Youth in 2025 are becoming increasingly interested and active in politics. This trend has been amplified through various areas today, including increased engagement with information via social media and early exposure to political rallies. Most importantly, it is driven by the impact of politics on young Canadians.
This raises the question: why aren’t youth voices more sought after, given the significant impact current-day politics will have on them? When you look at youth engagement in politics and policymaking, it is easy to stereotype youth as apathetic and unresponsive; however, when you look at how governments consistently undervalue young people’s opinions and ideas, it is no wonder youth often choose to opt out of politics.
Historically, youth voter turnout between ages 18-24 has been one of the lowest demographics to actually cast a ballot. In 2019, according to Elections Canada, only fifty-four percent of young people aged 18-24 actively participated in the federal election compared to over eighty percent of people aged sixty-five or older. If you feel your voice will be simply ignored and your opinions will be written off due to your age and perceived lack of experience, it is easy to fall into a cycle of hopelessness, which breeds apathy.
To combat this, current policymakers need to make room for young people and not just use youth symbolically while consistently undermining youth’s concerns and desired pathways.
Youth voter turnout is not reflective of youth engagement; youth are out in the community hosting rallies, walkouts, and trying to present their ideas over social media. It is clear that in the current day, policymakers view youth as idealistic, inexperienced, and naive.
If you want students and youth to participate in elections at higher rates and become more politically literate, ensure that the sense of hopelessness they feel is combated by representative and utilized programs. This, in turn, would motivate students to more actively participate in political decision-making as they see both the ramifications of these decisions and also proper avenues where they can take action. This is how you make room for the future: by seeing that they are also citizens of the present and deserve equal respect.