See our Feature Issue - A Uniquely Canadian Approach to Democracy Promotion
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAIT) is looking to engage Canadians across the country to provide their views on the topic of Democracy Promotion through our online discussion group.
Below we pose some strategic questions that are of particular relevance to the department. We request that your responses to the eDiscussion be directly related to these questions. | | Quick Links View the Discussion
Information for Canadian Universities and NGOs interested in participating
Information for International Universities and NGOs interested in participating |
eDISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Questions are provided to help frame the discussion.
1. Each country develops its own model of governance to secure the democratic rights of its citizens. Most established democracies nevertheless rely on a combination of the rule of law, free and fair elections, effective legislatures, an accountable executive branch, independent courts, a transparent and efficient public sector, human rights guarantees, competitive political parties, free media, and an active civil society to secure the rights of their citizens. Should Canada provide assistance to support all of these elements of democratic governance, or should we favour some over others in our democracy assistance?
2. How can Canada help citizens in other countries address obstacles to the full realization of their democratic rights presented by:
a. conflict and state fragility
b. poverty
c. authoritarian governments
3. What other prominent obstacles to democratic governance should Canada address in designing policies and programs to guide democracy assistance?
4. What principles should guide the delivery of Canadian democracy assistance?
5. How might Canada consider lessons from other countries in improving our own standards of democratic governance?
eDISCUSSION RESOURCES
A Uniquely Canadian Approach to Democracy Promotion
Democracy promotion is a key foreign policy priority for Canada. Building on Canada’s long history of promoting democracy abroad, the Government of Canada is looking to identify ways in which Canada can play a more active role on the world stage in promoting democratic principles.
We have asked university classes to help frame the eDiscussion by providing us with a policy position paper on the discussion topic. | LEARN MORE
| University | Policy Positon Paper |
| Université de Québec à Montréal | HTML l PDF (in French only) |
| Simon Fraser University | HTML l PDF |
| University of Toronto | HTML l PDF |
| University of Medellin, Columbia | HTML l PDF (in French only) |
 | Rex Brynen, professor at McGill University
Rex Brynen discusses democracy promotion in the Middle East, and notes the importance of media in that region in getting the message across.
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 | Nancy Thede, professor at the Université du Québec à Montréal in the faculty of social sciences and law
Nancy Thede discusses the three roles of civil society, the way in which one should go about promoting democracy, as well as the role Canada plays in democracy promotion as a whole.
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 | Rasheed Draman, Director of Africa Programs at the Parliamentary Centre of Canada
Rasheed Draman discusses the importance of Parliament in bringing about democratic change, as well as the necessity of long-term engagement in order to see success. |
 | Rt. Hon. Lord Paddy Ashdown, former British Parliamentarian and High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina (until January 2006)
Lord Paddy Ashdown discusses the problems and challenges faced while creating and sustaining democracy and emphasizes the fact that democracy must be tailored to the particular needs of the country.
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 | Razmik Panossian, Director of Policy, Programmes and Planning at Rights & Democracy
Razmik Panossian discusses the creation of Rights & Democracy and argues that all cultures are adaptable to democracy.
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 | Rob McRae, Canadian diplomat, author and former political philosophy professor
Rob McRae discusses Czechoslovakia's 1989 "Velvet Revolution" and explores Canada's role in supporting the movement to democracy.
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 | Peter Leuprecht, Director of the Montreal Institute of International Studies and Professor at the Département des sciences juridiques de l’UQAM
Peter Leuprecht discusses the development of democracy occurring in many parts of the world and the growing acceptance of democracy as an ideal.
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 | Roel von Meijenfeldt, Executive Director of the Institute for Multiparty Democracy
Roel von Meijenfeldt examines democracy as a political process, and what is needed to both promote and implement it.
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 | Jean-Louis Roy, President of Rights & Democracy
Jean-Louis Roy discusses how democracy works, the values associated with it as well as the ways in which to both promote and implement it.
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 | Robert Miller, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Parliamentary Centre of Canada
Robert Miller discusses Canada's distinctive approach to democratic development and the need for partnership between government and civil society.
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| David Held, the Graham Wallace Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics
David Held discusses the challenges and misconceptions surrounding democracy promotion, and Canada`s position as a promoter of democratic governance.
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 | Peter Ackerman, the founding Chair of the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict
Peter Ackerman describes how civil disobedience can bring about democratic transitions.
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 | Samantha Power, the Anna Lindh Professor of Practice of Global Leadership and Public Policy at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government
Samantha Power discusses the political challenges facing democracy promotion and the practical needs of effective democratization. |