief electoral officer is independent of the government and political parties, and answers directly to Parliament. Because it was established in 1920, it has developed into a very professional machine. As a consequence, electoral results in Canada are accepted by electors, by candidates and by political parties, thus ensuring the legality of the results and their legitimacy, which in turn imbues the winner with the popular right to act, to enact legislation and to govern. Finally, the Canadian approach to the provision of expertise in electoral matters as well as in other fields is one of sharing that expertise; it is not one that is prescriptive. The approach has been deliberative in nature, leading to a discussion of the issues facing the people seeking that expertise. Such discussions obviously lead to an opportunity to learn from them, as well as to understand the political, the historical and the cultural context of a particular country. And it is possible to do so without sacrificing or compromising on the fundamentals of electoral systems: the rights of electors, of political parties and of candidates; the fundamental equality of each person regardless of sex, age or status; and recognizing the secrecy of the vote. This approach also leads to a respect for their ultimate decision, recognizing that it is their electoral democracy that is being defined and that it must be shaped to fit the needs. One word describes that approach, whether it is as electoral assistance or electoral monitoring: accompaniment. Our basic approach is that of accompanying the people with whom we are interacting and sharing with them the expertise that has been developed so painstakingly by a fundamental Canadian institution for the betterment of all Canadians. Canada would be more effective in this endeavor, and in democratic development generally, if it were to proceed with the establishment of a Canadian foundation for international democratic development recently recommended by the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development. Jean-Pierre Kingsley is president and CEO of IFES, a nonpartisan democracy development organization based in Washington, D.C. He served as Canada's chief electoral officer from 1990 to 2006. editor@embassymag.ca
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