The Long, Unfulfilled Struggle for Democracy in Canada | Hot Dogs & Hot Takes

Have we ever achieved true democracy in Canada?
John A. MacDonald once stated, “The rights of the minority ought to be protected, and the rich are always fewer in number than the poor.” The framers of Canadian Confederation — like MacDonald — were proud of how their efforts limited popular democracy. They continued a long-established pattern in British North American colonies, where governing structures supported a hierarchical social order governed by the elites. Yet, popular resistance to this idea, demanding democratic rule in Canada, has an equally long history.

This November at Hot Dogs & Hot Takes on History, Mount Royal University professor Kirk Niergarth considers Canada’s ‘democracy’ from the country’s inception to the present day. From New Brunswick’s first election in 1785 to Alberta’s recent referendum, Kirk will explore episodes illustrating the struggles for and limits imposed upon democracy in Canada.
One hundred years ago, Calgary was the site of Alberta’s first successful recall petition, and a special election fought over public provision of textbooks in schools. Looking backwards, were Calgarians more committed to democracy in 1926 than we are today?

For more information, including speaker bio, visit theconfluence.ca/events/hdht-nov2026