...Paper In a democratic system it is vital that citizens engage in their civic duty of voting; only then can a proper governing body be chosen to represent the will of the majority. Abraham Lincoln got to the core of democracy when he stated, “the government of the people, by the people and for the people.” In the last 50 years of Canadian history we have begun to see a decline in voter turnout; ranging from 80% of citizens voting in 1962, gradually dwindling to 59.1% in the year 2008 (Dickerson, Flanagan & O'Neill, 2010). It is important to understand why citizens vote the way they do in order to determine what may or may not be successful in regards to winning a majority government; factors that influence the voter’s choices include socio-demographic characteristics, beliefs and values, partisanship and confidence in political leaders. There is a great deal of debate surrounding which policies could increase voter based participation in democratic systems, but the most irrefutably successful policies would be those applied in systems of proportional representation ("Statistics by country," 2011). Voting is part of Canadian civic duty; unfortunately not all Canadians exercise their right to vote. Over the past 20 years the Canadian voter turnout has been on a steady decline, from 75.3% turnout in 1988, to 59.1% voter turnout in 2008. Even more specifically, the decrease in voters is a result of the younger generation not taking part in the electoral process ("Falling...
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...(1998), XLVI, 572±588 Parties, Party Systems, and Satisfaction with Democratic Performance in The New Europe CHRISTOPHER J. ANDERSON1 Introduction Political parties and the party systems they form constitute the major channels of interest aggregation and citizen input in contemporary democracies. They are the vehicles through which political elites supply policy alternatives, and they constitute the major route for citizens to organize the demand for such alternatives.2 Parties also play a crucial role in the nature of democratic governance because they help legitimize the state. After all, free and fair elections in which parties compete for oce are a prime criterion for whether a system should be considered a democracy in the ®rst place. Outside of elections, political parties also have long been the most important mediating institutions between citizens and the state, in particular as parties have taken on the roles as simultaneous agents both of the state and its citizens.3 While virtually all democracies have political parties that compete for oce, political systems dier in a number of important ways with regard to how they go about channeling inputs or providing policy alternatives, and with regard to the roles they assign parties in this process. Moreover, and perhaps most importantly, the ways in which political institutions condition the formation, functioning, and development of political parties and party systems varies as well. While there is an...
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...The electoral system in United Kingdom The electoral system in United Kingdom After the examination of Canadian national institution, it has been nominated that a few reforms are intensely needed in the Canadian institutions for the due management of the regional and the inter-governmental issues (Loiacono, 2010). The three suggested reforms are the reforms in the Supreme Courts, the reforms in the senate, the reforms in the House of Commons Supreme Court The need for the reform is elevated by considering the fact that is it logical to consider Supreme Court as a general court of appeal and are their any specialized needs of constitutional tribunals. The scope of judicial proceedings and judgments needs to be institutionalized in the context. Quebec is indeed the province that responds assertively to the importance of a pure judiciary. Quebec highlights that the existing Supreme Courts are totally appointed in the conformance of federal executives, and it does not differentiate the difference between civil law and the British common law. Additionally the decisions of the Supreme Court are confirmed to be biased against the Quebecers. The debate since 1950s still needs a re-modification in the form of a pure Canadian Supreme Court, where the law holds every Canadian equal in the court of law (Sherman, 1999, p. 68). Senate The second modification proposed is the modification in the senate. The Canadian federation has long been considered to seek the reform in the...
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...article, which is both a review and a report on his tests of an involvement model. The level of involvement of voters in a particular election could depend on a wide range of factors, but Rothschild offers three general ones: 1. the level of the election (national/local etc.); 2. the closeness of the race; and 3. the volatility of the issues or candidates. There is some more recent work examining voter recall of political messages. Faber and Storey (1984), note voter responses to different messages and presentations (see, for example, Thorson et al., 1991), in particular negative ones (Faber et al., 1993; Garramone, 1984; Tinkham and Weaver-Lariscy, 1994). These studies used subjects in experimental groups rather than actual electoral or opinion poll data. More recently Ansolabehere and Iyengar (1995) have substantially added to the literature on negative advertising through the use of a very rounded and full quantitative and qualitative study which shows that a highly focused negative campaign can increase the turnout of those potential supporters predisposed to abstain by something in the order of approximately 29 per cent, thus maximising your supporters’ vote. Weaver-Lariscy and Tinkham (1987) investigated how Congressional election candidates evaluated different media and proposed six levels of response to political advertising. Apart from Caywood and Preston (1989) and Laczniak and Caywood’s (1987) work with others cited above, a number of authors have considered...
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...PEST Analysis Political Canada is a democratic system with a parliament government. Canada’s system was adopted in 1848 and derives from that of the United Kingdom’s Parliament. Stephen Harper has served as Canadian Prime Minister since February 6th, 2006. Canada’s parliament has three distinct elements: the Crown, Senate and House of Commons. The Senate serves as the upper-chamber while the House of Commons serves as the lower-chamber. The members of the House of Commons are elected from their corresponding electoral district by receiving the largest number of votes. While Canada has many political parties, the most dominant are the Conservative Party of Canada and the Liberal Party of Canada. From 1996-2013, The World Bank rates Canada’s political stability at an average value of 1.01. As of 2011, they ranked 27th in the world and 5th in the North America at 1.06 behind Aruba, Barbados, Dominica and the Bahamas respectively. Contrary to popular belief, freedom of speech in Canada is not considered absolute. Under Section 1 of the Constitution Act of 1982, freedom of speech is given to Canadian citizens within certain limits. Although individuals have freedom of speech, it is not given freely of Government ramifications. In regards to foreign investors, Canada has a wealth of opportunity for global business. Canada offers a low tax establishment with corporate tax rates 13% below that of the United States. At a Federal corporate income tax rate of 16.5% and plans to reduce...
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...content downloaded from 130.63.180.147 on Sat, 12 Oct 2013 14:05:01 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions Parting at the Crossroads The Development of Health Insurance in Canada and the United States, 1940-1965 AntoniaMaioni Frequentlyraised in recent discussions abouthealth care reformin the United States has been the model of the Canadianhealth insurancesystem.' While debates about health insurance often turn into polemical battles over which country offers the "best" health care for its citizens, the issues at stake raise a fundamentalquestion. Why did these two neighbors develop different forms of health insurance, a health care in Canada and a dual-tiered universal system of government-financed of Medicare and Medicaid targeted at the elderly and poor in the United system States? The contrast...
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...Belgium Trade Manual: Canada The following document is a report on the current economic, political, cultural, and industry specific (Food) environment in the country of Belgium. This particular manual was specifically compiled for the Sweets Corporation of Toronto, Canada for June of 2011. C o n s u l a t e o f B e l g i u m -‐ T o r o n t o 2 B l o o r S t r e e t W e s t , S u i t e 2 0 0 6 , B o x 8 8 T o r o n t o , O N , M 4 W 3 E 2 Table of Contents Section 1 – Background Information ....................................................................................................... 3 1.1 - Geography ................................................................................................................................................................... 4 1.2 - People .......................................................................................................................
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...1 Violence Free Elections: Perspectives on the Peace Initiatives on the 2015 General Elections in Nigeria Warisu O. Alli Institute of Peace and Conflict Resolution Plot 496 Abogo Largema Street, CBD, Abuja Email: alliwo@yahoo.co.uk; Mobile: 08035991377 ABSTRACT Elections are essential in a democracy and are fundamental features of representative democracy.. When free, fair and transparent, they confer credibility and legitimacy on the outcome. However, Nigeria's electoral history has always been marred by various levels of violence with grave implications for the polity. Since return of democratic rule in 1999, Nigeria, has conducted elections in 2003, 2007, 2011 but with an ever increasing rise in electoral violence. The April 2011 elections, which benefitted from the electoral reform efforts of President Yar ‗Adua, and was considered the most credible since the return to democracy also turned out to be the most violent as the country witnessed an orgy of bloodshed after the elections. The 2015 elections were to be held against the background of a prediction about the disintegration of Nigeria against the background of several socio-economic, political and security challenges, including insurgency in the nation‘s North East. The emergence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a formidable opposition to the ruling People Democratic Party (PDP) fifteen year rule also added more tension to the charged atmosphere of the elections. The Peace Initiatives which started immediately...
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...of economic upheaval, Mexico's ruling party was replaced in a wave of popular discontent. The new leadership, with the institutions of an authoritarian regime, did little to relieve the nation of widespread poverty. As a result, the impoverished were unable to either escape crushing deprivation legally or mobilize to replace the government without fear of reprisal. Insurgency, in the familiar form of guerrilla movements and the novel form of increasingly powerful drug gangs, was a natural response to government failure without legitimate avenues of resistance. Mexico now hangs in the balance, unable to reform due to persistent insecurity, and unable to reestablish the balance of economic prosperity which had allowed the authoritarian system to exist. Section I: Failed democratization Following the Mexican Revolution of 1910, the PRI had an effective...
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...THE MEDIUM WHICH LEADS LIVES: TV The Initiative Media (1997) stated that in Turkey, “The average television viewing time is 300 min per day, compared to 180 min average television viewing in Europe (cited in Uray&Burnaz, 2003). As it is inferred from the statistics, television is one of the leading mediums of media; thereby it has a formidable force on society. It can easily leave an impression on society and shape audience’s ideas about any issue such as gender roles and the social mores. As TV’s effect on gender roles are comprehensively examined, it is observed that it does more harm than good for society; since TV restrains women from having careers by showing them as inappropriate and insufficiently qualified for some quantitative occupations, changes family dynamics, and blocks women’s success in politics despite being a non-quantitative field. On the other hand, it has a good effect on gender roles that it removes strict boundaries between genders. The first of harmful effects of TV on society is that TV has a power to shape audience’s ideas about women’s and men’s abilities, and impose on society that women are less skillful than men in the workplace, especially in quantitative fields. If the ideas that females are less successful than males, and their male counterparts better-qualified in quantitative fields are transmitted through TV advertisements and series, the public’s ideas will change in a linear way with the TV says. For example, when almost no female is depicted...
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...really need a federal bill of rights? Opponents of a bill of rights state that we have sufficient protection from arbitrary government intervention in our personal affairs and thus a bill of rights is unnecessary. There are a number of potential sources of human rights in Australia that might provide the suggested existing protection, including the common law, specific domestic legislation, international law and constitutional law. Each of these sources of human rights has, however, important limitations. The focus of this article is on the inadequacy of the Australian constitutions as a source of purported protection. This in turn suggests that an alternative source of rights is needed – a federal bill of rights? In the course of this analysis the author makes suggestions for reform; specifically how a federal bill of rights may address the paucity of constitutional protection. I INTRODUCTION Unlike the constitutions of many nations, such as the United States of America and the Republic of South Africa, the constitutions of the Australian States and Territories and the Commonwealth Constitution Act 1901 (UK) * Associate Professor, School of Law, Deakin University, Australia. 132 D EAKIN LAW REVIEW VOLUME 13 NO 2...
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...UNDER tHE aDR SERiES Afghanistan Argentina Bangladesh Barbados Benin Bhutan Bosnia & Herzegovina Botswana Bulgaria Burkina Faso Cambodia Chile China Colombia Republic of the Congo Ecuador Egypt Ethiopia Georgia Guatemala Guyana Honduras India Jamaica Jordan Lao PDR Libya Maldives Montenegro Mozambique Nicaragua Nigeria Peru Philippines Rwanda Serbia Seychelles Sudan Syrian Arab Republic Tajikistan Turkey Uganda Ukraine Uzbekistan Viet Nam Yemen EvalUatiON tEam team leader team members EO task manager EO Research assistant Erik Lyby Honorine Muyoyeta Jorry Mwenechanya Urs Nagel Zembaba Ayalew aSSESSmENt OF DEvElOPmENt RESUltS: malDivES Copyright © UNDP 2010, all rights reserved. Manufactured in the United States of America. The analysis and recommendations of this report do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations Development Programme, its Executive Board or the United Nations Member States. This is an independent publication by UNDP Evaluation Office. Cover photos provided by Urs Nagel and UNDP Zambia. Design: Green Communication Design inc. Production: Consolidated Graphics FOREWORD The current country programme of the United Nations...
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...The urban in fragile, uncertain, neoliberal times: towards new geographies of social justice? R. ALAN WALKS Department of Geography, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Cananda L5L 1C6 (e-mail: alan.walks@utoronto.ca) Canadian cities are at a crossroads. The neoliberalization of governance at multiple scales, inadequate re-investment in urban infrastructure, increasing reliance on continental and international trade, and the restructuring of the space economy have combined to weaken Canada’s cities just as the global economic system is undergoing transformation. Canadian urban geographic scholarship has much to offer under current conditions, and is already making significant contributions in key areas. In particular, research on what might be called the contours and impacts of urban restructuring and the neoliberal city, immigration and cities of difference, and urban environmental justice show much promise and are likely to define the core of Canadian urban geography into the future. Key words: cities, urban geography, Canada, economic restructuring, neoliberalism, social justice L’urbain ` une ´poque fragile, incertaine et a e n´olib´rale: vers de nouvelles g´ographies de la e e e justice sociale? ` Les villes canadiennes sont a la crois´e des chemins. e Alors que l’´conomie mondiale traverse une p´riode e e de transformation, la situation des villes au Canada se pr´carise avec les effets de la restructuration e ` n´olib´rale de la gouvernance a multiples...
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...Recovery ......................................................................................................................... 3 2.2 Evidence........................................................................................................................................... 3 3 FACTORS INFLUENCING THE PERFORMANCE OF DECENTRALIZED SERVICE PROVISION...................................................................................5 3.1 The Political Framework................................................................................................................ 5 3.1.a Constitution and Legal Framework......................................................................................... 5 3.1.b Political and Electoral Systems ............................................................................................... 6 3.1.c Unitary vs. Federal...
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...…………………………………………………………….. iv List of Acronyms …………………………………………………………….. v List of Tables and figures …………………………………………………….. vii Abstract in English …………………………………………………………… viii Abstract in German …………………………………………………………... ix Chapter One: Introduction ………………………………………………… 1 1.1. Introduction …………………………………………………………… 1 1.2. Problem statement …………………………………………………….. 2 1.3. Aim and objectives of the research …………………………………… 4 1.4. Research questions and hypotheses …………………………………... 7 Chapter Two: Literature review and theoretical framework ……………. 8 2.1. Literature review ……………………………………………………… 8 2.2. Transition to democracy and ethnic conflicts in Africa ………………. 12 2.3. Definition of concepts ………………………………………………… 16 2.4. Theoretical framework for analysis of ethnic conflicts ……………….. 18 2.4. Research methodology ………………………………………………... 21 2.5. Significance of the research …………………………………………... 23 Chapter Three: Background to the struggle for democracy and ethnic conflicts in Kenya……………………………………………………………. 24 3.1. A short retrospect in to Kenya’s colonial period ……………………... 24 3.2. Independence movements and the majimbo debate …………………... 25 3.3. The Kenyatta era (1963 -1978)………………………………………... 28 3.4. Moi era and Kenya as a de jure one party state (1978-1991) ………… 34 3.5. Domestic struggle and call for democracy ……………………………. 38 3.6. Global shifts and the inevitable transition …………………………….. 39 3.7. Shifting ethnic alliances and the...
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