Democratic Illusion: Deliberative Democracy in Canadian Public Policy

The theory of deliberative democracy promotes the creation of systems of governance in which citizens actively exchange ideas, engage in debate, and create laws that are responsive to their interests and aspirations. While deliberative processes are being adopted in an increasing number of cases, decision-making power remains mostly in the hands of traditional elites.

In Democratic Illusion, Genevieve Fuji Johnson examines four representative examples: participatory budgeting in the Toronto ...