Democracy requires real debate: Open the door, talk to me. Please.

I love a good conversation. A vigorous back and forth of ideas and opinions between people who think and ponder and wonder about the world and how to make it a better place for more of us.

Sadly, as the infamous quote from Canada’s first (and so far only) female prime minister, Kim Campbell, goes, election campaigns are not the time for robust discussion of serious issues. Even if the issues are raised, debate — real debate, grounded in evidence-based reasoning and articulate arguments supporting policy promises — is very, very rare. And what a loss that is for the voters.

From the door step to the TV lecterns, very little real debate happens. On the TV, it seems scripted and vicious — often it’s jabs that are delivered at the opponent more than persuasive arguments against their positions. On the doorstep, it’s a challenge to even get the door open. 

And, once open, it’s rare, these days in my experience, to encounter an individual interested in an exchange of viewpoints no matter how close or far apart the door knocker and the door owner might be. Many people seem to think that being asked for their perspective on, say, health care policy is an invasion of their privacy. While I can agree that being asked "How will you vote?" is borderline invasive, I don't agree that being asked to weigh in on a pressing issue of the day is. I see it as an invitation to engage in the political process of electing representatives to office. 

On the front lines, that process is coloured by wariness and, to be fair, a wariness that exists on both sides of the door.

For me on the outside, I wonder if my knock will be answered and, if it is, if the person inside will be civil or silent. 

For the person inside, well, I don’t really know what’s going on in their head. Who or what are they expecting? When my front door is knocked on, I open it, yes, with some trepidation these days, but I open it (my phone always in my back pocket in case I need to call for help of some kind) and I am ready to engage at some level. I may not be interested in the message being offered (sponsor a child, pledge to a community fundraiser, buy a religious perspective, support this candidate, etc.), but, having been on the outside, I am willing to give the door knocker the chance to at least open the conversation before I respond. However, on my recent rounds during our current provincial election in Manitoba, more doors have remained closed than have been opened to me.

Again, I think this is a real shame. For democracy to flourish, we need to talk to each other, shake each other up with different points of view and constructive solutions to the myriad problems we are facing on Planet Earth these days. 

Maybe most importantly, we need to listen to each other. No solutions are found in silence, avoidance or jabs. Solutions come from real debate between people willing to propose options backed by evidence and supported with sound reasoning. 

Debate clubs have rules that include rationality, proof for the claims being made, and fairness. Too bad election campaigns are not run on these same principles. It would make knocking on doors much easier and significantly more pleasant.

Manitoba is, essentially, a 2-party province at the provincial level. Each of the two parties that stand the chance to win offer voters a first — Wab Kinew of the New Democratic Party would be the province's first First Nation premier, while Health Stefanson of the Progressive Conservative Party would be the province's first woman premier elected in a general vote. We shall see which first October 3rd brings. 

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Land acknowledgement: I respectfully recognize that I live on the original lands of Anishinaabe, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota and Dene peoples, and on the homeland of the Métis Nation.

Top photo by Natalia Y. on Unsplash