Can't it be both?

Well yes, it can be both. But overlords are a)universally corrupt b) they are always a minority. The overlords have their way only because the majority allow it. You will see these dynamics even in tiny groups where the minority loud/obnoxious individuals rise to power.

Focusing on the overlords is almost always a distraction on the underlying issue - that of the the electorate being too stupid, or ignorant to realize that they are being taken advantage of.

Blaming an entire countries population specifically, that elects representatives on a first past the post system, strikes me as a bit divorced from reality. Canadians do not live in a direct democracy, they don't explicitly vote on every policy, and they get to have less than a single bit of informational influence on their government every 4 years. There's blame to go around, for sure. But pegging it entirely on the citizenry is just not realistic.

>There's blame to go around, for sure.

Who is to blame? (not a rhetorical question)

Blaming politicians/system get really old, doesn't it?