After a 15-hour flight with Air Canada, I finally get off the plane and walk through the Paris Charles de Gaulle airport to the railway that will take me into the city, carrying my heavy luggage behind me. I go by several newsstands. A stern-faced François Hollande stares out at me from the cover of many magazines.
The sight of politicians’ headshots and catchy titles awakens in me feelings of surprise, interest and satisfaction, which combine to make me want to dive into the news again, at least while I’m in Paris. These two weeks in France will allow me to catch up on politics, because here they are a part of daily life and difficult to avoid. By contrast, since I’ve been living in Vancouver, it’s been difficult for me to follow international news in any depth. Here in Vancouver, national daily newspapers are few, and international and domestic political coverage is limited. Of course, the information exists, but it is difficult to find enlightening articles or programs able to stimulate reflection and nourish informed opinion.
My experience here has also shown me that Vancouverites are not open to political debates; I would even say that they want to avoid such topics altogether. Unfortunately, it seems that a lot of Canadians don’t have any political beliefs at all. Politics don’t interest them much and they are too polite to admit when they have a different opinion on a subject.
In fact, in his November editorial, John Burns, Vancouver Magazine’s editor in chief, raised the alarm about Vancouverites’ lack of interest in the upcoming 2013 provincial elections. Indeed, with a turnout of only 55 per cent of registered voters in 2009, the voter participation rate in British Columbia was one the weakest ever recorded in the province. This is a phenomenon that affects the rest of Canada as well. In France, on the other hand, the voter participation rate in presidential elections has maintained an average of 80 per cent of registered voters since 1958, according to the International Institute For Democracy and Electoral Assistance.
But beyond voter participation rates, it seems to me that French people just like to talk politics more. They have a drive for debating. A good dinner in a restaurant with friends often ends up in a political debate, sometimes heated, helped along by a few bottles of wine. People like to discuss their president, ministers, social laws, the government’s role and education’s influence on the country. There are no limits on topics to be examined and, to my mind, very few taboos among French people. Facebook is often an outlet for political discussions, which can be spirited. French people are surrounded by politics, whether they like it or not. It’s in the air. Have a walk through the dark alleys of Paris and you will see that even the graffiti is political.
French President Francois Hollande | Photo by Francois Hollande
After all, the French population rose against its king and beheaded him in 1789. This event, which undoubtedly changed the course of history, forged our nature and we have kept a semblance of revolutionary spirit in our culture. People will always have the power to change everything. French people think, talk, debate and protest. As a matter of fact, they are well known abroad for availing themselves of their right to strike on a regular basis.
On a positive note, Vancouverites’ political interest seems to be growing, thanks to the incredible passion they have for environmental protection. They understand that their exemplary pro-environmental actions are often achieved through political movements and choices. In other words, Vancouverites recognize that we need to know about the mechanisms of politics in order to bring about the maximum positive impact on the environment.
Translated by Anne-Sophie Loks
