2019 - A Watershed Year for Canadian Democracy?

In 2019, there will be several major elections in Canada - a Federal election and Provincial elections in Alberta, Newfoundland and Laborador and Prince Edward Island as well as a Territorial election in the Northwest Territories. Over the last few years, elections in major democracies from the US to France and Germany, have faced a number of challenges. Looking back at these challenges, there are two key issues that we should be concerned about as we head into the 2019 elections in Canada: The threat of "fake news" and the rise of populism.

The Threat of "Fake News"

The term "fake news" hit the headlines during the 2016 US Presidential election. There are two components to fake news - disinformation and misinformation. Disinformation is defined as deliberately misleading or biased information, such as propaganda. Misinformation on the other hand is defined as false information that is spread, regardless of whether there is intent to mislead. Social media and online platforms have played a key role in spreading both disinformation and misinformation in recent elections. The role of nation-states, particularly Russia, in generating and pushing disinformation during elections has been well documented. By targeting specific audiences, the impact of this disinformation can be amplified as others share the disinformation thinking that it is true - generating streams of misinformation. The net result is an electorate that is inundated with information that may be very far from the truth.

Healthy democracies depend on an informed electorate. As the proportion of individuals who rely on social media for news increases, the exposure to fake news rises as does the challenge of what to believe. The debate over whether this inundation of fake news has actually impacted election results continues to rage. But the concerns around its potential impact on the democratic process have caused the Communications Security Establishment, Canada's signals intelligence agency, to publicly highlight this threat.

The Rise of Populism

The term populism has also hit the headlines during the coverage of recent elections around the world, particularly after the 2016 US presidential election and the UK's Brexit vote. Populism considers society to be separated into two homogeneous and antagonistic groups, “the pure people” versus “the corrupt elite”, and argues that politics should be an expression of the general will of the people. It can be associated with a range of conventional ideologies from the far-right to the far-left, which is then used to define who the pure people and elite are. Populism can be a reaction by those left behind by the political system who feel disenfranchised by the status quo. In some ways, this is a sign of a healthy democracy, that radical change can emerge, new leaders can come to power and those who feel disenfranchised can find a voice.

However, many of the populist leaders who have emerged across the globe in the last few years have far-right, anti-immigration, isolationist leanings. In many cases, they also attack some of the key institutions that ensure a healthy democracy such as a free press and independent judicial processes. Populist leaders have also utilized social media very effectively to reach their audience and drive their messages home, in some cases leveraging fake news to bolster their campaigns.

Dealing with Fake News and Populism

Fake news and populism pose a threat to the fundamentals that enable good, healthy democracies. While Canada seems to have been relatively immune to the threats posed by these two issues, we cannot rest on our laurels. The growth of populist movements and the spread of fake news has been seen in Canada and the challenge is how we deal with this effectively in the run-up to all of the elections in Canada in 2019.

Fake news and populism are likely to have an impact when we are poorly informed or misinformed around major issues. Ensuring that we have access to good journalism and accurate reporting is one issue that my team at the Public Policy Forum will be tackling in 2019. Ultimately, it may be up to each and every one of us to find the time to explore the issues and not just react emotionally to the barrage of information that we will be bombarded with in the run-up to the 2019 elections. That may be the best way to ensure a good, healthy democracy in Canada beyond 2019.

Follow my team's work on this and other key public policy issues for Canada through the Public Policy Forum's website and their Twitter feed @ppforumca.