From March 15 to 18, I was in Ottawa with two other members of the Rights & Democracy Delegation at Université Laval to learn more about what Canada does to promote democracy abroad. Here's a quick summary of it.
Accompanied by Nancy Dupont, finances delegate, and Sabrina Zouaghi, secretary and responsible for our Arab Spring project, I attended a full week-end of activities and conferences on that theme. The convention, held by Rights & Democracy, was entitled "Canada's contribution to a more democratic world" and focused on Canadian initiatives in promoting democracy internationally.
We first began with a visit to Parliament, where we met with Hélène Laverdière, Official Opposition Critic for Foreign Affairs, who confirmed us that life as an MP is not synonymous with sound sleep and nutrition, but is nonetheless deeply gratifying. We then attended a raucous circus show, which by convention is usually refered to as Questions Period (it is as bad as they say).
Most importantly, we were introduced to the world of professional democracy promotion work. There exists a slew of public, parapublic and independent organizations that work in strengthening democratic institutions where they exist and in fostering their emergence where they're absent. In Canada, the institution directly responsible for that kind of work is Rights & Democracy, an arm's-length agency based in Montreal which enjoys a relative independence vis-à-vis government: its decisions are taken autonomously, but its Board and President are appointed by the Prime Minister's Office and its funding comes from DFAIT and CIDA. Elections Canada also shares its expertise with foreign governments on demand. The Parliamentary Centre works to build the capacity of parliamentary regimes to function properly all across the world, which involves training MPs on how to work in committees or how to implement a rigorous budget-making and oversight process. The Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians also runs some democracy promotion programs. Abroad, the National Democratic Institute, created by the US government and related in networks and affinities to the Democratic Party, is one of the biggest players in the field. A lot of Canadians work for the NDI, which creates sympathy networks that make it easier for Canadian expats to find opportunities.
We also met with representatives from Canadem, a company that acts like a placement agency, but in the precise sector or internships in electoral observation. In return for a hefty fee, the organization finds prospective applicants an internsip and prepares him or her for it. Observing elections is a fairly specialized field, in which people are essentially powerless. Still, it's useful work, and it may interest some.
The milieu of democratic development isn't free of political controversies, as exemplified by the crisis that rocked Rights & Democracy in 2008-2009. The independence of institutions depends on their constitutive act and above all on where they get their funding. For instance, a large part of the NDI's funding comes from the US Agency for International Development. Here, Rights & Democracy gets a "block" of non-project related funding from DFAIT and CIDA. Yet, it's important to remember those limits exist everywhere in the field of international development.
The professional skills sought by democratic development organizations are broadly similar to those emphasized by other development organizations. Practical work experience is highly valued, sometimes leading to the infamous catch-22 of "it takes experience to get experience". The background of most professionals in the field is in the humanities, with clear affinities with the world of either development or politics, and a strong interest in international affairs.
