Elections in Canada and Political Meaninglessness

Oscar Ameringer, a German-American journalist, believed that "politics is the art of getting money from the rich and votes from the poor, under the pretext of guarding each of these two groups from the other." Of course, Ameringer's reference was to politics in the modern era in North America, where money speaks first and citizens speak last. In the past week, many Canadian citizens over the age of 18 went to the polling stations to elect their representatives from Canada's three major parties to the federal parliament. One of the fundamental features of elections in a country like Canada, unlike many countries around the world, is that there is no special excitement during the election period. Undoubtedly, a high percentage of voters are unaware of the economic platforms and foreign policies of the participating parties, and voting for a candidate from one party is often based solely on opposition to another party or agreement with that party's tax policies. This way of thinking in societies like Canada, where politics has become a real estate transaction and politicians are only looking for political construction and selling, is a completely immature and unthoughtful approach that not only does not strengthen democracy in such a society but turns it into a ritualistic process where merely voting does not equate to concern about how society is managed. In this regard, Canadian society faces a certain void of political life and the illusion of social activism, to the extent that even elections are not accompanied by a type of unstable joy. What factors can be attributed to this phenomenon? It is not correct to speak of a single reason in this context, but one major reason can be pointed out, which is that the political realm in a country like Canada is largely intertwined with discrimination and hidden inequality, leading to individuals' frustration in achieving their political and social rights. The reality is that Canada's macro politics (like its macro trade) does not reflect the diversity and multiplicity of different ethnic groups in this country. Although some representatives of Canada's major parties and regional representatives are from non-Christian and non-white ethnicities, a glance at the three major parties and the list of prime ministers of this country clearly shows that neither now nor in the near future will such a country vote for a black, Indian, or Iranian prime minister. This means that there are two types of citizenship in Canada: those who can decide the fate of this country beyond the symbolic elections and reach high political and economic ranks, and those who live with the illusion that by voting and becoming candidates for regional parties and ministers, they have an active and influential participation in Canadian politics. Therefore, it must be emphasized that political rationality dictates that participation in Canadian elections is merely a brief moment for real participation in the politics of this country and for criticizing or reviewing its government policies. Contrary to the belief of many immigrant Canadian voters, what guarantees the future of democracy in Canada is maximum participation not only in the form of elections but also in the institutionalization of civil society towards continuous programs, that is, within the framework of critical accountability of the unequal policies and discriminatory laws of this country. One of the most important guarantees needed for the continuity of democracy and the formation of different political programs led by non-white ethnic groups within the political and economic system of Canada is essential. Therefore, it must be stated that despite the diversity and variety of ethnicities and cultures, Canadian politics has not yet reached a level of wisdom and democratic maturity that does not fear the direct participation of an Iranian, Arab, or Pakistani Muslim as the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada or the prime minister of this country. Thus, in our opinion, especially from the perspective of aware activists and political analysts, participating in Canadian elections without considering the inequalities present in this society and striving for their fundamental change is seen as a form of social meaninglessness and civil insincerity. Perhaps it is time for Canadian citizens, considering the global awareness they claim to have, to look beyond tax policies or baseball games at the past and future political mistakes of this country. Although, as Dostoevsky said, "taking a new step... is what people fear the most."