Citizen Assemblies to make your voices heard
CV21 will make it a priority to establish Citizen Assemblies in every federal riding.
CV21 believes that our political democracy must amount to more than just an election every four years. The input of ordinary citizens is the only way to renew the public’s faith in our government and the public policies and decisions enacted in our name. CV21 believes that groups of ordinary people can make good and wise decisions through a process of discussion, debate and deliberation amongst themselves.
The problem
Canada faces a deep democratic deficit, with public trust in government at historic lows due to perceived political powerlessness, corporate influence, and failure to address major crises like climate change, economic inequality, and housing affordability. Vision 21 proposes establishing Citizen Assemblies in every federal riding to restore public participation in decision-making. These assemblies, the membership of which would be chosen at random, would meet monthly, would be independent, free from special interest influence, supported by neutral experts, and have the power to study any issue. MPs would be required to engage with their local assemblies and respond publicly to their recommendations. The goal is to create a legitimate, ongoing, and participatory process that strengthens democracy beyond elections. Citizen Assemblies avoid the influence of money, campaigning or self-serving political elites who have long forgotten what the ‘public interest’ consists of.
Our solution
Canada Vision 21 proposes a model for Citizen Assemblies built on an approach in which 30 members of the public are randomly selected from each federal electoral district. Serving one-year terms with once-monthly weekend meetings—preferably in person—participants would receive modest stipends covering expenses, including childcare or eldercare. Membership rotates annually to balance fresh perspectives with continuity, and members participate solely as private citizens, free from any corporate, organizational, or special-interest affiliations. Their mandate is to deliberate from a community and public-interest perspective, insulated from lobbying pressures. A neutral, publicly funded secretariat would provide expert, non-partisan information and logistical support, while members may also bring forward their own research or expert testimony. Assemblies would have complete autonomy to investigate any topic they consider important, whether or not it aligns with current parliamentary legislation, and remain independent from government influence. Local Members of Parliament would be required to meet regularly with assemblies, consider their recommendations, and respond publicly. To foster transparency and public trust, the media would be obliged to announce meetings in advance and report on their work.
CV21 recognizes and believes that the fundamental elements our existing representative political structure cannot be dismantled overnight; but that the two approaches must co-exist until the policy/legislative balance between elites and ordinary people has been righted in favor of the latter. A growing number of countries are recognizing that this approach is the only feasible means now of strengthening grassroots democratic engagement, ensuring informed, balanced deliberations, and connecting citizen perspectives directly to political decision-making. If judged by voter disengagement, declining turnout and political apathy (or extremism), the existing Canadian political system is not far from a catastrophic breaking point. CV21 therefore believes we must urgently address this matter.
It is accepted as democratic when public offices are allocated by lot; and as oligarchic when they are filled by election.
ARISTOTLE, POLITICS, BOOK IV