Canadaâs Former Prime Minister Kim Campbell has seen democracy from all three levels of government in which she has served. Itâs cranky and messy and can be nasty. But having seen the alternative (as a Soviet specialist in the early Î70s,) sheâs quick to chose the state of flux. The alternative -- other people making decisions for you -- may be orderly, she says. But itâs bleak.

      As the first woman to lead a North American government (in 1993,) The Right Honorable Ms. Campbell is known as a champion of womenâs rights, but is far from doctrinaire. To the extent that gender may provide valuable new approaches to doing things, she wants to have a look. But her deeper interest in gender is in dispelling stereotypes. She wants women and men to share the stage, with no one elbowed off. Ms. Campbell looks toward the day when women heads of state are no longer a curiosity. Until then, she works with organizations like the Council of Women World Leaders at Harvard, eager for women to be judged on their own merits.

      Being neighbor to the worldâs remaining superpower has its advantages -- Canada and America are each otherâs largest trading partners. And disadvantages -- Canada is often invisible to America. Thatâs too bad, because Canada does democracy quite differently from the U.S. (as do other democratic nations). That could offer viable alternatives from which we can all learn. Having led one of the worldâs oldest democracies, T.R.H. Ms. Campbell assures us that the work of people learning how to govern themselves is never finished.

      This is no idle philosophizing on Ms. Campbellâs part. Canada, like America, has significant cleavages which regularly lead Canadians to reconsider what kind of country they want to be. But Canada is not a country formed in revolution and they had no civil war -- family fights which she thinks foster America's myths as a way to get over the pain of divisions. Canadaâs younger, with a smaller population. And it was formed with 2 major cultural and linguistic groups, the rights of the French-Canadians protected by the British Crown all the way back in 1774. Those cultures have both evolved, along with Canadaâs more fluid (as compared to the U.S.), English-style Constitution, to which a written Bill of Rights was added only in 1980. Ms. Campbell speaks fondly of Canadiansâ deeply held feelings about their country and a notable sense of unity she contrasts to very real regional differences she has experienced in the U.S.

      Canada and the U.S. are two very different countries, she reminds us, both committed to a democratic ideal. The cost of that democracy? ÊTRH Kim Campbell says: we all have to stay engaged. When we press one thing down, another will pop up. But, sheâs convinced, that's the cost of being free. It may be annoying for those of us who are lazy, she admits, but she urges we think of it this way: it's a lot better than having somebody else do all the work for you.

Conversation 1

Former Prime Minister Kim Campbell tells Paula Gordon and Bill Russell how very different Canada is from (and often invisible to) the United States. TRH Ms. Campbell explains the many implications of Canada and America being each otherâs largest trading partner and describes some of the challenges of being neighbor to a superpower.

Conversation 2

The Former Prime Minister describes ways in which Canada and America see things differently, impressed by the overall orderliness of the relationship. She quotes John Kennedy, then compares Canadian/U.S. longevity to that of modern European states. She expands on the ramifications of Canada having not been formed in revolution, of having a small population and two major cultural/linguistic groups. She describes historyâs impact on present-day Canada, noting cleavages and successes living with them.

Conversation 3

TRH Ms. Campbell describes the government of Canadaâs commitment to French as a living language in North America. She notes the effect of regularly reviewing Canadiansâ different outlooks, describing Canadiansâ strong attachment to Canada and their shared values. She contrasts that to Americaâs considerable regional variations. Ms. Campbell jokes about the larger worldâs perception of Canadians as unarmed Americans with health insurance, then describes the challenges of governing Canadians. ÊShe uses health care as an example of Canadiansâ commitment to egalitarianism. She describes gun control issues in a country with no ãfrontier mentality.ä

Conversation 4

Citing her own experience as Prime Minister, TRH Ms. Campbell reflects on perceptions of womenâs styles of leadership. She recalls how she looked for common ground with people across a broad spectrum of issues and positions. She contrasts Canadaâs (parliamentary) form of government to Americaâs. She links ãrespectä to the importance of remembering that politics affects real people. Using examples from her experience as Cabinet Minister for the Justice Department, she considers the strengths of the parliamentary system. She compares her service at all 3 levels of government. Certain that crankiness accompanies democracy, Ms. Campbell recalls her path to public service.

Conversation 5

TRHÊMs. Campbell describes the Council of Women World Leaders, which she leads, providing examples from around the world of non-stereotypical women. She talks about gender in a larger context, where femininity and competence are often placed at loggerheads with each other. She considers how reflecting womenâs perspectives is a question of democracy and points to ways women differ from each other. She wonders what, in fact, the overall impact of more women in government might be, noting menâs contributions to truth, beauty and goodness. She talks about where gender issues do seem to matter, starting with the importance of educating women.

Conversation 6

TRHÊMs. Campbell considers what America might learn from Canada, starting with the role of financial barriers to entry into Americanâs political system. She describes how France and Scotland are working to bring women into their political processes. Ms. Campbell speaks to the need for institutions to be more inclusive, suggesting what America might learn from the experiences of other countries working to be more democratic. She explains why Canadians can approach democracy as a ãwork in progress,ä reminding us of every democracy's need for eternal vigilance.

Acknowledgements