2024 Highlights

In a period of democratic backsliding, the work of the Samara Centre for Democracy is more urgent and relevant than ever before. In 2024 our team worked to strengthen Canada’s democratic culture through substantive publications, dynamic civic events and programs that bring a fresh take on political conversations. We’ve rounded up some of our key outputs and welcome your feedback on our work. What would you like to see more of in 2025?

2024 Highlights

• We published the fourth report from the SAMbot project which measures abusive content received by candidates in Canadian elections. A key finding in Engagement and Abuse on Toronto's Digital Campaign Trail: The 2023 Toronto Mayoral By-election Report was that a handful of X users accounted for a significant percentage of all abusive tweets, suggesting that a small number of people are exerting an outsized effect on our online political conversations.
  
  
• We published several articles about technology's impact on democracy, political engagement, and civic participation across a range of mainstream, policy, and peer-reviewed outlets. Check out our 2024 publications. 
  

• We accepted over two dozen invited speaking engagements and gave media interviews for local, national and international outlets. Of note was our CEO Sabreena Delhon’s interview with The New York Times about foreign interference in nomination contests.  
• Our chart-topping podcast, Humans of the House, earned a prestigious nomination for Best Podcast at the Radio, Television, Digital News Association Awards. The podcast also won a Silver Canadian Online Publishing Award. Teaching resources based on the show have been distributed to over 6000 high school teachers across Canada.
  
  

• Samara Centre CEO, Sabreena Delhon, received the King Charles III Coronation Medal for her contributions to Canada at a ceremony held at our office.
  
  
• We celebrated the 10th anniversary of the award-winning book Tragedy in the Commons, written by Samara Centre Co-Founders, Alison Loat and Michael MacMillan. To mark the occasion, we produced a special bonus episode of Humans of the House.

• Our CEO Sabreena Delhon testified before the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs for its review of the House of Commons Workplace Harassment and Violence Prevention Policy.
  
  
• Over 300 people joined us for our fourth annual In Defence of Democracy live event featuring Connie Walker, Pulitzer Prize and Peabody Award winning investigative journalist in conversation with CBC Radio IDEAS host Nahlah Ayed. We were honoured to receive written greetings from Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada. A recording of the event recently aired on CBC Radio’s IDEAS.
  
  
• We partnered with Elections Canada to develop videos from our MP Exit Interview project to support aspiring candidates contemplating getting on the path to politics. Check out Are You Candidate Curious?

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It’s a privilege to work on strengthening Canada’s democracy and we can’t do it without you. Please donate today to support our continued efforts to realize a vibrant culture of civic engagement.