We have a crisis in democratic engagement but the solution is simple — get out and vote

Canadians have a duty to try to leave a legacy of good government and solid leadership

As we come closer to election day on Monday it would be wise to keep the following in mind.

First, it is urgent that all Canadian citizens actually vote. In the 2019 federal election, only 67 per cent of eligible voters actually took the time to vote. Consider the following: From the June 1957 federal election to the May 1979 federal election, the lowest turnout we saw was in July 1974 at 71 per cent. We have seen a change since 1979 and not for the better.

The last time Canada saw a voter turnout of over 70 per cent was the free trade election of 1988. Why are so many voters over the last 30plus years tuning out? One must remember that during the late 1950s and into the 1960s and ’70s, voters appreciated how crucial good leadership was bringing us through the Second World War, the Berlin Crisis, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the October Crisis, etc.

While events have changed, the world is still a very dangerous place and we require leaders of depth and ability. In the last 20 years we have experienced 9/11, Canadian troops in combat in Afghanistan, the 2008/09 market crash and the resulting worst recession since the Great Depression and of course, the current pandemic.

In all of these, we have seen how crucial good leadership is for a nation and how badly poor leadership can hurt a nation and its citizens. So with all this, why do so many people appear to be apathetic toward who leads our nation?

Is low turnout due to dissatisfaction with the various party leaders? If that is the case the answer isn’t apathy and/or tuning out, it is becoming more engaged. This isn’t hard to do.

How much effort does it take to read the newspaper and/or listen to the news? How many take the time to write their elected representatives and express their points of view and/or show up at all candidate meetings and ask questions?

As Canadians we owe a duty to those who came before us and were engaged and to those who will come after us and try to leave them a legacy of good government and solid leadership. This all begins with voting.

This next point may surprise many: In the Westminster system of government which Canada uses, we don’t elect a prime minister. We elect a Parliament and the prime minister is the leader of the party that holds the confidence of the House of Commons.

It is not necessarily the party with the most seats (although usually it is). I raise this as the polls are pointing to another minority government. In this scenario, the Conservatives could certainly win the most seats. However, if they don’t win at least 170 (which would then give them a majority of seats in the House of Commons), they will be in a minority situation.

Current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in this situation would be perfectly within his rights to seek support from parties such as the New Democratic Party to remain in power. If the Liberals win the most seats, but fail to obtain a majority, the Conservatives could as well seek support from the other parties, introduce a motion of nonconfidence and inform the Governor General that they can form a government with the confidence of the House.

We saw something very similar in 1985 in Ontario. The Progressive Conservatives won a minority with a margin of four seats. The Liberals led by David Peterson negotiated with the NDP led by Bob Rae to “bring down” the PC government with a motion of non-confidence. Peterson then informed the lieutenant governor that he could form

a government with the support of the NDP. And they were in power for the next two years.

Coalition governments where the cabinet is made up of members of two or more parties are also legitimate.

In such cases, we will hear enraged rhetoric from the “aggrieved party” to the contrary but truth be told, they are perfectly legitimate and democratic.

Regardless of who we all support, let’s make it a point to vote and to be engaged in our system of government. And remember, parliamentary democracy isn’t always about who has the most seats. It is who has the confidence of the House of Commons.

We have seen how crucial good leadership is for a nation and how badly poor leadership can hurt a nation and its citizens