Democracy Is Not Slmething We Can Take for Granted

 Democracy Is Not Something We Can Take for Granted

My wife, who is also my campaign manager, and I came home tonight after another day of campaigning in Ward 5. We were tired, but once again reminded of why we decided to enter municipal politics in the first place.

Perhaps we are naïve. We have an almost unwavering faith in local government and in the democratic process. I know that may sound ridiculous to some people. But I believe deeply that democracy, particularly local democracy, is something worth believing in, protecting and participating in.

Our perspective has been shaped by where we have lived. We have spent considerable time in both the Middle East and China, where democracy is viewed through very different filters.

I would never dismiss China or its people. We lived there, worked there and came to admire the Chinese people enormously. They are warm, friendly and remarkably gregarious. But China is a one-party state, and political participation and individual freedoms operate within very different boundaries than they do in Canada. Minority rights and political dissent are also treated very differently.

Kuwait was another experience altogether. There, particularly for foreigners, the rule of law could feel arbitrary, and the relationship between the individual and government was very different from what we have come to expect in Canada.

Those experiences have made me appreciate Canada in a way that perhaps I might not have otherwise. I revere what we have accomplished in human rights, democratic freedoms, quality of life and the rule of law. We are far from perfect. Our governments can be slow, inefficient and frustrating. But Canada remains a remarkable country, and Waterloo is a remarkable city.

That is precisely why I worry about complacency.

We can become so accustomed to our freedoms and our quality of life that we assume they will always be there. We take them for granted because they have been part of our lives for so long. But history tells us that democratic institutions require constant attention. They are not self-sustaining.

I have watched with sadness as confidence in democratic institutions in the United States has deteriorated and as America’s reputation and influence around the world have been affected. I also worry about developments closer to home. In Ontario, we have seen significant changes to local governance, including the removal of elected regional chairs in favour of provincial appointments, changes to school-board governance, and expanded powers for some mayors.

Whatever one’s political affiliation, I believe we should be asking an important question: Are we strengthening local democracy, or are we gradually taking decisions further away from the people they affect?

My experience campaigning in Ward 5 has brought another concern into sharp focus: apathy.

I see a remarkable range of attitudes toward local government. At one end are people who are passionate, informed and deeply concerned about their community. At the other are people who seem to know very little about municipal government and care even less.

Some people tell me that local government is irrelevant to their lives. Others are frustrated because they believe government has been unresponsive to their needs. I understand that frustration. Government has a responsibility to provide services, maintain infrastructure, respond to residents and support the social well-being of the community.

But democracy is a two-way street.

Citizens also have responsibilities. We have a responsibility to learn about the issues, understand what our governments actually control, ask questions, participate in discussions and hold elected officials accountable.

Too often, we expect governments to do everything while contributing very little ourselves.

I sometimes wonder whether we have become too self-centred, too comfortable and too accustomed to having someone else solve our problems. I have also observed, during this campaign, that some of the wealthiest and least wealthy people can be among the least engaged in local politics. For very different reasons, some may feel that municipal government has little relevance to their lives. One group may believe that personal resources can provide whatever is needed; another may feel disconnected from, or even unworthy of, the system.

I don’t believe either attitude serves our community.

A strong community is built by people who participate in it. We need neighbours who care about their streets, residents who attend meetings, citizens who ask difficult questions, volunteers who organize community events and voters who take the time to understand the people asking for their support.

We cannot simply blame government for everything that is wrong with our community.

If we believe government is ineffective, then we should become informed enough to explain why. If we believe councillors are unresponsive, we should demand accountability. If we don’t like the choices before us, we should organize forums, ask candidates questions, attend debates and participate in the democratic process.

And if we want better candidates, we need to become better-informed voters.

My own experience going door to door in Ward 5 has reinforced this belief. I have been warmly welcomed into homes. I have had wonderful conversations with people who care passionately about Waterloo. I have also been ignored, dismissed and occasionally insulted.

That’s democracy.

Not everyone owes me their support. Not everyone will agree with me. In fact, disagreement is one of the great strengths of a democratic society. What matters is that we remain engaged enough to have the conversation.

I have also learned from those conversations. People have challenged my assumptions and raised concerns I had not considered. On some issues, I have changed my position a few degrees because I listened.

That, to me, is what democracy is supposed to do.

It is not about having all the answers. It is about being willing to listen, learn, disagree respectfully and find a way forward together.

My fear is that if we become disconnected from one another and from our institutions, we gradually weaken the very community that gives us the quality of life we enjoy. When community strength erodes, there isn’t much left to replace it.

Democracy requires citizens.

It requires us to stay connected. Research the candidates. Ask questions. Attend meetings. Challenge government when necessary. Volunteer. Help your neighbour. Vote. And, perhaps most importantly, resist the temptation to believe that someone else will take care of everything.

I have lived in places where democratic participation was limited and where the relationship between the individual and government was very different from what we experience here.

Those experiences have made me grateful for Canada.

I don’t want us to discover the value of our democratic institutions only after we have lost some of them.

Waterloo is worth caring about. Ward 5 is worth caring about. Local government is worth caring about.

Democracy is not something that belongs to politicians. It belongs to all of us.

And if we want to keep it, we have to participate in it.