2019 Election

Wondering how you can work towards a more representative democracy in Canada? Read more from CPJ’s 2019 federal election guide on democratic participation.

This week, CBC News released results of their pre-election online survey, in which the opinions of 4,500 Canadians were sought out. The most notable findings of the survey were that 76 per cent of the respondents agreed that Canada should do more to encourage skilled labourers (through the immigration system’s economic stream) to immigrate to the…

As climate change continues to affect growing regions of the world—threatening to create as many as 200 million environmental migrants by the year 2050—Canada’s immigration policy must address the issue of environmental displacement.

As the 2019 federal election approaches, Canadians must be more vigilant than ever in safeguarding our democracy against the spread of misinformation.

Canadian voters will select a new government in a few months, joining nearly 2 billion citizens around the world participating in elections this year.

Amid this historic moment in time, appeals to the “everyday” citizen have been widespread, as candidates around the world have attempted to present themselves as the sole representative of the disenfranchised.

But when political leaders claim to be “for the people,” research shows that there can be legitimate reasons for voters to be concerned about the state of democracy.

MYTH Poverty is about bad personal choices. FACT Poverty is a complex and multifaceted reality. It is rooted in systemic barriers, structural injustice, inequity, and social exclusion. People living in poverty often experience discrimination based on gender, racialization, disability, and other forms of exclusion that prevent full engagement in society. In addition, a weakened social…

Myth Refugees just want to take advantage of Canadians’ generous social programs. Fact Refugees are forced to flee their homes, with some leaving behind good jobs. Most are eager to work but may first have to learn a new language and wait to process their work permit, this can take many years Myth Refugees might…

Elections are confusing times. Candidates appeal to the best and worst of humanity. There are appeals to come together as caring communities. But calls for collective sacrifice make for weak campaign platforms.

CPJ’s 2019 federal election bulletin features analysis and questions for candidates on four major policy areas: democratic reform, poverty in Canada, climate justice, and refugee rights.

Elections bring a lot of speculation. Polls try and follow the changing sentiment of voters. Pundits look for advantages to capitalize and determine risks to avoid.