25-H203 Democratic Government in Canada: Myths, Misinformation and Reality – Elizabeth Smythe
Social Media, COVID-19 and the rise of populism in many countries and regions has challenged/threatened many democratic governments around the world and confused citizens about what a democratic government is or isn’t, how it should work and what their role as a citizen is. In the case of Canada, the confusion and misinformation has been increasing in recent years. Some of it is coming from people who should be better informed including many politicians and elected leaders. Comments like: “It’s not like Ottawa is a national government” are puzzling as, actually, it is! Or, that our country works as a “federation of sovereign, independent jurisdictions” which, again, is not really accurate. The course will provide accessible, engaging material to help the class better understand the reality of government in Canada and threats to democracy. It will work to correct much of the misinformation out there.
Instructor: Elizabeth Smythe
Dr. Smythe is a professor emerita of political science. Her PhD is from Carleton University. She taught undergraduate courses in political science, including comparative, Canadian and International Politics, for over 30 years at Concordia University of Edmonton until July 2022.
