Pork-barrelling politicians may love parliamentary procedures but it’s no nirvana for today’s youth
By Lauren Macgillivray
The average 18-year-old has about as much chance of relating to a wrinkled, old prime minister as oil does to water. But give them time, and they’ll learn to understand each other, right? Maybe not.
Canadian culture has changed a lot in the past couple of generations. The entertainment industry has now engulfed much of our country’s youth.
Sucking at brains, it slurps up thoughts that could be used elsewhere. Then it burps out minds with a craving for the quick and colourful.
Born into this realm is a new breed of voters — young people who grab much of their political news from late-night talk shows.
For them, an episode of question period hardly compares to talk-show host David Letterman’s quick jabs and put-downs.
According to Elections Canada, the overall voter turnout for the last election in 1997 was approximately 67 per cent — the lowest since 1925. Not all of these non-voters are young people, but a substantial portion of them are.
That doesn’t mean all youth are frivolous or trivial. But today’s young people, meaning those aged approximately 18 to 25, are infected with the need for speed. It pulses through their very bloodstreams. So politicians need new tactics to harvest this latest crop of voters.
“A lot of young people just don’t feel that any party leaders are speaking to them, so they opt out of the system,” says Adam Daifallah, 21-year-old youth organizer for the Canadian Alliance.
More emphasis on problems such as the “brain drain” would help, says Daifallah.
“The more issues that affect them, the more they’ll vote.”
Such issues may inspire young voters. But Matt Fleming, spokesperson for the Ontario Young Liberals, says most politicians still haven’t figured out how to talk to young people. Stunts like stuffing Stockwell Day into a skin-tight wetsuit won’t solve the age gap.
“It certainly draws attention, but it’s doubtful whether this kind of thing appeals to young people,” says Fleming, 24. “Jean Chrétien has a scooter, but that’s not going to influence younger voters.”
Fleming, who admits his political interest makes him somewhat of an “oddball” among his friends, says political leaders need to ignite the smoldering interests of the young.
Since the 1997 election, only about 40 per cent of Canadians who’ve turned 18 are on the National Registrar of Electors — a.k.a. “the list” — according to Elections Canada data. That’s a small number compared to the 90 per cent of overall Canadians who are signed up.
The situation is so bad that Elections Canada now sends out letters to invite those who aren’t yet registered to get on the list. Hal Doran, spokesperson for Elections Canada, says 18- to 25-year-olds are least likely to respond to these letters.
“We have some idea why younger people don’t respond,” says Doran. “It’s a question of lifestyle. They’re especially busy with school. A lot of them don’t give voting much importance because they’ve never done it before.”
Doran adds that three years ago, voters were registered by door-to-door enumeration. Now voters must take conscious action, by responding to the letters. This election, about 20 million Canadians will head to the polls to choose the next leader of this country. Let’s hope a hefty chunk will be young voters.