User:Oceanflynn/sandbox/The Democracy Project (Canada)

The Democracy Project (Canada) is a multi-platform site launched in April 2019 by Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC), a not-for-profit (NPO), bilingual television service on Canadian politics and public affairs, with the goal of supporting political engagement in the democratic process, specifically in preparation for the October 2019 Canadian federal elections. Working with partners such as the Project The Democracy Project aggregates in-depth content from more than 25 leading policy and media organizations.... the site provides opinion and analysis of topics related to to the 2019 elections including "factual, balanced and unbiased information".

Focus
The platform is intended to be a "one-stop destination" for "sharp and focused content relevant to the upcoming election." The goal is to support political engagement in the democratic process specifically in preparation for the October 2019 Canadian federal elections. Working with partners such as, The Democracy Project aggregates in-depth "factual, balanced and unbiased information" from over two dozen "policy and media organizations" to provide opinion and analysis of topics related to to the 2019 elections.

The Democracy Project provides opinion and analysis of issues related to to the 2019 elections. According to CPAC's President Catherine Cano, "CPAC’s mission is to help Canadians better understand their democracy – and instead of developing cynicism, to participate and be engaged in the process, and vote."

Key themes covered include Indigenous, laws, media, disinformation, civic engagement, and international issues.

CPAC
Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC) is a bilingual network, a specialty channel on Canadian television that provides Category A services via cable, satellite, and free Internet streaming media on Canadian politics and public affairs. CPAC is a consortium of cable companies that took over the role of Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) in the production of the Canadian Parliamentary Channel, which included a name change to CPAC. CPAC received its license in 1993. The consortium includes part-owners Rogers Communications, Shaw Communications, Vidéotron, Cogeco and Eastlink among others. During federal election campaigns, CPAC has frequently aired Campaign Politics, profiling an individual electoral district. In 2017 CPAC created a new multimedia "literacy tool" on democracy called Route 338, in partnership with The Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS). The Route 338 project makes curriculum-linked lesson plans available for free online to help students in Grades 1-12 "learn the different levels of government and the functions of each, the role of Members of Parliament, how bills become laws, their own rights and responsibilities in a democracy and more".

Partners
CPAC said that their collaboration with over two dozen partners, that includes Google, YouTube, Abacus Data, CIVIX, The Walrus,  Library and Archives Canada (LAC/BAC),  The Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS), The Samara Centre for Democracy Samara Canada,  The Tyee, Public Policy Forum, was "unprecedented".

Other partners include the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network(APTN), Canadian Geographic, Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA), Canadian Journalism Foundation (CJF), The Conversation, Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada (FCFA), Fédération professionnelle des journalistes du Québec (FPJQ), Francopresse: Actualités francophones canadiennes, The Hill Times,  Historica Canada Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy (IFSD), Institut du Nouveau Monde (INM),  iPolitics  iVote, National Newswatch, Twitter,  Universities Canada - The voice of Canadian universities (UnivCan), and the Institute for Research on Public Policy (IRPP).

Background
The Project was launched on October 29, 2018 at the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa to broaden its coverage of Parliament in preparation for the October 2019 federal elections.

The bilingual network, established 26 years ago by a consortium of cable companies, will broadcast live town halls to be held across the country starting in January.

Programs
Democracy Project events include live-streamed broadcasts in a slot "solely for material made for the project". It includes an online home page. CPAC plans on producing a "video series focusing on election-related issues, such as first-time voters". In an interview with Christopher Guly, Cano said that the Democracy Project reflects CPAC’s mandate to deliver “balanced and unbiased content,” "particularly at a time when truth in politics is under siege"...There is so much fake news and misinformation out there, so we want to be the place of record where Canadians can hear different views provided to them in a non-partisan way. At a time when democracy is very important, we want our viewers to be well-informed and understand the issues. It is now, more than ever, necessary to do what we do. People want to see raw footage and don’t need someone to comment over it. But they also want context and some explanation, and we will have more in-depth analysis of the issues...Issues and civic engagement will be discussed through in-depth interviews with “original thinkers,” and democracy will be examined through the lens of Canada’s political past and linked to the issues facing Canadians today...But we are not a breaking-news channel and we don’t cover everything. We cover politics and policy. We are very niche." The Democracy Project event on CPAC entitled "Trust, Truth and Vote 2019" on April 17, 2019 featured a panel which included The New Yorkers David Rohde, Policy Options Jennifer Ditchburn, David Moscrop, author of Too Dumb for Democracy?, Yellowhead Institute's Hayden King, Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI)'s Bessma Momani, Rolling Stones Matt Taibbi, and Robert Reich, author of The Common Good'', discussing "democracy’s threats and challenges" with comments on ways forward.