Oct 5, 2015
Vancouver, BC - A discussion on the pros and cons of a mandatory voting system will form the basis for discussion at the next installment of Langara’s popular Philosophers’ Jam series.
The event, on October 8, comes just ahead of Canada’s next federal election and is likely to produce a stirring debate. The leaders of the nation’s national political parties are working hard to gain support in the run up to October 19, but how many people will actually choose to vote on Election Day?
As voter participation continues to decline at all levels of government in Canada, Elections Canada, along with voting advocates, are once again trying to mobilize the public to exercise their voting power. Guest speaker Murray Mollard will discuss this decline in voter engagement and explore the potential of a mandatory voting system as an alternative.
“A decline in voter turnout combined with how we elect our politicians means that a leader of a federal political party can become Prime Minister of Canada even though only 1 in 5 citizens vote for his or her party,” says Mollard. “This fact is a serious challenge to the idea that they represent all Canadians.”
Mollard, a trained lawyer, serves as Executive Director of the North Shore Community Resources Society and was formerly the Executive Director of the BC Civil Liberties Association. He will lead an engaging discussion considering arguments for and against mandatory voting – a topic that seems to regularly resurface in advance of elections in Canada.
“Not only is a government’s representative legitimacy in doubt when voter turnout declines, but there are really important questions about political equality and influence when so many individuals decline to vote,” Mollard continues. “Is mandatory voting a solution to this problem?”
The next Philosophers’ Jam, entitled Would you vote for Mandatory Voting, will be held on Thursday, October 8, at 7:00pm in the Employee Lounge at Langara College (100 West 49th Avenue, Vancouver).
The event, hosted by the College’s Department of Philosophy, is open to the public and free to attend. For more information about this session and our fall series, visit www.langara.ca/philosophers-jam.
About Langara College
Located in beautiful Vancouver, BC, Canada, Langara College provides University, Career, and Continuing Studies education to more than 21,000 students annually. With more than 1,700 courses and 130 programs, Langara’s expansive academic breadth and depth allows students of all ages, backgrounds, and life stages to choose their own educational path.
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