Johnson proposes a "Democratic Action Fund" pegged at 5% of election costs. Let’s look at the real numbers for Canada. The 2021 federal election cost taxpayers about $632 million. Under this plan, Parliament would have had an extra $31 million just to organize citizens’ assemblies. That is enough money to run a major policy forum in every single riding. It shows that the barrier isn't a lack of money. It is a lack of political will.
I am so delighted to see you interviewing that authors of this book! I've been interested in this topic for years, ever since learning about The People's Platform experiment in Hamilton some twelve years ago -- it's not a Citizens' Assembly per se, but it does represent a more participative form of democracy, one in which people come together to discuss issues that matter to them. Since then, I've read Dave Meslin's "Teardown.Rebuilding Democracy from the Ground Up", and followed his work, as well as your own "Too Dumb for Democracy?". And I've also followed everything I could find on Citizen Assemblies. A couple of years ago, I had the good fortune to be part of the Ontario Priorities Panel on Primary Care, a nation-wide project of citizen assemblies led by Peter MacLeod, culminating in the OurCare report on primary care. It was exhilarating to experience the kind of people's democracy I've always believed possible. So -- now to buy the book!
I look forward to reading the book. Thank for this thoughtful piece. Two pieces I feel are missing (in this albeit rapid interview): I think we need to be clear that business needs to be taken out of democracy and that citizen-boards/ assemblies need to be involved in business decisions when they could impact public well-being; we need to build a better information and communication system which supports democracy ...not just public education (but that too) but publicly owned and regulated information platforms. But perhaps these are in the book!
I'm surprised there was no mention of ending "first past the post" representation and supporting ranked choice voting. These are relatively easy. Also undoing the autocracy within, for example the PMO, which Trudeau said he would fix, but didn't. Then the gross lack of democracy within parties. Look at the NDP with their secret 3 member panel who refused to allow Yves Engler, and then Bianca Mugyenyi into the leadership race! No rules observed.
Is there anyone/group looking at our current democracy, norms and conventions to find holes that can be used by those who want to curtail or eliminate democracy and provide fixes? Because that is what Pius Manning 's Institute for democracy or Heir Harper's IDU are doing to curtail democracy
I've been a big fan of sortition since first hearing PJ O'Rourke paraphrase Buckley's quote on The Agenda with Steve Paiken in 2007. He said "we could pick a few hundred people out of the phone book and they couldn't do any worse than the people we've elected to be in Washington today."
So, thanks for that interview, I look forward to reading this book. Although, I'm a little disappointed at Peter's response that "we absolutely need elections ...
I've been beating this drum for nearly 20 years on comment boards and in conversations. (Yeah, it's not been a great party or family gathering topic ... who knew?). I hope we're finally starting to see some progress and more public attention given to the idea.
Other authors to check out:
Helene Landemore (Open Democracy: Reinventing Popular Rule for the Twenty-First Century); Josiah Ober (Democracy and Knowledge: Innovation and Learning in Classical Athens); and David van Reybrouck (Against Elections)
I'd agree to random people, with two provisos, they pass a civics test, such as the test that is part of obtaining citizenship , and screening for sociopathic tendencies.
Well, all I said was that it was a possibility, not that I thought it was the best idea or that I knew exactly how it should work.
The biggest problem is that any criterion will end up not working as you want it to for some cases. People can acquire the skills necessary from a lot of different sources. Which is why whatever filters are used should be used together in a comprehensive approach.
Because lack of communication skills is almost as bad as bad reasoning, like jumping to conclusions ...
Johnson proposes a "Democratic Action Fund" pegged at 5% of election costs. Let’s look at the real numbers for Canada. The 2021 federal election cost taxpayers about $632 million. Under this plan, Parliament would have had an extra $31 million just to organize citizens’ assemblies. That is enough money to run a major policy forum in every single riding. It shows that the barrier isn't a lack of money. It is a lack of political will.
I am so delighted to see you interviewing that authors of this book! I've been interested in this topic for years, ever since learning about The People's Platform experiment in Hamilton some twelve years ago -- it's not a Citizens' Assembly per se, but it does represent a more participative form of democracy, one in which people come together to discuss issues that matter to them. Since then, I've read Dave Meslin's "Teardown.Rebuilding Democracy from the Ground Up", and followed his work, as well as your own "Too Dumb for Democracy?". And I've also followed everything I could find on Citizen Assemblies. A couple of years ago, I had the good fortune to be part of the Ontario Priorities Panel on Primary Care, a nation-wide project of citizen assemblies led by Peter MacLeod, culminating in the OurCare report on primary care. It was exhilarating to experience the kind of people's democracy I've always believed possible. So -- now to buy the book!
Thanks for the tip on Meslin's book. Hadn't heard of the Hamilton Platform either, have to look that up too.
I look forward to reading the book. Thank for this thoughtful piece. Two pieces I feel are missing (in this albeit rapid interview): I think we need to be clear that business needs to be taken out of democracy and that citizen-boards/ assemblies need to be involved in business decisions when they could impact public well-being; we need to build a better information and communication system which supports democracy ...not just public education (but that too) but publicly owned and regulated information platforms. But perhaps these are in the book!
I'm surprised there was no mention of ending "first past the post" representation and supporting ranked choice voting. These are relatively easy. Also undoing the autocracy within, for example the PMO, which Trudeau said he would fix, but didn't. Then the gross lack of democracy within parties. Look at the NDP with their secret 3 member panel who refused to allow Yves Engler, and then Bianca Mugyenyi into the leadership race! No rules observed.
A timely topic and some great reading recommendations from all. Thanks!
Is there anyone/group looking at our current democracy, norms and conventions to find holes that can be used by those who want to curtail or eliminate democracy and provide fixes? Because that is what Pius Manning 's Institute for democracy or Heir Harper's IDU are doing to curtail democracy
I've been a big fan of sortition since first hearing PJ O'Rourke paraphrase Buckley's quote on The Agenda with Steve Paiken in 2007. He said "we could pick a few hundred people out of the phone book and they couldn't do any worse than the people we've elected to be in Washington today."
So, thanks for that interview, I look forward to reading this book. Although, I'm a little disappointed at Peter's response that "we absolutely need elections ...
I've been beating this drum for nearly 20 years on comment boards and in conversations. (Yeah, it's not been a great party or family gathering topic ... who knew?). I hope we're finally starting to see some progress and more public attention given to the idea.
Other authors to check out:
Helene Landemore (Open Democracy: Reinventing Popular Rule for the Twenty-First Century); Josiah Ober (Democracy and Knowledge: Innovation and Learning in Classical Athens); and David van Reybrouck (Against Elections)
I'd agree to random people, with two provisos, they pass a civics test, such as the test that is part of obtaining citizenship , and screening for sociopathic tendencies.
Yes, clearly filters would be required. Age and education are two other possibilities.
Oooh, ouch. Education? You mean schooling? Where many college graduates are unable to put together a coherent sentence, let alone paragraph?
Well, all I said was that it was a possibility, not that I thought it was the best idea or that I knew exactly how it should work.
The biggest problem is that any criterion will end up not working as you want it to for some cases. People can acquire the skills necessary from a lot of different sources. Which is why whatever filters are used should be used together in a comprehensive approach.
Because lack of communication skills is almost as bad as bad reasoning, like jumping to conclusions ...