Democracy faces significant challenges both globally and here in Canada, where trust in democratic institutions is declining and citizens increasingly feel powerless over political decisions that affect their lives.
The Crisis of Legacy Systems in Modern Governance
According to experts John Richardson and Mathew Markman, Canadian democracy operates on legacy systems established before the telegraph era, relying on outdated consultation processes that leave citizens frustrated between elections. While Canada may not be experiencing an American-style democracy crisis, troubling signs are emerging that demand attention.
Governments at all levels are currently grappling with complex issues including climate change, affordability, housing, immigration, land use, addiction and artificial intelligence governance. These challenges are not new, but elected officials now operate in a dramatically different cultural landscape with a much larger and more diverse population to serve.
The Digital Dilemma: Polarization Versus Participation
The internet and social media have created echo chambers where algorithms can rapidly spread misinformation and fuel political polarization, fostering discord and undermining trust in democratic institutions. This digital environment presents both risks and opportunities for democratic engagement.
Traditional engagement methods—including town hall meetings, public hearings, polls and petitions—are increasingly falling short. These approaches often generate participation that is either too limited to constitute legitimate feedback or dominated by individuals with greater social and political influence.
Furthermore, traditional processes are poorly suited to substantive policy deliberation, frequently oversimplifying complex problems and failing to achieve lasting results. The resulting policy decisions tend to create winners and losers rather than consensus-driven solutions, further eroding trust in democracy.
A Path Forward: Digital Democracy Platforms
To build a more robust and resilient democracy, governments must modernize how they engage with citizens by adopting proven, innovative digital participation processes at cloud scale. Digital democracy platforms represent a promising solution.
These platforms can help governments deepen and broaden public participation by bringing in new voices, cultivating collaboration and de-polarizing contentious issues through fair-process legitimacy. A real-world example includes California Governor Gavin Newsom's administration hiring a British Columbia company to build Engaged California, an online platform designed to give Los Angeles residents a voice in how the city recovers from deadly wildfires that occurred earlier in 2025.
By embracing such digital tools, governments can transform democratic engagement to better meet today's complex challenges, from climate change to AI governance, while rebuilding the trust that forms the foundation of a healthy democracy.
