- About
- People
- What We Do
- Consulting Services
- Services
- Our Projects
- Centering Equity and Inclusion in an Engagement Framework
- Framework for Diabetes in Canada
- COVID-19 and Public Health: The Faith and Spiritual Leaders Dialogue Series
- Burnaby Business Recovery Task Force
- CleanBC Job Readiness Workshops
- Your Voice. Your Home.
- Perspectives on Reconciliation
- Establishing a Chinese-Canadian Museum
- Citizen Dialogues on Canada鈥檚 Energy Future
- Clients and Partners
- Get in Touch
- Knowledge & Practice
- Beyond Inclusion
- Dialogue & Engagement Resources
- Dialogue Dispatch Newsletter
- International Climate Engagement Network (ICEN)
- Strengthening Canadian Democracy
- Talk Dialogue to Me Podcast
- Initiatives
- Signature Events
- Jack P. Blaney Award for Dialogue
- Award Recipients
- 2024/25: Bringing Justice Home with Judge Abby Abinanti
- 2021/22: Reimagining Social Justice and Racial Equity with adrienne maree brown
- 2019/20: Climate Change and Human Rights with Sheila Watt-Cloutier
- 2017/18: Peace, Pluralism and Gender Equality with Alice Wairimu Nderitu
- 2015/16: Climate Solutions with Tim Flannery
- 2013/14: Reconciliation with Chief Robert Joseph
- 2011/12: Twelve Days of Compassion with Karen Armstrong
- 2009/10: Widening the Circle with Liz Lerman
- 2005: Corporate Social Responsibility and the Right to Health with Mary Robinson
- 2002: Environmental Sustainability with Maurice Strong
- Nomination Details
- History of the Award
- Award Recipients
- Bruce & Lis Welch Community Dialogue
- 2024: AI: Beyond the Hype鈥擲haping the Future Together with Stephanie Dick and Daniel Barcay
- 2022: Facing the Flames: New and Old Ways of Co-Existing with Fire with Joe Gilchrist and Paul Hessburg
- 2021: All My Relations: Trauma-Informed Engagement with Karine Duhamel
- 2019: Power of Empathy with Kimberly Jackson Davidson
- 2019: Rethinking BC Referendums with John Gastil
- 2017: Strengthening Democratic Engagement with Valerie Lemmie
- 2015-16: THRIVE! Surrey in 2030
- 2014: Citizen Engagement and Political Civility with Dr. Carolyn J. Lukensmeyer
- 2013: Building a Culture of Participation with Dave Meslin
- 2012: Riots and Restorative Justice with Dr. Theo Gavrielides
- 2011: Growing Out of Hunger with Will Allen
- 2010: The Age of Unequals with Richard Wilkinson
- Jack P. Blaney Award for Dialogue
- Consulting Services
- Shared Learning
- News
- Give
Public Enagement as a Driver of Trust in Democracy
LEVELS OF TRUST IN CANADA
In 2021, less than half of Canadian respondents expressed trust in the national government.
Feelings of disempowerment and distrust are compounded by systemic inequities in society, with Canadian youth, women and individuals with lower incomes and levels of education all expressing lower levels of trust.
Conducted at the end of 2021, the OECD Trust Survey offers a unique insight into the strength of Canada鈥檚 public confidence in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the initial uptick in trust seen at the start of 2020 gave way to increased frustration and polarization.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AS A KEY DRIVER OF TRUST
The availability and responsiveness of public participation opportunities are highly associated with increased trust in government.
- People who feel they have a say in what the government does are more likely to trust government
- People who are confident that their governments would adopt opinions gathered in a public consultation are more likely to trust government
Levels of trust in government amongst:
PERSPECTIVES ON PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT IN CANADA
Many Canadians are not satisfied with our current level of public participation in decision-making鈥攐r not fully aware of the opportunities.
Does the Canadian political system allow people like you to have a say in what government does?
How likely is that the government would adopt the opinions expressed in a public consultation on reforming a major policy area?
If the local government was making a decision affecting your community, how likely are you to have an opportunity to voice your views?
Four Foundations for Strengthening Democracy in Canada
In light of these findings, the Centre for Dialogue proposes four foundations for strengthening democracy in Canada, including:
- Increasing opportunities for engagement between citizens and government institutions
- Expanding civic education
- Fostering respectful public discourse and addressing misinformation
- Enhancing social connection
To learn more about the Centre鈥檚 research and practice on democratic engagement, please contact Nicole Armos at narmos@sfu.ca.
To learn more about the OECD鈥檚 Trust Survey, see their 2022 report, .