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In this episode, Dr. Elizabeth Smythe speaks about her course on democracy at Edmonton Lifelong Learners’ Association (ELLA) this past May. She discusses western political scientists’ views on democracy, including ideas about “exporting” democracy. She explains the evolution of government authority from absolute monarchy to today’s representative system as well as direct democracy. Representative democracies are not purely democratic, however because voter franchises expanded only after significant push by those representing under-represented groups like women or men without property.
In addressing democracy in Alberta, she notes a decided trend toward the cabinet (executive) making decisions rather than representative elected bodies. Democratic backsliding in Alberta is suggested with attempts to limit autonomy in decision-making authority in education and at the municipal government level.
We also discussed the subject of elections. Professor Smythe noted that UCP politicians have brought into question the integrity of elections. This includes the prohibitions on voting tabulators in municipal elections and vouching to qualify voters. While the UCP claims or implies there is widespread fraud, the UCP government have provided no evidence. Further, studies have shown election fraud is rare to almost non-existent and a cross-country survey on election integrity shows Canada is rated at the top. These claims of course mirror similar claims made by mostly right-wing and Republican politicians.
Recent changes to election legislation (Bill 54) will permit corporations and unions to donate, bringing “dark money” into provincial and municipal elections. This leaves open the real possibility that elections can be bought. Smythe notes “it’s pretty easy to set up a corporation,” including numbered companies, which make it difficult for researchers or investigative journalists to find out owns the company. Another concern is the role of the Chief Electoral Officer whose continuing independence is central to elections and, of great importance, the conduct of referenda or plebiscites.
The issue of direct democracy was also canvassed. Direct democracy can be moved to manipulate the public to inflame public fears for example. Authoritarian regimes like Hungary also use referenda or plebiscites. However, in the United States initiatives they have been around for quite a long time at the state level.
You have some cases where they seem to have functioned fairly well to reflect voices of citizens and to resolve in some case cases divisive issues or to change regulations in a way that seems to have been a legitimate reflection of citizens.
But on the other hand, there are a lot of problems. One of them is with the nature of the playing field on which various sides of the referendum operate. in the case of Alberta, the new legislation will apply both to recall and it will apply to ballot to initiatives and referendum. It will allow for more money into those campaigns and that can be a subject of concern..
In the case of the Bill 54, the Election Statutes Amendment Act, 2025, “it’s ironic that on the one hand it’s framed as a tool of direct democracy as a very positive thing in the case of Alberta for citizens to have a voice. On the other hand, it’s quite clear that it’s been used strategically as the premier herself admitted to possibly avoid a split in her own party. She was brutally frank I thought about the purposes and despite all her rhetoric about direct democracy and giving citizens a voice that she later admitted that wasn’t what it was all about.”
Professor Smythe leaves us with the hope that community resistance has been effective in curbing authoritarianism. A Harvard study, encompassing 120 years of evidence, provides some comfort that pushback against authoritarian or backsliding governments, is possible, The study confirms the importance of resisting government threats to democratic institutions. One recent and hopeful example is the successful pushback from universities to the province’s threat to vet research at universities contained in Bill 18, the Provincial Priorities Act.
The transcript may be read below.Elizabeth Smythe transcript 28-5-2025
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