Evidence for Democracy begins awareness campaign
By Adnews Staff
Ottawa-based non-profit organization Evidence for Democracy has begun an awareness campaign called “Evidence Matters.” The month-long effort is intended to raise awareness of the “important role that evidence plays in a democracy.” The campaign focuses on two resources intended to assist individuals to effectively use evidence to inform their decisions and to hold individuals and organizations accountable for the claims they make. The first is “A Guide to Understanding Evidence,” which provides information about how to think critically about everyday claims such as social media ads or political statements. The second, “A Guide to Asking for Evidence,” provides information about seeking evidence from sources such as organizations, journalists and elected representatives.
The organization will also host virtual events this month featuring experts from Let's Talk Science, CIVIX Canada, the Global Commission on Evidence, the Samara Centre for Democracy, Science Up First and various journalists. The campaign will conclude with an event called “Evidence Day” on March 29, which will featuring a presentation by Canada's Chief Science Advisor, Mona Nemer. The campaign is taking place online at <http://www.evidencematterstome.ca>.
“We're excited to share our ‘Evidence Matters’ campaign with Canadians,” said Caitlin Fowler, a senior research associate at Evidence for Democracy. “We hope this campaign sparks nation-wide discussions and fosters a more informed and engaged public, one that demands evidence and accountability from those in positions of influence and power.”