“The Church values the democratic system inasmuch as it ensures the participation of citizens in making political choices, guarantees to the governed the possibility both of electing and holding accountable those who govern them, and of replacing them through peaceful means when appropriate.” These words were written by Pope John Paul II in 1991, only a few years after the collapse of the communist bloc in Eastern Europe. He had lived under both fascism and communism in Poland. He experienced firsthand the inhumanity of totalitarian systems. And he knew what a blessing democracy would be for his people. With these words, he expressed clearly the preferential option of the Catholic Church for a system of government which allows citizens a clear voice in choosing those who would lead the life of their communities.
The democratic system embodies values such as the inherent dignity of each person, human rights, solidarity and the common good. However, for the system to work, it depends on the participation of the citizens. Such participation is not only a right, it is a duty. Without active participation of citizens in the democratic process, governments can become unresponsive to the needs and aspiration of the people they are meant to represent. Without participation, smaller interest groups hold greater power over elected officials. Without participation, democracy weakens and can ultimately be threatened.
Participation in the democratic process involves more than simply voting. It means informing oneself, making one’s voice heard, contributing to parties that best articulate one’s vision, giving time to service in government bodies and consultative processes. However, the act of voting is itself a powerful symbolic act. It expresses a citizens’ commitment to democracy. It gives voice to those who too often feel voiceless. It builds a sense of common purpose and engagement within and throughout the broader community.
For all these reasons, each one of us should strive to get to a voting booth Monday. Some just don’t care, but we should shake off whatever indifference weighs us down. Some feel it doesn’t really make a difference, but we should dismiss all sense of futility or fatalism. Some can’t be bothered, but for the sake of our fellow citizens, we should make the effort.
The percentage of those who exercise their right to vote in Canada has been steadily falling over the past decades. Now is the time to turn that trend around. Now is the time to show we care. Now is the time to perform the one act that underpins all our social and political life as a nation.
Christians believe that we are only sojourners in this world. However, we journey together: believers and unbelievers, first peoples and founding peoples and immigrant peoples, men and women, young and old. Caring for each other on that journey means building communities of concern where individuals strive to uphold the common good. The democratic system is the best way we have invented of ensuring that common good. Voting is the only way to ensure the democratic system. Let’s get out and vote!
A few weeks ago, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (www.cccb.ca) published a reflection document on what it considers to be major issues that citizens of our country should ponder and discuss as we prepare to vote for our representatives to Parliament. Last week, I outlined the first of five broad areas of concern that the bishops identified, that of respect of human life and dignity. Today, I would like to present the next two areas which focus respectively on the type of society we want and on family issues.
The bishops suggest we should strive to build a more just society, one where each person has an equal chance and is treated with fairness and decency. Among other questions, this means tackling the ongoing problem of poverty in our midst in an intentional and concerted manner. Of course, poverty is relative: to be poor in Canada is not as tragic as to be poor in Haiti. Still, a just society strives to foster a common sense of well-being among all its citizens. This entails equitable fiscal policies for both companies and individuals. We need to remember that the economy is made for people, not people for the economy.
In a society of such abundance as ours, it is easy to squander resources and goods. Should we not limit excessive, unjustified spending, not only in government but in other sectors of public life? Are there ways of encouraging people to moderation, to sharing?
What about access to safe, affordable housing for destitute families? Could we not have a national strategy to address the plight of the homeless? Of all forms of poverty, the one that cries out for immediate action is child poverty. Perhaps a guaranteed basic income sufficient for basic food and housing could be considered.
We urgently need to find long-term solutions to the problems experienced by our Native people, particularly in indigenous communities. At the very least, we need to facilitate drinking water for all communities in Canada. And we need to find ways of making educational opportunities more available for remote areas of our vast land.
The next broad area of concern identified by the bishops is the very building-block of society: the family. If we truly desire a more just society, we need to find a better way of supporting our families and caring for those who make them up. For example, the bishops suggest that we promote a better balance between familial and professional responsibilities. We also need to ask ourselves whether we have achieved pay equity between men and women.
The great majority of Canadians trace their roots to immigrant families. What are we doing today to support the reunification of immigrant and refugee families in our country? How do we facilitate the recognition of the skills of immigrants who come to share their dreams and lives with us? One of the hidden scandals in our world is human trafficking, a modern form of slavery. How are we as a country facing this scandal within our borders and beyond?
One last challenge to family life identified by the bishops (though I am sure each of us could add many): addictions to drugs and gambling. Such addictions are tearing many of our families to shreds. For the sake of the common good, should we not ask ourselves what our federal government needs to do to fight this?
An election gives citizens the occasion to clarify the kind of country they wish to build together. Certainly,
the leadership styles and qualities of those who would be prime minister are important elements to consider. However, of greater import
is their vision of where we should be headed as a country and how we should get there. Let’s talk about this with their neighbours
and friends, and with the candidates when we meet them. An election campaign is too precious to waste.