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Lower voting age, engage
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Great debate
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OCTOBER 17, 2019 • VOL. 52 NO. 1 • VANCOUVER, B.C.
Schools could facilitate democratic process By CHRISTINA DOMMER
L
owering the required minimum age to vote to 16 from 18 would increase the involvement of young people in politics, according to Green Party members. The Green Party’s platform claims that a lower voting age would give “young people more say in their future and [instill] habits of civic participation.” Green Party leader Elizabeth May also introduced a bill in Parliament to lower the voting age in May 2018. The Climate Strikes on Sept. 27 this year highlighted the issue, said Louise Boutin, Green Party candidate for Vancouver Granville. “ O u r yo u n g people are saying, on the street … ‘I’m disenfranchised, I don’t feel like voting’,” said Boutin. Joan Martin, a professor in Louise Boutin child psychology GREEN PARTY CANDIDATE at the University of V ictoria, said voting could be treated as a “coming of age” ritual akin to prom. “Currently, they are taught about the [democratic] process in school, but what they are learning would be more meaningful, and more likely to turn into a life-long habit, if the course actually included voting,” Martin said in an emailed statement. However, first-year nursing student Nhan Tran doesn’t think he would have been ready to vote at 16. “When you’re 16 and 17, you’re really young, so [you’d be] a bit confused unless you know about politics,” said Tran. “I feel like it’s better if you’re 18 or 19. You’re a young adult and can make your [own] decisions.” -- With files from Lauren Gargiulo
2019 FEDERAL ELECTION SPECIAL ISSUE Yvonne Hanson, NDP candidate for Vancouver Granville, in front of her campaign office. Hanson said much of the apathy among young voters is caused by the belief that parliament is full of "old white dudes" without youths' best interests in mind. PHOTO KRISTEN HOLLIDAY
Wanted: younger MPs
NDP candidate says youth help create a healthy democracy By KRISTEN HOLLIDAY
A
n increase in young voices in parliament would create a more effective democracy, particularly when it comes to issues that fundamentally affect youth, such as climate change, according to 24-year-old Yvonne Hanson, the NDP candidate for Vancouver Granville. A Statistics Canada census indicates that youths aged 15–34 make up 26 per cent of Canada’s population, but there isn’t a single incumbent B.C. Member of Parliament under the age of 35. The average age of a B.C. MP is around 56, according to a tally conducted by The Voice. “Older generations are less likely to perform an accurate cost-benefit analysis when they look at the climate crisis,” said Hanson, an SFU graduate. “They will have to be dealing with the costs, but they won’t see the benefit. Youth will see the benefit.”
Peter Prontzos, political science per cent of people ages 18-24 vote, instructor at Langara, pointed to a 19 per cent increase from the two reasons why there are few youths previous election. in government. Hanson “In general, encourages younger people youth to step “We need young voices into the politidon’t vote as much, which cal sphere. and we need them to indicates, at “ We need least up until young voices be overwhelmingly n o w, t h e r e and we need has been less them to be loud and numerous and interest,” he o ver whelmsaid. “To run ingly loud in a diverse range of for parliament, and numercommunities.” hopefully ous and in a you do have diverse range — YVONNE HANSON, NDP CANDIDATE some expeof communirience, some ties.” education, and that takes a number Prontzos predicts that more of years.” young people will eventually step Some voters view age as a benefit. up as candidates if they engage and “There’s a certain life experience participate early on. you need with that much power,” “People will get more comfortsaid Bryan Lim, a food and nutri- able with the idea that you don’t tion student at Langara. have to be in your sixties to be a The 2015 federal election saw 57 competent politician."
NDP candidate Yvonne Hanson (right) door-knocking as part of her campaign. PHOTO KRISTEN HOLLIDAY