If Canada is an indication of the evolved future — with its financial stability, above average living standards and thriving multiculturalism.
Letter from Toronto...
Come autumn, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) brings to town a heady mix of A-list Hollywood stars, a healthy dose of foreign films you’ll never see again and ground-breaking documentaries. But this year, one of TIFF’s best documentary presentations may not have had a lasting impression.
Why Democracy? A global project based in Copenhagen and Cape Town, amongst other places, is a series of ten remarkable documentaries that chronicles countries like China and Pakistan struggling with concepts like individual freedom, and voting rights. Ironic that these films were screened in Canada — a western democracy — that is also one of the most politically apathetic places on earth.
Born in Calcutta, I am aware of fiery debates in street corners, over tea and adda — languid gossip. But here, Wifi’ed Internet cafes playing soothing tunes have the decibel level of libraries
The films — Iron Ladies of Liberia, Dinner with the President from Pakistan and Please Vote for Me from China — left audiences captivated and intrigued, and while they surely questioned say Musharraf’s ‘quest’ for democracy they failed to see their own indifference. Voting is in decline here. In the 2004 federal election, only 60 per cent of Canada voted, the lowest turnout since 1898! (Following a no confidence vote two years later, voting was up a miserable 4 per cent.)
An even dismal picture is emerging from Generation X, Y and that weaned on MTV. “A fractured state of democracy,” remarked Nick, my 30-something friend over dinner. As he prepares to launch a website connecting Torontonians to their local MPs through online petitions, he noted his demographic was cracked in two: Political fetishist or political apatheist. Either you’re obsessed with one issue or nothing registers.
Canada is not a booming nation like India. Instead, its stable economy has chugged along for years, and some argue the indifference of today’s generation has already put much in jeopardy. Yet others say, `If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’
If Canada is an indication of the evolved future — with its financial stability, above average living standards and thriving multiculturalism — could political apathy be the imminent face of democracy?
(Surya Bhattacharya is a journalist with the Toronto Star in Canada)
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