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Democracy is hard

ByDoug Anderson Canada, Government Policy, International Relations, Media, Communications

The line between Viktor Orban and Doug Ford

Doug Anderson

Apr 19, 2026

If you give people anywhere the choice of living in a free country or living in a dictatorship, they will always choose democracy in which they are consulted before decisions are made, where they elect their leaders, and where (in theory anyway) everybody has an equal voice. That’s what democracy is. The word comes from the ancient Greek words ‘demos’ (the people) and ‘kratos’ (to rule).

But, in practise, democracy is messy. Leaders want more simplicity, more certainty – less consultation, fewer meetings, streamlining. We see that right now here in Ontario where I live. Premier Doug Ford believes in democracy but his government is eliminating many school boards – because the provincial government thinks it has a better way to deliver education and “save money for the taxpayers”.

(He may have a point. School boards are … More

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The media, Transparency and Bias

ByDoug Anderson Canada, Media, Communications

The truth is out there!

Doug Anderson

Feb 08, 2026

I like old books and many years ago I acquired a rather banged-up copy of “The Story of Louis Riel” published in 1885 which happens to be the year of his second rebellion. It was written somewhat anonymously by a Toronto newspaper writer for the anglophone protestant market and it played into the narrative that they wanted to hear. Tensions were pretty hot in Canada at the time and this volume fanned the flames. The bulk of it was an entirely made up ‘romance’ narrative that Riel and Thomas Scott were both in love with the same girl and having Scott executed … well you get the picture – pure fiction. It went into a 2nd edition within the year.

If you look at media accounts of anything in that period you find blatant bias throughout. Bias is not a … More