Thank you to everyone who answered the call to rally for science and civic responsibility

Media coverage is available here - https://tinyurl.com/kee82xpf and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1NLNXasWzw.

You can read the call to rally here - http://civildialogue.ca/rally-for-science-and-civic-responsibility.

Survey of civil society organizations reveals deep concern over “weaponized” discourse: disinformation and extremism seen as threats to Canada’s democracy
Holding social media companies accountable and strengthening civic literacy and science education are among steps next Parliament should take

September 17, 2021 (Toronto) – Disinformation and extremism are threats to the health of our democracy and require strong government action, finds a new survey of more than 30 prominent Canadian civil society organizations. Two-thirds of respondents were “very concerned” over the threat of disinformation to the health of Canada’s democracy and over half reported the same level of anxiety over the threat of online extremism. More than 8 in 10 viewed disinformation as a potential barrier to ensuring a fair, accessible, transparent, and accurate election. The informal survey was conducted by the grassroots Civil Dialogue Initiative on the eve of the federal election campaign and through its opening days.

Among the nearly 90% of organizations who said the discourse had become more divisive in the last 5 years, over 70% blamed an unregulated social media landscape. Other factors cited were media concentration or the decline of traditional media sources and the rise of alternative media (65%), disinformation campaigns generally (65%), the election of Donald Trump (59%), and political party focus on appealing to a base of supporters (56%).

“Recognizing the threat of disinformation and extremism – online and increasingly in our streets – and confronting it with policy action is an election issue,” said Christopher Holcroft, founder of the Civil Dialogue Initiative. “The responses to this survey should be a reminder to candidates of all political stripes and to all Canadians that we cannot take the health of our democracy for granted – we must advocate for civility, evidence-based policy making, and civic responsibility.”

Included among the participants in the survey were organizations advocating for a number of important public policy issues affecting human rights, gender equality, health, climate change, refugees, the economy, gun control, international affairs, peace, and anti-hate research. Civil Dialogue contacted nearly 60 non-partisan organizations for the survey between July 28 and August 26, of which 34 responded. The organizations were asked more than 20 questions seeking their perspectives on the election campaign, the state of the public discourse, and the health of Canada’s democracy. Complete questions and survey results and a full list of participants are available via links at the end of this release.

Most organizations intended to be somewhat or very active during the federal election seeking to advance their issues, and half were expecting the impacts of COVID-19 to have a moderate or significant impact on their election plans. Yet nearly all organizations believed Elections Canada would be able to ensure a fair, accessible, and transparent election, with two-thirds being very confident.

Some of the steps respondents would encourage the next Parliament to undertake to foster a more civil discourse include implementing measures to hold social media platforms accountable for allowing the publication of demonstrably false or hateful statements (79%), supporting programs for civic literacy and science education among Canadians, including young Canadians (74%), and strengthening restrictions on third party spending and to support public financing of election campaigns (65%).

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About Civil Dialogue
Civil Dialogue is a grassroots initiative that was formed shortly after the violent protests on the US Capitol following the American election. More than 35 leading civil society organizations and individuals signed an open letter to all federal party leaders asking them to take steps to maintain and strengthen Canadian democracy. Civil Dialogue has also led a call for Canadians to show support for science and civic responsibility on September 18th.

Links to full survey questions and results
https://publicresponse.wufoo.com/reports/civil-society-preelection-survey/
https://publicresponse.wufoo.com/reports/civil-society-preelection-survey-part-2/

For more information please contact:
Christopher Holcroft Founder, Civil Dialogue Initiative
416-996-0767
christopherholcroft@hotmail.ca

A call to protect and strengthen Canada's democracy


January 26, 2021 

Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Leader of the Liberal Party
Hon. Erin O’Toole, Leader of the Conservative Party
Mr. Yves-François Blanchet, Leader of the Bloc Québécois
Mr. Jagmeet Singh, Leader of the New Democratic Party
Ms. Annamie Paul, Leader of the Green Party

We are shocked and saddened by the recent political violence in Washington, D.C. and unnerved by the prospect of similar events occurring in Canada.

What happened in the United States was not a spontaneous, isolated act; rather, it was the culmination of a political discourse that has become unmoored from reality and detached from decency. President Donald Trump may have incited a riot, but enablers of ignorance and excusers of hate created the conditions for it.

This is a lesson Canada must heed.

Our country is not immune to such danger. In fact, Canadians are tragically familiar with acts of terror inspired by conspiracy theories and hateful words. The 2017 mass shooting at the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City is one example. The 2018 van attack in Toronto is another. Last summer’s armed intrusion onto the grounds of Rideau Hall could have been one too.

Nor have we evaded the ecosystem of far-right media websites, gun lobbies, and anti-government think tanks that has proven effective at sowing distrust in public institutions and between citizens in America.

Two recent studies underscore the urgency of the moment: Canada is among the global leaders in online right-wing extremism and home to an alarming spread of misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic.

As representatives of Canadian civil society, we call on our political leaders to confront these threats to our discourse, and ultimately, our democracy, with courage and conviction.

Public fears around the pandemic, uncertainty over climate change, anger at racism, and resentment of income inequality are merging at the same time bad-faith actors are seeking to exploit emotions and foster divisions for power and profit.

It is vitally important that our leaders distinguish between fact and falsehood, respect and ridicule, partisanship and poisonous politics.

We implore each of you to:

• Denounce and take policy steps to eradicate hate however, and wherever, it may appear
• Reject and hold accountable individuals and groups benefiting from online harassment and the spread of dangerous misinformation – including by those who may support you
• Commit to respecting science, civic norms, and democratic institutions
• Promote, and participate in, responsible citizenship and civil discourse

Democracy is too fragile, human rights too precious, and Canada’s possibility too great not to act.

Sincerely,

Canadian Anti-Hate Network
Canadian AIDS Society
Canadian Doctors for Protection from Guns
Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions
Canadian Federation of Students
Canadian Federation of University Women
Canadians for Tax Fairness
Diversity Institute, Ryerson University
Friends of Canadian Broadcasting
HIV Legal Network
Native Women's Association of Canada
PeaceQuest
Public Response
Ryerson Leadership Lab
Toronto Article 9

Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish - Professor of Global Health, Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto
Dr. Neil Arya – Fellow with the Balsillie School of International Affairs, Wilfrid Laurier University
Lloyd Axworthy – Former Canadian Foreign Minister and Chair of the World Refugee and Migration Council
David Baker – Founder, bakerlaw and ARCH: Disability Law Centre
Boufeldja Benabdallah - co-Founder of the Quebec City Islamic Cultural Centre
Dr. Philip Berger, OC
Arthur Bielfeld, CM – Rabbi Emeritus, Temple Emanu-El
R. Blake Brown – Professor, Department of History, Saint Mary's University; Member, College of New Scholars, Royal Society of Canada
Semir Bulle – Co-founder, Doctors for Defunding the Police
Michael Byers – Professor and Canada Research Chair in Global Politics and International Law, University of British Columbia
L. Andrew Cardozo – President, The Pearson Centre for Progressive Policy
Dr. Debby Copes
Anne Lagacé Dowson – Journalist
Mohamad Fakih – Founder and CEO of The Fakih Foundation and President and CEO of Paramount Fine Foods
Mitchell Goldberg – Refugee and Immigration Lawyer
Christopher Holcroft – Founder, Civil Dialogue
Peggy Mason – President of the Rideau Institute
Andrew Pakula – Human rights and peace activist
Dr. Michael Rachlis – Adjunct Professor, University of Toronto Dalla Lana School of Public Health
Allan Rock – President Emeritus and Professor of Law at the University of Ottawa, former Attorney General of Canada and Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations
Kathleen Ruff – Founder, Right On Canada 
Allison Turner -Attorney

Civil Dialogue is a new, grassroots initiative to help protect and strengthen Canadian democracy. To support the statement above and to receive updates, please submit your e-mail address. Thank you.

Christopher Holcroft
Founder
Civil Dialogue

Thank you!

Thank you for your support for Civil Dialogue's letter to federal party leaders. You will soon receive an e-mail to confirm the name of the organization you wish to have included as a signatory. Thank you.