A number is never just a number -- Democracy

The Hennessy Index is a monthly listing of numbers, written by the CCPA's Trish Hennessy, about Canada and its place in the world.

April 2011: Democracy

• 1918

The year women secured the right to vote in Canada. 1944 France. 2005 Kuwait. (Source here and here)  

• 1947

The year Chinese Canadians secured the right to vote. (Source) 

• 1960

The year non-enfranchised Aboriginal peoples in Canada secured the right to vote. (Source) 

• 73.1

Percentage of Canadians who voted in 1867 federal election: year of confederation. (Source) 

• Two parties

Choice in 1867 federal election: Conservatives 50 per cent. Liberals 49 per cent. (Source) 

• 74.2

Percentage of Canadians who voted in 1935 federal election: mid-Great Depression. (Source) 

• 75.3

Percentage of Canadians who voted in 1945 federal election: end of Second World War. (Source) 

• 79.4

Percentage of Canadians who voted in 1958 federal election: John Diefenbaker's Conservative government secured one of largest majorities in Canadian history. (Source here and here)

• 75.7

Percentage of Canadians who voted in 1968 federal election: Trudeaumania. (Source)

• 75.3

Percentage of Canadians who voted in1988 federal election: free trade. (Source here and here).

• Five Parties

Choice in the 2008 federal election: Conservative, Liberals, NDP, Bloc, Greens. (Source)

• 58.8

Percentage of Canadians who voted in the 2008 federal election. Historical low. (Source)

The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternative's Trish Hennessy has long been a fan of Harper Magazine's one-page list of eye-popping statistics, Harper's Index. Instead of wishing for a Canadian version to magically appear, she's created her own index -- a monthly listing of numbers about Canada and its place in the world. Hennessy's Index -- A number is never just a number -- comes out on the first of each month in rabble.ca.