Better Democracy Roadmap

Better Democracy Roadmap

The Better Democracy Roadmap outlines our federal democratic reform policy platform through 4 areas of focus to uplift and recentre the public interest in Canadian politics.

 

Get involved!     What's the Roadmap? (FAQ)     Download the Roadmap download

About the roadmap

It’s time for Canada’s infant democracy and our parliamentarians to grow up! Our democracy urgently needs modernization, and delaying it is a risk we can no longer afford. 

Our Better Democracy Roadmap is a path towards a better, more responsive government to the needs of the public. The policy platform has four areas of focus:

1. Voting & Elections  2. Political Finance  3. Transparency & Integrity in our Politics  4. Celebrate Democracy  

Young people across Canada have been on the frontlines of numerous social and economic pressures. They have also been on the forefront of changemaking in reaction to those dynamics. 

From navigating a country with a declining sense of trust and social mobility, to meeting the basics like food and housing, you can find youth engaged to make things better. Now Apathy is Boring is organizing with youth around how decisions are being made for a Better Democracy through federal democratic reform.

1. Voting and Elections

The frontlines of our democracy. Better voting and election processes will lead to a better responding government.

Vote 16

Canada’s political parties allow 16-year-olds to join as voting members, and countries worldwide have lowered the voting age to 16. Extending the voting age will increase the likelihood of voters casting their 1st ballot and developing a lifelong habit of participation.

→ We need to extend voting rights in federal elections to 16-year-old Canadians.

Safeguard party nomination races for MPs

Foreign Interference in our electoral ecosystem is no joke! With our FPTP voting system producing many, many ‘safe seats’ in our parliament — party nomination races have effectively turned into elections. An internationally known point of vulnerability, party nomination races should have common rules for all citizens seeking public office.

→ We need standardized party nomination contests for federal elections where Elections Canada is empowered with an oversight role and enforcement capacity.

Replace the First Past the Post (FPTP) voting system

Our ‘winner-take-all’ voting system distorts the vote count in every general election. Some MPs are elected with under 30% of the vote, and government majorities get formed with under 40% support. Canada is one of three countries in the OECD using FPTP and the only one using it at all levels of government.

→ We need to replace the First Past The Post voting system. (we support using a non-partisan process such as a national citizen assembly to inform what other voting systems could be used).

Implement weekend voting

1 in 4 non-voters cite busyness during the week as a reason they didn’t vote, & 78% of youth (18-30) believe weekend voting would make it easier for them to vote. Weekend voting represents a tangible step toward overcoming barriers and rebuilding trust in our institutions through participation.

→ We need to hold the general election voting period over Saturday and Sunday in each federal election.

 

2. Political Finance

The lifeblood of our democratic process. Political financing in the public interest where everyone’s vote counts more than their income.

Flatten the annual donation limit to MPs

Our politicians and political parties are too reliant on an incredibly small number of big dollar donors. Let’s make them have to engage with tons of small donors instead of going back to the hand that feeds.

→ We need to reduce the donation limit from $1725 to $100 annually (eliminate the tax credit for political donations and reinstate the per-vote subsidy).

Reinstate the per-vote subsidy 

Tax dollars are reimbursing individual political donations. This needs to end. Bring back what worked and make every vote count - use our public funds on political parties based on their popular vote support.

→ We need to reinstate the per-vote subsidy (allowance) to federal political parties.

3. Transparency, Integrity in our Politics

Trust in our politics needs to be re-established. By creating transparency, and protecting integrity, we can make it make sense.

Better Disclosure of Lobbying

Canadians have the right to know how much money is being spent on lobbying campaigns in Ottawa. Unless we establish a public database on money in lobbying we’ll remain in the dark about the scope and scale of special interest shaping all of our laws.

→ We need to require that lobbyists disclose how much they and their clients are spending on campaigns in a public database.

Publicly Disclose Parliamentarians' Financial and Investment Interests

The public entrusts Parliamentarians with anenormous amount of exclusive information and power. The privilege of being given that information and power rests on a trade-off of being financially transparent. Voters have the right to know the ongoing financial interest that could benefit federal politicians.

→ We need to end confidential disclosure to make parliamentarians' financial and investment interests accessible in a public database.

Ban Foreign Astroturfing in our Politics

Deceptive campaigns that manipulate and distort public opinion harm Canada’s democracy and must be banned. It’s not about what is said, but how hidden resources are used to mislead, divide, and push agendas without Canadians knowing.

→ We need to close the loophole that allows deceptive practices to influence our democracy between elections.

 

 

4. Celebrate Democracy!

Beyond the ballot box → Let’s celebrate Democracy as a public good!

Day of Democracy in Canada — National Observance

National awareness days can be a powerful catalyst for systemic change and targeted action. A day of democracy serves as a long-awaited rally for all Canadians, reaffirming our commitment to democratic ideals and providing a platform to educate each other on critical democratic issues and how we can strengthen our democracy.

→ We need to establish a Day of Democracy in Canada (similar to the September 15 International Day of Democracy at the United Nations).

Learn More!

  • What is First Past the Post (FPTP)?  — Fair Vote Canada 
  • Lego my vote! — Video explaining how our FPTP voting system distorts the will of the public in every election across Canada
  • Interactive Graphic (scroll to the bottom!) that illustrates various ways votes could be counted using different systems
  • EKOS Poll  Canadian Attitudes to Electoral Reform and the Need for Representativeness