POLITICAL PARTICIPATION
Political involvement connects individuals with other people, organizations, and social institutions. It
engages people in Canada's social, economic, and political issues. Participation in political activities
therefore plays a role in the well-being of individuals, our communities, and our country.
The political activity indicator measures participation in any of the following, but excludes casting a
vote:
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signing a petition;
searching for political information;
attending a public meeting;
boycotting/choosing a product for ethical reasons;
contacting a newspaper or politician;
participating in a demonstration or march; and
volunteering for a political party.
Summary
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National Picture — 54.6% of Canadians aged 15 and over reported being involved in at least
one political activity in 2002.
Gender — 58.3% of men and 51.7% of women reported being involved in at least one
political activity in 2002.
Age — The younger the person, the more likely they were to be involved in at least one
political activity in 2002. Of the 15 to 24 age group, 59% reported at least one political
activity, while 39.7% of those 65 and older reported participation in at least one political
activity.
Regions — Residents of Prince Edward Island reported the lowest rate of participation in
politics in 2002, at 46%, while those in British Columbia had the highest rate, at 60%.
National Picture
In 2002, 54.6% of Canadians 15 and older participated in at least one political activity.
Of these, two-thirds (or 36.8% of Canadians aged 15 and older) participated in one or two activities
and one-third (or 17.8% of Canadians aged 15 and older) participated in three or more activities.
Political participation is any activity that shapes, affects, or involves the political sphere. Political
participation ranges from voting to attending a rally to committing an act of terrorism to sending a
letter to a representative. Broadly speaking, there are three types of participation:
1. Conventional participation: Activities that we expect of good citizens. For most people,
participation occurs every few years at election time. People strongly committed to politics are more
likely to participate on a regular basis.
Example: Conventional political participation includes voting, volunteering for a political campaign,
making a campaign donation, belonging to activist groups, and serving in public office.
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2. Unconventional participation: Activities that are legal but often considered inappropriate. Young
people, students, and those with grave concerns about a regime’s policies are most likely to engage in
unconventional participation.
Example: Unconventional political participation includes signing petitions, supporting boycotts, and
staging demonstrations and protests.
3. Illegal participation: activities that break the law. Most of the time, people resort to illegal
participation only when legal means have failed to create significant political change.
Example: Illegal political participation includes political assassination, terrorism, and sabotaging
an opponent’s campaign through theft or vandalism.
Why People Participate
Most democratic citizens feel that some level of political participation, particularly conventional
participation, is admirable and acceptable. But political participation can be hard: One must find time,
and perhaps money, in order to participate. So why do people do it? People participate in politics out
of a sense of the following:
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Idealism: Some participate because they believe strongly in a particular idea.
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Responsibility: For many, participation is a responsibility of democratic citizenship.
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Self-interest: A person might work to promote issues and causes that personally profit that
person.
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Enjoyment: Some simply enjoy public activity, either because of the activity itself or because
of the friends they make while politically engaged.
Nonparticipation
In some countries, large parts of the population do not participate in politics at all. In the United
States, for example, only about half of all eligible people vote in presidential elections. Such
nonparticipation signifies a number of attitudes:
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Contentment: Lack of participation indicates satisfaction with the status quo—if they were
upset about an issue, people would participate.
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Freedom: In a democratic society, people have the freedom to not participate.
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Apathy: Many people do not know much about politics and do not care.
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Alienation: People do not participate because they feel that no one in power listens to their
views and that the government is, at best, indifferent to them.
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