Are 'Faulty' Elections Better Than the Status Quo in Burma?

The people of Burma will go to the polls for the first time in 20 years on November 7. Skepticism abounds as the so-called ‘faulty’ elections get underway, but could this event see a new political dynamic emerge? This is a key question explored by author Bruce Matthews in the latest Canada Asia Agenda published by the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. In his piece ‘A Nation at Cross-Roads: Myanmar’s 2010 National Election,’ Professor Bruce Matthews of Acadia University takes an insightful look into the complex forces at play as Burma heads into its elections. As the international community is obliged to come to terms with a ‘new’ government, he argues that the opportunity may be ripe for Canada to reconsider alternatives in its engagement with this Southeast Asian nation. The full report can be viewed here.