Opinion: When misunderstanding in BC breeds conspiracy theories

Opinion: When confusion and misunderstanding in BC breeds conspiracy theories

BC Greens leader Sonia Furstenau. (BC Greens)

Written for Daily Hive Urbanized by Sonia Furstenau, who is the party leader of the BC Greens and running for MLA in Victoria-Beacon Hill.

In recent years, we’ve seen the harmful spread of conspiracy theories — from climate denial to vaccine skepticism.

These beliefs don’t arise in isolation; they reflect deeper issues like public mistrust, alienation, and a lack of understanding about how complex systems operate.

As we work towards a healthier democracy in British Columbia, our 2024 BC Greens platform focuses on empowering British Columbians through transparency, education, and inclusive governance. These principles are essential to building a society where people are equipped to engage with facts, not fall prey to misinformation and disinformation.

Democracy doesn’t just mean voting every four years; it’s citizens feeling connected and empowered within their communities every day.

You might also like:

Without that connection, people can become vulnerable to simplistic, conspiratorial narratives. It’s time to strengthen democracy in BC so that everyone feels engaged, informed, and able to participate meaningfully in decisions that shape their future.

Strengthening civic education and digital literacy

Our platform emphasizes the importance of accessible education, not just for students but for all British Columbians.

We advocate for stronger civic education programs in BC schools to teach young people how democracy works and how public decisions are made. A healthy democracy requires people who understand both the value of their participation and how to evaluate the information they encounter.

As part of our 2024 platform, the BC Greens are calling for an expanded curriculum on critical thinking and media literacy in K-12 education.

In a world driven by social media, it’s too easy for misinformation to spread unchecked. Teaching students how to verify sources and spot misinformation equips them to make thoughtful decisions and engage constructively in public discourse.

We also need to offer digital literacy training for adults. The pace of technological change has left many people vulnerable to manipulation by online disinformation and misinformation. We propose funding community-based workshops and public campaigns to help British Columbians navigate the online world more effectively.

If we are serious about countering the rise of conspiracy theories, we must empower everyone — not just students — with the tools to discern fact from fiction.

Transparent governance builds trust

At the core of our platform is the belief that transparency and accountability are non- negotiable in a functioning democracy. People lose faith in institutions when they feel left in the dark.

The BC Greens will reform government processes to make them more open, ensuring that the public has access to key information and the reasoning behind decisions.

For example, we are advocating for the removal of fees for Freedom of Information Act (FOI) requests, and for a government that proactively releases information — including Ministerial calendars, so we know who they’re meeting with and on what topics.

When governments operate openly, public trust grows.

A government that is seen to be reliable, responsive, and open with its decision-making strengthens democracy and makes it harder for disinformation to take root.

A more inclusive democracy

Many people turn to conspiracy theories because they feel excluded from decision-making processes.

When people are disconnected from power, it becomes easy to believe that governments are driven by hidden agendas. We must change this dynamic by making democracy more inclusive and participatory.

The BC Greens will implement a Standing Citizens’ Assembly to ensure ongoing public participation in major policy discussions and decision-making. The Assembly will convene every two years, with topics selected by the Legislative Assembly, focusing on pressing issues such as climate, housing, and public health.

The BC Greens are advocating for a more democratic and inclusive process that distributes power more evenly, ensuring that communities are not passive recipients of top-down policies, but active participants in shaping the decisions that affect them.

Additionally, we are advocating for reforms to the electoral system. Our platform calls for lowering the voting age to 16 and proportional representation, which ensures that every vote counts and reflects the diversity of political opinion across the province.

When people feel their vote matters, they are more likely to engage constructively with the democratic process rather than turning to divisive or conspiratorial thinking.

A path forward for British Columbia

The rise of conspiracy theories and disinformation reflects the fact that our democracy needs strengthening.

When people feel excluded, disconnected, or misinformed, they become more susceptible to simplistic, misleading narratives. But we have the tools to fight back. Education, transparency, and meaningful participation can counter the conditions that allow disinformation to thrive.

Our 2024 platform offers a path forward, one rooted in trust, transparency, and citizen engagement.

Together, we can replace fear and mistrust with knowledge, cooperation, and resilience. A more inclusive, transparent, and effective democracy will make sure that British Columbians are equipped to navigate disinformation and misinformation, and address the challenges we face, from the climate crisis to economic inequality.

The time to Vote Green is now. Together, we can build a resilient democracy that works for everyone and move beyond the divisiveness of disinformation, misinformation, and conspiracy thinking toward a brighter, more inclusive future for BC.

You might also like: