What it measures
Dimension: Leadership
This indicator measures Canadians’ level of satisfaction with the democratic process. It is important to note that this is related to, but different from measuring their satisfaction with the government of the day. Canadians’ level of satisfaction with democracy in Canada has varied over the years, ranging from a low of 56.8% in 2004 to 71.0% of the voting population in 2008 who were fairly or very satisfied. Of concern, though, is that as of 2014, about one-third of Canadians are dissatisfied with our democratic system.
Why this matters
This information is important to collect and understand because it addresses whether Canadians feel that democracy is working effectively in our country. Low levels of satisfaction show that people do not feel that their voices are being heard, and that they have little influence in political policies and practices. Conversely, higher levels of satisfaction with democracy show that people believe they have a say in political leadership, which is positively linked to democratic engagement.