Canadian democracy promises representation, but does casting a ballot mean your concerns get heard? Democracy Watch co-founder Duff Conacher offers a framework for questioning the distance between having a vote and having influence. His argument starts with what happens between elections, when access matters and some people can afford more of it.
Your local candidate might agree with you. Their party leader might not. When those loyalties collide, whose position reaches Parliament? Duff points to a pressure on MPs that makes that question harder than simply choosing someone you trust.
Then there is the office door itself. A phone call, a staff member, a request for a meeting: what would reveal who gets through first? Duff questions how much the public can see about access to government.
Topics: Canadian democracy, political donations, MP independence, political staff, lobbying transparency
GUEST: Duff Conacher | http://democracywatch.ca
Originally aired on2026-10-15
