Sierra Leone: African Success Story?
Summary:Despite its last place standing on the UN's Human Development Index (HDI), the people of Sierra Leone - only eight years removed from a brutal civil war - have proved to be remarkably resilient. With a successful transition of power between political parties in last year's presidential and parliamentary elections, what other governance lessons can we learn from the West African nation? This week, the GV News Blog highlights what the latest publications and research tell us.
Through Sierra Leone, Exploring the Media's Role in
Post-Conflict Reconstruction
by Christopher Mason
"Perhaps as Governance Village turns its attention to Sierra Leone, we can use that as an opportunity to explore media development in that country and how it has evolved since 2002." [MORE]
SMS as a Tool in Election Observation
By the National Democracy Institute (NDI)
"In its efforts to safeguard Sierra Leone's elections, NEW, like election-monitoring organizations in many other countries, deployed [...]
by Christopher Mason
"Perhaps as Governance Village turns its attention to Sierra Leone, we can use that as an opportunity to explore media development in that country and how it has evolved since 2002." [MORE]
SMS as a Tool in Election Observation
By the National Democracy Institute (NDI)
"In its efforts to safeguard Sierra Leone's elections, NEW, like election-monitoring organizations in many other countries, deployed [...]
'In this Canadian election, vote for the world'
Summary:Expressing disappointment in the quality of the foreign policy debate in the federal election campaign so far, some Canadians have encouraged voters to "vote for the world." Afghanistan, climate change, global poverty and Canada's reaction to the 2006 Lebanon-Israel war are all cited as reasons why citizens should demand that foreign affairs be at the top of the government's policy agenda.
In addition to the above video, the Canada's World blog has a good round-up of news and views on Canadian foreign policy and its role in the federal election. In general, commentators lament the "lack of real debate on climate change... and Afghanistan" and also warn that UN reform and European Union trade deals are going unnoticed while we talk about "sweater vests and quaintly named corporations."
Democracy turns 250 in Canada amid debate over state of country's politics
Summary:"As Nova Scotia marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of democracy in Canada on Thursday, there are signs that the country's political system is in rough shape - less than two weeks before a general election."
A lobby group called Democracy Watch announced it's challenging the legality of the election, a new poll suggests more young people plan to avoid voting, and a group pushing for electoral reform argues many Canadians wasted their vote in 2006.
And that was just on Wednesday.
Still, one of the men behind the $10-million Democracy 250 celebration, former Nova Scotia premier John Hamm, and two experts on Canadian democracy argue that while our democratic institutions are flawed, they are still the [...]Canada's International Role: Four Political Perspectives
Summary:"Given that Canadian defence and international security policies are now pursued in the context of minority government, the policies of all four major parties are relevant. The peace and security policies that each presented in the recent election campaign are reviewed here."
In the 2004 election campaign, the official election
platforms of all four major political parties included proposals
for Canada's international policy. All parties agreed that Canada
must remain a prominent actor on the world stage, although they
differed on specific international issues (the most publicly
contested being Canada's participation in the US missile defence
system).
Read the full report from Project Ploughshares here.
Read the full report from Project Ploughshares here.
Democratic Development: Celebrating Gains, Confronting Challenges
Summary:In celebration of its 40th anniversary, Amelita Armit and Robert Miller of Ottawa's Parliamentary Centre discuss the importance of international democratic development and its upcoming e-dialogue collaboration with Governance Village
By BRANDON CURRIE
GV Content Editor
Since 1968, the Parliamentary Centre (PC) has been "devoted to improving representative assemblies around the world." With projects that support parliaments in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe and the Middle East, the Centre has been a leader in Canadian efforts to promote democratic development abroad.
Yet challenges remain. Although the Canadian parliament called for greater support for international democratic development in a landmark 2007 report from [...]
GV Content Editor
Since 1968, the Parliamentary Centre (PC) has been "devoted to improving representative assemblies around the world." With projects that support parliaments in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe and the Middle East, the Centre has been a leader in Canadian efforts to promote democratic development abroad.
Yet challenges remain. Although the Canadian parliament called for greater support for international democratic development in a landmark 2007 report from [...]
