Each year, the Edelman Trust Barometer surveys the extent to which stakeholders in 28 countries trust businesses, governments and the media. As part of its 2022 survey, Edelman conducted in-depth interviews with more than 36,000 respondents in 28 countries.
Posted yesterday at 10:00 a.m.
Richard Edelman summarizes this year’s findings as follows: “Distrust is now society’s default emotion, with nearly 60% of people prone to distrust”. The Edelman survey identifies attitudes towards the media and governments as the main factors contributing to this result. “The business model of the media relies on the partisan outrage of their audiences, while the political model now tends to seek to exploit that outrage. »
Amid a political climate that elicits this kind of analysis, it’s no surprise that voters in recent municipal, provincial and federal elections in Canada and elsewhere have been skeptical and disengaged.
We are fortunate to live in a democracy, but democracy is fragile when undermined by distrust of government and politics.
There’s no easy way to fix the political climate this has created, but the Jarislowsky Foundation and five universities are joining forces to help fix it. In an attempt to nudge the political spectrum in a more positive direction, we have established the first network of university chairs of its kind dedicated to studying, nurturing and promoting “trust and political leadership”.
Strengthen the democratic process
This pan-Canadian initiative is based on the roles and responsibilities of political leaders across Canada. The chairholders we appoint will develop an innovative program of teaching, research and experiential learning. They will mentor and mentor students from many disciplines and backgrounds supporting their interest in politics, public administration and the public sector at all levels of government.
Each chair will benefit from a $4 million endowment fund that will provide them with significant additional resources that they can use to support the teaching of ethics, fiduciary responsibility and democratic governance – on our campuses and beyond. Guided by a pan-Canadian advisory board of recognized experts as well as regional advisory boards, incumbents will develop certifications in confidence and political leadership that can serve as the foundation for successful and impactful careers in politics and public service.
The creation of these five new chairs aims to strengthen the democratic process. Its health depends on the education and critical thinking that these chairs will aim to develop in students. We must ensure that this process is led by inspiring men and women who are highly trustworthy and reliable and who exercise fiduciary responsibility. It is a truism that we must study history to learn from it.
We must strengthen democracy by educating our future leaders in a way that solidifies trust in our public institutions, our organizations and ourselves.
We can accomplish much more when we work together by pooling the resources of our organizations and our personal resources in pursuit of the common good. By creating this unprecedented opportunity supported by the Jarislowsky Foundation for outstanding scholars, we want to demonstrate the possibilities inherent in collaborative thinking, the judicious use of financial resources, and trust and innovation between diverse partners in the public sphere. .
In the digital age where social media makes it easy to believe that animosity will trump harmony, we can use the tools and structures we have so painstakingly built as a society to protect our democratic systems. Finding respectful debate and civil discourse is a start. Teaching the next generation of politicians to appreciate the deep responsibility inherent in political leadership will be the future.
* Stephen A. Jarislowsky is President of the Jarislowsky Foundation, a Canadian business magnate, investor and philanthropist; Christian Blanchette is rector of the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières; Leo Groarke is president of Trent University; Mike Mahon is president of the University of Lethbridge; Peter J. Ricketts is president of Acadia University; Deborah Saucier is President of Vancouver Island University