What it measures
Dimension: Participation
This indicator shows the proportion of Canadians who report that they volunteer for a political organization, law or advocacy group. Participation in political organizations helps to connect citizens with one another and allows them to share and express political opinions. The percentage of Canadians who volunteer for a political organization peaked in 2004 and decreased steadily until 2010, after which time we can see a small increase in this type of volunteering. Still, the number of Canadians who volunteer for a law, advocacy, or political group is extremely low.
Why this matters
This indicator provides information on Canadians’ engagement in politics beyond electoral participation. Active participation is important to democratic wellbeing and, as such, a higher percentage of Canadians volunteering for political organizations is a positive indicator of democratic wellbeing.