This Thanksgiving, give thanks for democracy

Dan Rolph - Exeter Examiner Editior

By Dan Rolph

I’ve always believed that Thanksgiving is a particularly special day.

In Canada we celebrate occasions stemming from traditions that have shifted over generations. Some are born from religious practices, some are secular, and some stray so far from one origin that they become something new entirely. Thanksgiving, I think, has become a holiday that is truly unique.

It can be easy for some to remember that our Thanksgiving is very separated from the holiday recognized in the U.S., not only by the date we mark down on our calendars, but by the continued prominence of the American myth of the first Thanksgiving.

In Canada, Thanksgiving is far simpler. It’s a time of humility and reflection, when each of us can look at our lives through the lens of thankfulness and remind ourselves of how important it is to recognize the privileges we may forget through the busyness of everyday life.

For some, that may mean giving thanks for family and friends, a safe place to call home, food on the table, good health, meaningful work or the support of a caring community.

This Thanksgiving, one of the privileges I find myself thankful for is the freedom to have our voices heard through our democracy, particularly as we approach the upcoming municipal elections later this month.

We live in a transformative age. By many metrics, the prominence of democracy on a global level is declining.

In a report released this past September by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), an organization based in Sweden that supports legitimate democratic institutions, this moment in history that we find ourselves in is described as a “crisis” for democracies. International IDEA cited mounting pressures such as political polarization, disinformation, the concentration of executive power and a decline in public trust as drivers of that crisis.

In that report, International IDEA noted that just 21 per cent of the world’s population lives in a country considered “free” in 2026, less than half of the 46 per cent from two decades before.

It’s a staggering reality of the 21st century that democracy and freedom are backsliding globally, but that reality makes it as important as ever to recognize the strength of Canada’s democracy as the world changes.

However, Canada is not an island. We are not immune to the trends of the world, and we can’t allow ourselves to become complacent when it comes to the rights generations of Canadians have fought for.

In South Huron, voter turnout in municipal elections dropped by nearly 10 percent between 2018 and 2022, with less than half the eligible voters casting a ballot in the municipality’s last election.

That’s a trend that I hope our community chooses to reverse later this month.

So as the next municipal election approaches, remember to be thankful for the good things in your life, and let your thankfulness push you to participate in this important tradition we call democracy. Fewer people in the world today have that opportunity than you may realize.