In Commons thinking, not all democracy is local, but it does insist that our higher order democratic institutions have an intimate connection to the local. It turns out that of the people choosing to engage in local electoral politics, most truly focus their sights on impact at that level and not just looking to start a career path towards pursuit of higher office down the road.
Over 900 local councillors across Canada responded to the first municipal survey of the Canadian Municipal Barometer with some very interesting results. About 45% of respondents held occupations in management, business, finance and administration, but the remainder came from a healthy cross-section of occupational backgrounds. Most importantly, almost all had been active in multiple types of community associations and groups prior to running for office, indicating that civil society is the primary generator of local political representation. This is an encouraging sign, although the issue of diversity (gender, age, racial/cultural identity) at this level of political representation remains a critical issue. Get the full picture at Samara below. – Peter Clutterbuck
“The survey reveals that more than an explicitly political path—say, participating in a political party, time as a school board trustee, or recruitment from existing politicians—many local leaders came via civil society organizations. Attracting a diverse and talented slate of local politicians, who are broadly reflected of the communities they seek to represent, may mean starting hyper-local—with more active recruitment within neighbourhood associations and service clubs, and ensuring equitable access to political power for community groups throughout a community.”
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