Making Democracy Accessible: Making Canadian Political Processes More Inclusive
Standing
Undergraduate
Type of Proposal
Oral Research Presentation
Faculty
Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Faculty Sponsor
N/A
Proposal
Canadians with disabilities continue to face barriers to exercise their democratic rights. Specifically, Canadians with disabilities face barriers to being able to vote. Barriers to accessibility prevent individuals with disabilities from voting. Furthermore, individuals with disabilities are ignored by politicians and candidates. Currently, individuals with disabilities remain a marginalized group in society and by not being able to vote or influence public-policy, individuals with disabilities cannot make changes to improve their lives. This leads to individuals with disabilities being unable to make necessary changes in public policy. A democratic deficit exists amongst Canadians with disabilities. The lack of participation of individuals with disabilities presents itself as a systemic barrier.
Thus, my research aims to address this democratic deficit and offer recommendations for solving this issue. This deficit is evidenced by the deficiency of accessibility within Canadian elections, the lack of recognition by politicians at the federal and provincial levels, and barriers to participating in the electoral process and policy-making. The key recommendations that will be addressed in this research include: enacting universal legislation throughout Canada that promotes inclusivity in political processes, implementing electronic voting, and increasing the use of mail-in voting. The overall goal of this research is to raise attention to the democratic deficit that individuals with disabilities are facing. By raising attention to this issue, various systemic barriers to political participation can be addressed and democracy can become accessible for all Canadians. In all, my research aims to make Canadian society more accessible.
Availability
March 29 12-2, March 30 12-3, April 1 12-3
Special Considerations
N/A
Making Democracy Accessible: Making Canadian Political Processes More Inclusive
Canadians with disabilities continue to face barriers to exercise their democratic rights. Specifically, Canadians with disabilities face barriers to being able to vote. Barriers to accessibility prevent individuals with disabilities from voting. Furthermore, individuals with disabilities are ignored by politicians and candidates. Currently, individuals with disabilities remain a marginalized group in society and by not being able to vote or influence public-policy, individuals with disabilities cannot make changes to improve their lives. This leads to individuals with disabilities being unable to make necessary changes in public policy. A democratic deficit exists amongst Canadians with disabilities. The lack of participation of individuals with disabilities presents itself as a systemic barrier.
Thus, my research aims to address this democratic deficit and offer recommendations for solving this issue. This deficit is evidenced by the deficiency of accessibility within Canadian elections, the lack of recognition by politicians at the federal and provincial levels, and barriers to participating in the electoral process and policy-making. The key recommendations that will be addressed in this research include: enacting universal legislation throughout Canada that promotes inclusivity in political processes, implementing electronic voting, and increasing the use of mail-in voting. The overall goal of this research is to raise attention to the democratic deficit that individuals with disabilities are facing. By raising attention to this issue, various systemic barriers to political participation can be addressed and democracy can become accessible for all Canadians. In all, my research aims to make Canadian society more accessible.