Student Ambassador: Student Vote!

#Futurevoter

I have most recently been appointed as Student Ambassador as part of Ontario’s Student Vote program and I’m working at helping to educate students in my Riding about the election and political process.

As part of my mandate, I wanted to connect with local candidates to get their feedback about young voters. 

I reached out to the candidates in my Riding of Leeds-Grenville-Thousands Islands-Rideau Lakes:

1. Margaret Andrade (NDP) 

2. Gord Brown (PC - Incumbent) 

3. Mary-Jean McFall (Liberal) 

4. Lorraine Rekmans (Green Party) 

So far, I've received responses from Ms. Rekmans, Mr. Brown and Ms. Andrade 

I've posted my questions and the candidates responses in corresponding party colours below: 

1. “How are you using your campaign to connect with young and future voters?”

"We have been actively reaching out to young voters and encouraging them to get registered.

I have an appointment to get into St. Lawrence College (Brockville) on Friday to talk to the students.  

Honestly, it took some convincing to get into the college. I was prepared to sit in the parking lot with my Green Mobile and try to talk to students as they were coming to and from the college! I was ready to go rogue & park on the street!

I think these are unusual times and that we have to reach out every chance we get to the young voters. I say that because I believe this is a definitive election. Almost half of our Riding’s population is 14 years and under. In 4 years that population will be 19. If we don’t get things right in this election, we will have failed that population. "

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"I would like to talk about what I have been doing for the past 11 years and tie it in with your question. I do have a number of young people involved in my current campaign, but it’s important to mention that over the last 11 years, I have spoken to 5 or 6 local schools a year. I will go into the schools where there are Civic programs where politicians come in and talk to the students.

I actually got interested in politics because a former MPP for Leeds Grenville named James Auld came and spoke to my class once and that got me interested in politics, so whenver I go to these classes I think – there could be a future politician here in the room! Every time a school calls me and asks me to come, I do that.

In addition to that, there is a group in Brockville called Girls Inc. of Leeds Grenville, that has a Girls in Government program (where a group of young girls go to Queen’s Park to learn about provincial government. Afterward, they came to Ottawa and I gave them a tour of Parliament Hill and brought them into my office where I introduced them to some female Cabinet Ministers: Kellie Leitch, Candice Bergen, Lisa Raitt, as well as other women who work on Parliament Hill so that I could show these young ladies that there are other opportunities in politics as well as serving as an elected official. It was important to let them see that being involved in government and politics opens all kinds of doors.  

Those are a couple of things I’ve done to get people engaged during my time in Parliament. 

I got involved when I was about 14 years old, and I am 55 now and I am still involved in politics! I served a couple of terms in Municipal Politics before I got into Parliament. So I’m always encouraging young people to get involved. "

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"Before I started this campaign, I’d never been on Twitter or Facebook. I have a 17 year old son who has become my social media director. He has taught me about Twitter and Facebook. I’ve also had the opportunity to go to St. Lawrence College. I was able to speak to a lot of students there about our platform. I’ve also been invited to go to a middle school in Front of Young to speak with the kids who are doing a mock election there. I guess because my son is in grade 12,  and my daughter is 25 years old, I’m more tuned into what are youth are interested in. Any opportunity I get,  I'm talking to their friends. I also make a point at fairs or festivals, local events to speak with the youth to find out what they are thinking, what they need to vote, what questions they need answered. It’s been a big focus for me. But mostly, it’s been through Twitter and Facebook."

2.  "What are you doing to help young, as well as future voters understand your platform, the issues, and the importance of voting?”

"I am trying to Tweet. I am using Facebook too. We are doing a lot of stuff on social media. Whenever I do a TV or radio interview, I post the link so people can watch the video or listen to the broadcast. We rely a lot on social media. We use that as a way to connect.

I also have a big sticker on my van that says “Like” me on Facebook! I try to publish short snippets about the platform & where we stand on important issues online too. " 

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"Just today we did an event where all candidates visited the Brockville Library. There were a number of young people there. It was interesting because they got to sit with all 4 candidates in our riding and hear what the platforms are about. In my case, I got to tell them what the job is all about because I am the only 1 of the 4 that knows what the job is in terms of how you use your time.
 We do have a number of young people involved in our campaign now including my 3 ½  year old and my oldest son who is almost 15 and is in grade 10. He has been out campaigning for me, and my 3.5 year old has been a real hit at the doors!"

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"We can send out all these Twitter notes about “go find out about our party”, but I really like to talk to people face to face. When I had that opportunity at St. Lawrence Collge it was really great because a lot of the youth didn’t know about the NDP healthcare platform. A lot of students there are studying to be nurses  - that gave me an opportunity to dig down into what some of our platforms are with the young people.  

If you don’t make what your party is relevant to someone, they won’t be interested in following you. Or in voting for you. You have to talk!   

My husband is a master electrian. Many kids who come in as apprentices, I talk to them. It’s a matter of speaking to people and finding out what’s important to them. Many of the youth I talked to weren’t aware of a lot of the issues that were going to impact them. That’s what I spent a lot of time doing – face to face is most of what it has been. And taking the time to not just give an answer that is a platitude, but to give them details and show them “this is what is going to impact you in 4 years time when you graduate”.   We can all have these slogans, but if the kids can’t understand that this is how it will impact your life down the road, then they wont be interested, they won’t be involved.  

Because I have kids in that age range, it’s been easier for me to communicate with a lot of the kids.  It’s actually been a lot of fun!    

3. “What do you think is the major issue/concern for young and future voters in our Riding right now – what are you hearing from youth in our riding?"

I’m hearing a lot of things. I would say – again, I’m defining youth as anyone under the age of 30. We are hearing that they are loaded with student debt, they can’t afford tuition, they are struggling to find jobs. Most graduating without employment opportunities waiting fo them. They are underemployed. They are working part time jobs with minimum wage … sometimes they are working 2 part time min wage jobs. The hope for better quality of life is eluding them every day. So I see a lot of stress. Other issue is cynicism about the electoral system. Youth are talking that politicians don’t listen to them and don’t care. What their issues are. They are checking out. They are abandoning their right to vote. A lot of that has to do with the first past the post system. It disullusions a lot of people.
 The green party cares! We keep saying we are the party of the future. WE have youth as a focus because it is an investment in the future.

Please let us know how the Green Party does in the Student Vote election!

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I think it’s the same issue for young people as it is for everyone else .. that’s jobs and the economy. I know future voters won’t be all that concerned at this point about whether or not they will have employment opportunity in our area, but I think that is the issue going forward: to have good jobs and good opportunities here in Leeds & Grenville. That’s my priority as the MP: to bring money into our area through the Federal Government, to work on infrastructure and support economic development... and hopefully that will spur private sector investment which will create those jobs!
 Those are the key things for young people – I believe, it’s the jobs and the economy.  Many young people would like to stay here – they don't necessarily want to go off elsewhere to find jobs.

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We have a company in Brockville who started the company in their garage. They just moved into an empty manufacturing plant in our riding and they have started to hire young graduates right across the country to come and live in Brockville. It’s a global company, they have now moved into a second factory. It’s doing well. That’s the kind of thing we want – innovation, research and development, high tech. There are so many things we can bring to Leeds & Grenville. I would like to see the companies spread out throughout the riding so that all of the different towns and hamlets and villages have a benefit. Those towns & villages start filling up and we can find it easier to take care of our seniors because we have a better tax base.
 
The economy is really the bottom line.  You have to give people dignity so they can have a job and take care of their families, and take care of themselves. If you don’t have that, then you have a large sense of hopelessness and apathy sets in. That’s not what we want. We are a strong country –we are known throughout the world for our innovation – our scientists. That’s where we need to get back to. I’m very passionate about this!"

"Absolutely the big thing is jobs – the economy. Unfortunately, it’s hitting every age group but most particularly, our youth. A lot of families have lost their jobs; we’ve lost 20,000 jobs in our riding. Good paying jobs. A lot of those parents are now having to work 2 or 3 part time jobs. Our seniors are having to work part time jobs just to hold it all together. That means our youth aren’t able to get that first part time job and start to get work experience, or save for their education and start planning their life. Right off the bat, everyone is suffering and it’s rolling down the hill. Unfortunately the youth are at the bottom of the hill and they are getting slammed.  

For me, a lot of it is the economy and education which is important, but also: you have that education, what will happen after? We believe that small and medium sized companies are going to turn this country around. It means going to those small and medium sized companies and inviting them to move to Leeds and Grenville so that our kids have a future to look at.

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I would like to THANK these candidates for taking the time to talk with me about this important topic. I really hope that I will have an opportunity to connect with the other candidate in my Riding to get her take on our #futurevoter campaign! 

Stay up to date on my Student Vote activities by checking out my Twitter Page @legislativpeyge

To learn more about the candidates in my Riding, visit their websites by clicking on their names below: 

1. Margaret Andrade (NDP) 

2. Gord Brown (PC - incumbent) 

3. Mary-Jean McFall (Liberal) 

4. Lorraine Rekmans (Green Party)