by Ivo Balinov, Executive Director of Programs
Setting Canada on a course towards an inclusive and prosperous future takes a cross-party, cross-society effort.
Across the globe, democracy is on the retreat. Studies and global indices reveal a troubling wave of backsliding, with up to 40% of the world’s population now living in countries where democracy is yielding to autocracy. Liberal democracies have become increasingly rare. The reasons are complex and context-dependent, but one common theme is the perception of democracies being cumbersome and slow at decision-making, having difficulties in setting and maintaining long-term development goals—especially in times of economic uncertainty—and a related frustration with frequent government changes. Deepening political polarization is seen as making constructive consensus on democratic societies’ long-term priorities ever more elusive.
Whether these perceptions are entirely true or not, they create fertile ground for demagogues and would-be autocrats who peddle simplistic answers to society’s most complex challenges.
While Canada stands as a beacon of democracy, we are not immune to these symptoms that have caused backsliding elsewhere. We need solutions that bridge partisan divides and unite various groups of society as our country rediscovers itself and safeguards its democracy in a tumultuous and uncertain word. The Coalition for a Better Future is an inspiring example of such an effort. A former liberal and a former conservative minister, Anne McLellan and Lisa Raitt, have been steering a cross-partisan, cross-society effort to shape a transformative vision for inclusive, sustainable economic prosperity and opportunity for all Canadians.
Against the backdrop of political polarization and economic insecurity, the Coalition has managed to unite a diverse group of over 100 Canadian leaders and organizations—from business, labour, and civil society. Together they set benchmarks, measure Canada’s progress towards inclusive and sustainable economic growth and engage policy makers at various levels of government in debates on how to achieve sustainable growth to the benefit of all groups of our society.
In recognition of their leadership the Parliamentary Centre has chosen the Co-Chairs of the Coalition for a Better Future as co-recipients of the 2025 Democracy Awards. We founded the awards to celebrate Canadians whose outstanding achievements safeguard and strengthen our democratic values and practices – Anne McLellan and Lisa Raitt’s high-level contribution to public policy after elected life is a true example of the resilience of democracy in challenging times.
The Democracy Awards will be presented at a ceremony in Ottawa on November 28, 2025.
