Effective citizens - engaged, knowledgeable, and persistent, and united in common cause - are the most powerful force that ever was, or ever will be. I hope this book will help citizens to be more effective. In his uniquely straightforward and accessible style, Political insider Graham Steele pulls back the curtain on our political system and gives readers a look inside. A lawyer, analyst, former Nova Scotia cabinet minister, and author of the memoir What I Learned About Politics, Steele answers the burning questions of Canadians: Who really runs the parties? What does a backbencher do? How does a citizen effectively navigate the system, and achieve change through a politician? What is "truthiness?" A primer for anyone who wants to become a politician or influence one, The Effective Citizen explains how politicians think and what factors influence that thinking, how to interpret the "non-answer" in political speech, and acknowledges that in politics, bland is safe.