Political Participation

         Political participation is an important part of the political system; it helps the government realize what the people want and the social changes that are emerging. An example of this would be gay marriage rights that weren’t acceptable in the past but are acceptable now. In my opinion, I believe that political participation is essential in a democratic country, without this governments would be able to make their own decisions because the people of the country aren’t concerned enough to participate. People need to be exposed to all the different forms of political participation and not just through voting. Voting is an important part of participation but isn’t always the most effective way nor does it create social change. Different forms such as having protests and going to rallies is a way to participate in a more active way than just voting. I’ve been involved in rallies and protests and I’ve also helped campaign for local elections in Kitchener. It’s an entirely different experience than just simply voting. It’s a lot more active and you get to be a lot more involved with like-minded people. As Canadians, we do have the right to protest but it’s the right to peaceful protest but not all people are able to do this. Some people become so passionate about an issue that things become more aggressive and violent, especially when joined by people with similar views. This goes to show that violent protest doesn’t help solve an issue; it only creates a hostile situation where no one’s voices are being heard. The best example of this would be the G20 meeting that took place in Toronto and the violent behaviour that came from it. It didn’t create any positive outcomes from having an extremely violet protest. Participating in political events is an empowering way to get involved with the government, but it has to be done in a civil way so that you’re thoughts are being heard and considered. There is no sense in running around like a lunatic because it will get dismissed very easily. 

Violent behaviour during G20 Protest

Outcome of G20 Protest