The Referendum: Direct Democracy in Action

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the arguments for and against the use of the referendum as a political tool in Canada against the backdrop of the October 26, 1992 referendum on the Charlottetown Accord. After presenting a brief history of the use of referenda in Canada and the attitudes of various Canadian political leaders to this practice, the paper analyzes in depth the objections that have been raised by detractors, rebutting the objections with evidence from the October 26, 1992 referendum as well as from the experience of other countries that have used referenda successfully. The paper concludes that the referendum has a distinct role to play in the democratic system of government and can be used to good effect in ensuring that the people's voice is heard.

From the Paper:

"On October 26, 1992, Canada held an historic nation-wide referendum to determine if there was a public consensus on the Charlottetown Accord. It was historic for several reasons: it was the first all-Canada referendum in half a century since the plebiscite of 1942 (on the issue of conscription ); it was the first-ever direct vote on a constitutional matter; it showed that the Canadian public had a mind of its own-that is, Canadians could think and act independently of their government; and it led to the downfall of the Conservative Party. Most important of all, it sparked a renewed interest in and a lively discussion on the role of the referendum in the political process in Canada."

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