Warning: Those who are indifferent are taking a gamble, for they are relying on the assumption that their wants and needs match those of the citizens who are choosing to vote.
I was watching a video clip from the Rick Mercer Report on Youtube the other day, and the segment’s title, “Everything you wanted to know about Canada, but were afraid to ask”, got me around to thinking about political ignorance in Canada. Being a 4th year political science student who was taught the ins and the outs of the Canadian system and warned to critically assess the actions of the government (despite any partisan allegiances I may have), I am confident when I say that I am anything but politically ignorant. Though I may not read the news every day, and may not have a thorough understanding of every policy issue that comes to light, I have a good grasp of how both the government and Government function, and I take the time to become acquainted with current events and contentious policies. I won’t profess to be a political expert, but I know I am more politically aware and active than most young adults my age.
What put this unfortunate reality into perspective for me was the prorogation of Parliament in 2010 (or Dec of 2009, if you’re going to get all technical on me). While the heated debate surrounding prorogation unfolded in both the media and my department’s classrooms, I was exposed to both sides of the discussion. Being a member of a political party myself, as well as an executive member of my party’s on-campus student club, I may have been exposed to the debate even more than the typical political science student. When I choose to participate in a protest in downtown Waterloo, I began inviting other students to join me, including my roommates—none of whom were political science students. Two of my three roommates politely declined, but the third (also a member of my partisan club) was interested in joining. Only problem was, she hadn’t a clue what the prorogation of Parliament was, or why it was problematic.
Now, being an anthropology student new to politics, I could hardly fault her for being unaware of the process or its implications. When I sat down and explained, demonstrating how the process was being used by our elected Prime Minister to avoid the prospect of a coalition government and to side-step important questions surrounding the Afghan detainee issue, she was shocked. Wasn’t the prime minister proroguing Parliament so that the Canadian government wouldn’t appear divided or at odds during the Olympic Games—a time when Canada should appear united? This nonsensical excuse for prorogation was propagated by the Conservative Government and the Prime Minister, but how many citizens were actually aware of the Government’s true intentions? Was anyone aware that bills in the process of being passed were dropped? Did anyone know Harper was going to use prorogation to appoint a throng of party-approved Senators? It scared me to think so many citizens and voters were unaware of what was really going on; passive, like so many students, to the point of choosing not to care what happened either way. Most people I invited to the protest didn't even bother to ask what prorogation was.
Students and teenagers aside, I’ll bet your bottom dollar there were just as many adults who hadn’t a clue what was going on. Employed, mortgage-paying, child-supporting adults with a lot to lose should the government see fit. What’s their excuses for being uninformed? I know not everyone has the luxury to attend university, and many will choose an alternative program to political science out of interest, but there is still television, the radio and newspapers. The media—however they prime or frame the issues—can provide a general idea of how the government functions. But even with the availability of media, students and adults alike choose to be indifferent and ignorant. Yes, I know women with small children spend most of their time looking after them, but they still make time for their soap operas, don’t they? Men still make time for their favorite sports, too. (Stereotypical example, but you get my point. No excuses!!) Those who argue Canadian politics is boring also don’t have a leg to stand on in my books: I could say swimming is boring, but I still learn how to swim so I don’t drown when a tsunami off the coast of Lake Ontario pulls me out to sea, don’t I?!?
Is it really that difficult to make your homepage cbc.ca and scan over the hot-topic issues, or switch your television channel to the news while you prepare dinner? Why not listen to the a.m. radio on your way to work, or have a friendly political chat ‘round the water cooler at work? Don’t own a television, computer or car? Buy a bloody newspaper and go through the first couple pages. What do they go for these days? Fifty cents? A dollar?
What I’m trying to communicate is how dangerous political ignorance is. This is one political behaviour that should be curbed at once, and every citizen has the individual responsibility to do so (and that means you too, students!). If people don’t make themselves aware, one of these days they are going to wake up and feel the consequences of a government out of touch with popular opinion and instead functioning on the elite attitudes of those who took the time to vote and become acquainted with the system.
…Anybody else think civics classes should be more than just a half a semester long?
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