I spent nine wonderful years at the University of Guelph in the 1980s meandering my way towards a four-year degree. The student newspaper there was one of the things that distracted me from my studies and thank heavens it did because I'm sure that experience, more than the history degree I earned, got me my first job as a reporter.
Guelph in my day was a real “leftie” school. (Is it still? In the 80s, Guelph and Trent were the real radicals at CFS conferences while Queen's, Toronto, and Western were the buttoned-down establishment types) U of Guelph was so left that we had two communist clubs on campus — the Marxist-Leninists (the M-Ls) and the Maoists. (Or was it Trotskyites? I can' t remember. Too many nights here.) In any event: People talked a lot about politics. Which is a good thing when you're young. One guy who was at Guelph while I was there is now in the House of Commons. The woman I ran against for student government president back in the 80s (and who trounced me cuz she was a much better candidate) is now on Toronto City Council. And I'm pretty sure Guelph's current mayor and I were students at about the same time.
So now we're into a federal election. And the whole country should be talking about politics.
But you know what? Too many young people not only don't want to talk about politics, they don't want to even vote.
Back at the U of Goo, some students have put together this video (left) to do something about that. They want to get out the vote.
I largely approve of this video. Always great to see Johnston Green and U of Goo energy. But I got one tiny beef with the vid: The link to the CBC Compass poll. Our reporters have questioned the tool's abilities and so have those who hang out at rabble.ca. But even if the tool worked fine you should toss things like that in the dustbin. If you need a software tool to tell you where you are on the political spectrum, then our democracy is in big trouble.
Politics is about people. You need to feel it. Smell it. If you're a 20-year-old at college, you need to stay up late in all-nite coffee shops and argue about it. Have your world challenged by people who grew up somewhere where you didn't. Then go see your grandmother and ask her what's up. Write up what you've learned. Be honest with yourself about what you don't know. Then tell your friends what you do, in fact, know. Don't be a bully. But be confident. Then volunteer. Read more. Challenge the media. Challenge politicians. Challenge your professors. Then you go and vote.
Cool video.
Note: The music for this video is “Dog Days Are Over” from the album Lungs by Florence and the Machine. Here's the iTunes link if you want to buy the single.
David,
Huge thanks for the shout out! My name is Gracen. I'm the girl in the opening shot and a co-organizer of this event.
I just wanted to offer a justification for our inclusion of the Vote Compass tool (as I am aware of some confusion over results, although mine were spot on).
Minutes before I got on the phone with my friend to organize this, I was sitting (up late) at my kitchen table with some other students, talking politics. One of them admitted that she had never voted because she can't keep up with politics and would be afraid to misplace her vote. I suggested she try the Vote Compass and immediately, her hesitation to even think about the election disappeared.
The more I spoke to students, the more I realized that they were not apathetic, they just: a) didn't like any of the options and would rather abstain; or b) were so sensitive to the importance of voting that they feared they would mess it up.
I know the Vote Compass isn't perfect, but if it gives youth the confidence to vote, I support it. In all likelihood, the tool does more to engage youth in democracy than our little video does because they begin to ask themselves those important questions about the Canada they want.
Thanks again for your post and all the best!
Gracen
P.S. Believe me, we've got more to come. You'll love Guelph again next week.
As a late 20-something I've voted in every election I have been eligible for, I've worked 2 and again, I find myself caught up in this one.
However, I understand this isn't the case for everyone in “Gen Y” and I, ideologically, do not understand why someone wouldn't vote.
That being said, closely following this election and the last, there is almost NOTHING in any of the political parties campaigns to engage ANYONE in this generation [bar medical students & high school students]. So if you're 20-30 something, without kids, finished or finishing univ/college, what is there for them? Who is speaking for/to them?
Hi Gracen — Thanks for dropping by. If Vote Compass gets another young person to vote, I'll grudgingly concede a point in its favour. That said: I worry that a voter, young or old, upon being told by a piece of software that s/he is a Green voter or a Tory, then shuts down the part of the brain that forces you to learn about yourself and the kind of government you want by talking to the those who would govern us.
Good luck with version 2. Go Gryphs Go 🙂
“… what is there for them? Who is speaking for/to them?”
Respectfully … shouldn't there be more consideration than merely “what's in it for me?” Some policies being presented may not affect you or me directly, but they will ultimately affect our country, won't they?
Anyway, I commend you for remaining engaged.
My pleasure – there are worse places to hang out 😉
All very good points. I share a similar fear. At the end of the day though, I can only trust that people will love this country enough to want to take part in the parenting, if you will.
Having had an enduring interest in governance, I often forget how thick the curtain is for people who are looking in for the first time. I've had many rewarding conversations with people post-Vote Compass in which they admitted how hard it was to complete because they have never considered, for example, whether child care payments should be given to parents or facilities. If nothing else, I'm just jazzed to be hearing these conversations all over campus. Finally! I overheard a student on the phone yesterday, talking about her results and saying she had to look up the NDP party to “make sure.” Hallelujah!
As an update/hint: currently plotting *Monday's* shenanigans. Our participants have almost tripled and the excitement is tangible.
Have a great weekend!
Absolutely Gabby, and it is a part of the reason why I vote -regardless of the election campaign's “promises” that will or will not concern me.
However, at a younger age people are known to need to RELATE to things to be engaged. I don't want to short-change anyone here, so if it's not “what's in it for me;” how about that they don't see a way to get involved or relate? I feel no one has explained to some of the younger voters: why vote, how it affects the Canadian people as a whole, and how important it is to exercise the right to vote. Even if it is not a proposed bill or promise in a campaign -can this audience not be addressed? It's almost xenophobia by way of exclusion.
Look at what Obama did.
He involved the youth, he didn't promise them the world. It was enough to ask them directly, to stand and be counted.