Civic or Civil? What Kind of Citizens Are We?

Originally published in TEACH Magazine, 75 Years of the Canadian Citizenship Act Special Issue, 2022

By Carolyn Gruske

Especially in an election year, it is easy to understand voting as an act of citizenship. Similarly, applying for a passport—a document proclaiming that the bearer belongs to one country while travelling to foreign nations—is another.

What’s more difficult to comprehend, however, is how wearing a mask during a pandemic could be seen as a way to express citizenship, as could staging a protest or organizing a community childcare program. It all depends on how narrow a definition of citizenship one is willing to apply.

Carolyn Gruske

Carolyn Gruske is an award-winning reporter and magazine editor. She often writes about the intersection of business, technology, and the law, but she also has a deep interest in educational topics.