Many political observers point to signs that indicate our democratic political system is in trouble. These include: low participation in politics, negative opinions and lack of trust in politicians and political institutions, lack of interest in politics and knowledge about the political system on the part of the public, disregard of constitutional and ethical norms by political leaders, the erosion of civil liberties, suppression and misrepresentation of information, and poor scrutiny by the media, which frequently focuses on the sensational at the cost of providing a deeper understanding and analysis of political events. Using a series of recent examples, this talk will evaluate the state of Canadian democracy and look for explanations of the malaise which can be observed, and consider what solutions are available.