The increasing demand from young people for the vote is a result of feeling that their interests and issues—such as housing affordability, a low happiness rate, high suicide rate, and opioid use among young Canadians—aren’t being reflected in policy, says Vote16 co-founder Aleksi Toiviainen.
‘I’m delighted that we’re all swept up in it because we need some positivity in Canada right now,’ says former Conservative strategist Tim Powers.
Prime Minister Mark Carney ‘has silenced the voice of youth at the cabinet table by failing to appoint a minister,’ says NDP critic Leah Gazan, noting Secretary of State for Children and Youth Anna Gainey should be pushing for more.