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 the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (SCFAID), PC president and CEO Amelita Armit feels that there is much work to be done to keep democracy at the top of Canada's foreign policy agenda. "Although people are aware of the [SCFAID] report, there has not been any significant response to the recommendations," she explains over the phone from Ottawa.
As such, PC has partnered with Governance Village, an online knowledge-sharing network housed at the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), to "keep the dialogue going and make sure that we have greater awareness not only among policy-makers and practitioners but with a wider Canadian audience," Armit says.
To advance the theme of ‘Confronting the Challenges of International Support for Democratic Development', Governance Village will host an e-dialogue in early November that will bring together experts, practitioners and the general public to discuss how democracy can be strengthened around the world. (To pre-register for the e-Dialogue, click here)
"One of the weaknesses of working in the field of international democratic development is that it's failed to tell its story to the Canadian people," says Robert Miller, a past president and senior associate with the Parliamentary Centre and moderator of the e-dialogue. "Foreign policy should be a key part of public life in Canada but is often neglected."
The results of the e-dialogue will be carried forward to a roundtable discussion taking place in early December. With a federal election set to establish a new government mandate this October, Miller says the project is well-placed to influence policy. "It's all about timing. After the election, the current or new government is going to be confronting issues about its policy agenda. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to remind the politicians of [democratic development] and its importance to Canadian foreign policy. That's a big plus for moving this agenda forward."
To the Parliamentary Centre, democratic development should not only be a priority because it's important to good governance abroad. According to Miller, Canada in particular has a "comparative advantage" in exporting our ideals abroad. "What we're hoping to do with the e-dialogue and roundtable is to have a discussion that advances our understanding of democracy and puts the spotlight on the role Canada can and should play in tackling these challenges.
"Democracy expresses some of the deepest values of Canada and Canadians... this is a tradition which is an important part of the development of Canada. If we believe we've been successful as a society, it's because government has had to be responsive and accountable to the people. That's why democratic development needs to be an important part of foreign policy. It's not the only part, but in my view it ought to be a key part."
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 the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (SCFAID), PC president and CEO Amelita Armit feels that there is much work to be done to keep democracy at the top of Canada's foreign policy agenda. "Although people are aware of the [SCFAID] report, there has not been any significant response to the recommendations," she explains over the phone from Ottawa.
As such, PC has partnered with Governance Village, an online knowledge-sharing network housed at the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), to "keep the dialogue going and make sure that we have greater awareness not only among policy-makers and practitioners but with a wider Canadian audience," Armit says.
To advance the theme of ‘Confronting the Challenges of International Support for Democratic Development', Governance Village will host an e-dialogue in early November that will bring together experts, practitioners and the general public to discuss how democracy can be strengthened around the world. (To pre-register for the e-Dialogue, click here)
"One of the weaknesses of working in the field of international democratic development is that it's failed to tell its story to the Canadian people," says Robert Miller, a past president and senior associate with the Parliamentary Centre and moderator of the e-dialogue. "Foreign policy should be a key part of public life in Canada but is often neglected."
The results of the e-dialogue will be carried forward to a roundtable discussion taking place in early December. With a federal election set to establish a new government mandate this October, Miller says the project is well-placed to influence policy. "It's all about timing. After the election, the current or new government is going to be confronting issues about its policy agenda. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to remind the politicians of [democratic development] and its importance to Canadian foreign policy. That's a big plus for moving this agenda forward."
To the Parliamentary Centre, democratic development should not only be a priority because it's important to good governance abroad. According to Miller, Canada in particular has a "comparative advantage" in exporting our ideals abroad. "What we're hoping to do with the e-dialogue and roundtable is to have a discussion that advances our understanding of democracy and puts the spotlight on the role Canada can and should play in tackling these challenges.
"Democracy expresses some of the deepest values of Canada and Canadians... this is a tradition which is an important part of the development of Canada. If we believe we've been successful as a society, it's because government has had to be responsive and accountable to the people. That's why democratic development needs to be an important part of foreign policy. It's not the only part, but in my view it ought to be a key part."
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