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It may take more than a sense of civic duty to get young people out to the polls for the upcoming federal election.
According to Elections Canada, 47 per cent of voters between ages 18 and 24 cast their ballot in the 2021 election, a seven percentage point decline from the 54 per cent turnout in 2019.
When it comes to the federal election around the corner, not everyone is anticipating another drop in youth turnout — some youth engagement and democracy experts and advocates anticipate an increase in young voters compared to previous elections. However, some say young people are disenchanted in party politics and that parties ought to include their concerns to mobilize the generation.
Amanda Munday, executive director of New Majority, an advocacy group working to increase youth voter engagement across Canada, said the organization’s engagement strategies have reached around 200,000 young people across the country in this election. One thing Munday said she noticed this election cycle is young people’s increased level of awareness.
“We know from previous elections that more than 50 per cent of the young people we talk to often don’t realize an election is happening at all,” Munday told Canada’s National Observer. “For this election, it’s 70 to 80 per cent who do know an election is happening.
“There isn’t apathy and an unwillingness to vote. There’s a strong willingness to take action on the issues (young people) care about and make sure they do vote.”
Jon Pammett, a retired professor at Carleton University whose research previously contributed to voter turnout reports for Elections Canada, said he expects young people are more likely to vote this time around because of “issues important to them.”
Those issues may not be that different from what brings out older voters.
“I don’t think the issues for young people in this election are any different from issues related to the population in general,” Pammett said, citing finding jobs, housing affordability and the trade war with the United States as the biggest issues.
According to an online survey from market research company Leger, 64 per cent of survey respondents between ages 18 and 34 said “definitely yes” and 23 per cent said “probably yes” when asked if they were planning to vote in the election. Just four per cent said, definitively, that they would not vote.
“If we don’t vote for somebody that will prioritize our voices, put us at the forefront and consider young people in their platforms, we’re not standing for much. - Jaden Braves
University of Ottawa professor Joel Westheimer, who studies democracy and education, said that while it isn’t the case across the board, some young people are “disenchanted with party politics.”
“There is a sense of dysfunctional government that can’t get things done,” Westheimer said. He gave as an example governments around the world being “ineffective” at addressing climate change, an issue he says is important to young people.
“Young people have witnessed that their whole lives, and so they’re alienated from that kind of politics and more attracted to other kinds of political engagement.”
Westheimer added that young people are less likely to belong to a specific political party, but more likely to engage in protests and other forms of political action.
Jaden Braves, founder and CEO of non-profit group Young Politicians of Canada, said an openness to listening to young people could help to engage younger generations.
“If parties can look at or even say aloud that they want to engage young voices and they want young people to be motivated to vote for them, that already says a lot,” he said. “It’s difficult to get young voters out for a particular issue, but I think the least anyone can do is put something adjacent to the concerns young people are affected by on their platform and see if that mobilizes people.”
Braves listed cost of living and post-secondary tuition as some of the biggest concerns.
“Youth in Canada are the future of all decisions,” Braves said. “If we don’t vote for somebody that will prioritize our voices, put us at the forefront and consider young people in their platforms, we’re not standing for much.
“We have to show up and ensure we’re electing an individual, or a party, or a group of individuals who have our best interest at heart.”
Comments
Quote: “We know from previous elections that more than 50 per cent of the young people we talk to often don’t realize an election is happening at all,”
From my own personal experience with the young voters in the family, they ignore the media and mainstream TV. You will find them focused on social media and streaming services. When asked did you read about XYZ or have you been following the election, you get blank looks. The only response you get is they don't listen to the news or media. If you ask if they are going to vote, they answer they can't be bothered. Pretty sad generation with their heads buried in the sand. It's their future at stake as well and they don't seem to care.
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Some years ago -- I don't recall if it was about 15 or 25; likely 10-15 - the organization that represents Ontario Colleges had an advertising blitz that, literally, told potential student recruits that "it's all about me".
What sort of message is that for these time when we actually need to come together and think about what is good for "us" and, by extension, the planet. That comment applies equally to the observations in this piece that inferred that what matters in an election to people more broadly is self-interest.
For example:
"There’s a strong willingness to take action on the issues (young people) care about and make sure they do vote."
On the other hand:
"Those issues may not be that different from what brings out older voters."
In the NY Times, today, there is an article telling us how American private equity is scooping up residential properties in Spain, jacking up rents and increasing evictions after becoming the largest landlord in Madrid. The same thing is happening in Canada.
So, are you interested in the housing crisis, it’s causes and how it can be made extinct?
Start reading, while engaging critical thinking skills.
cont...
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If a (young) person is interested in current economic trends, including how those trends affect housing affordability, I'll recommend a book. It's not a small book but it is written for a general audience and is very informative vis-a-vis current economic thought. It was written by NY Times global economics reporter, Peter Goodman.
If it might draw you in, note that it is a polemic against "The Man".
"Davos Man: How the Billionaires Devoured the World".
https://search.brave.com/search?q=%22davos+man%22++%22peter+s+goodman%2…
It is excellent and offers very useful information on how the current Western Economic Dictums are affecting the present -- such as the global housing crisis: the private equity firm buying up Madrid is a central character in "Davos Man" -- and will affect the future. It will (hopefully) raise questions in your mind about the beliefs of the current Canadian party leaders and what they believe makes good economic and social policy. It will raise questions as to what your RRSP is invested in; is maximum return the only goal? It will raise questions about the World Economic Forum, quite apart from (though not without vague connections to) currently circulating conspiracy theories (which serve primarily to immediately cast a shadow on any WEF critique).
A complementary book, much thinner and easier to consume (the audiobook is just 4 hours in length), is George Monbiot/ Peter Hutchison’s work, “The Invisible Doctrine: The Secret History of Neoliberalism.”
https://www.theguardian.com/books/article/2024/may/29/the-invisible-doc…
If you are not aware of what "neoliberalism" is, please read at least this book.
If young people are very concerned about the cost of housing, one avenue for them -- and everyone -- to follow is to be very vocal about implementing effective regulation on ownership of rental residential property so that no landlord owns more than a very small portion of the market and thus has no undue sway, and they are clear and effective rules that ensure tenants live without fear in affordable and properly maintained residences.
Young people, and everyone else, ought to inform themselves about the issues so that they can effectively discuss them and form arguments supporting their point-of-view. Even 50 years ago, I didn't learn how to do that in high school. Is it still rare for a young person to really inform themselves about what's going on in the world? I know I didn’t really start until my mid to late twenties.
I'll add a PS.
I'm curious why the article's author sought opinion from "youngpoliticians.org"?
A quick look at the website led me to roll my eyes.
NATO; the Council of Europe; UNICEF; the UN: all listed as "community partners".
Because of course they are.
"We've established strong ties with organizations such as NATO, the White House, and Friends of Public Media, creating pathways for Canadian youth to access influential circles and participate in meaningful global exchanges."
https://www.youngpoliticians.org/about/our-involvement
I don't believe, for a moment, that this organization has any meaningful association with either NATO or the White House.
Also, who is paying for the upcoming Summit 2025 at the end of May. Apparently, it is free to attend.
https://www.youngpoliticians.org/get-involved/summit-2025
It wouldn't hurt to ask for a list of donors who fund, more broadly, any activities this group undertakes. If you please.