The Canadian system of government originated largely from the British model, with diverse voting rights, political parties, and accountable government such as a constitutional monarchy. In the beginning there was a conservative approach to government and politics, although democracy was clearly lacking. Fast forward to modern Canada, where the right to vote has been opened to all citizens regardless of race, gender and sex, but society often lacks a true picture of democracy. This article will argue that Canada is a democracy, even if it is often compromised in practice by exploring its parameters and problematic elements. Democracy in practice is a hybrid system that combines elements of democratizing reform with antidemocratic ideals (Nurse 02/17/2014 ) by our standards today, as it was not operational at the time of confederation (Nurse 03/03/2014). It is a franchise of limited expansion, since political power is exercised by the parties. These parties, if in power and in good faith, can make decisions based on the opinion of the people they represent or they can take matters into their own hands and make decisions based on general party policies. Political leaders may therefore engage in a patronage system in which people are charged with doing favors for those who appoint them. If done correctly, it is a means of channeling local and regional opinions into central government (Nurse 01/13/2014). Some scholars identify democracy as the highest form of socially responsible government, in which “citizens participate in the process of creating laws and policies and freely agree to conform to them and share in the moral consequences” (Shoughi 3), yet can argue that a large percentage of citizens are not engaged and as a result have a negative impact on this “pe...... middle of the paper...... Canadians should have, as outlined in the Bill of Rights, these principles are still often questioned in practice. While a sense of public antipathy toward democracy is common in the media, its goals through public policy often do not reflect personal or group desires outside of those who implemented them. Canada is a democracy and yet it can be argued that it is compromised in terms of democracy. practice. This essay has illustrated a select number of problematic parameters and elements of democracy, in an attempt to address the reality that large portions of the country's citizens often question their democracy. Even the simple act of not voting or maintaining basic knowledge of political events tests the nation's long-term visibility. How can good democratic practice take place if the number of participants continues to decrease with each passing year??