Participation in the Canadian and ASU Constitutions
Colin Mitchell, Madison Hathaway, Samantha Nixon
SUMMARY: A constitution is incomplete without constituents who buy into its authority. This is just as true for a state as it is for a students’ union. Each of Canada’s 34 million citizens has a role to play in the functioning of its affairs, and their participation and feedback is imperative. Everything from voting for Members of Parliament to referenda to plebiscites to constitutional changes necessitates a level of active engagement amongst the electorate. Governments perpetuate themselves because constituents buy into the power structures that govern their day-to-day lives. It is the same on a much smaller scale, as the Acadia Students’ Union (ASU) is founded and built on the hard work of its students. In our podcast we explore the following questions:
What role did constituents have in bringing these constitutions to life?
How do constituents engage with power structures?
How do constituents affect how these structures adapt through time?
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