With a little more than a week to go before the Quebec election, several hundred Concordia University students got a chance to hear from the candidates of six political parties on Friday evening.
“We are the people who are inheriting the issues facing the world right now; so it is important that politicians are here to engage with us and make sure that we are represented in the government,” said Sophie Hough-Martin from the Concordia Student Union.
The two-hour forum touched on subjects chosen by the diverse student body.
“One of the most important subjects that are dear to our hearts is immigration as well as an inclusive and diverse Quebec,” said Chris Kalafatidis, president of the Concordia Political Science Student Association.
“I was quite pleased on how they focused on speaking about the environment because it is a real issue for our generation who is left to deal with it,” said Concordia University student Catherine Jarry.
Traditionally, those 18 to 25 years old have a voter turnout rate of 60 per cent in Quebec.
“The student population is the hardest to reach,” said Jonathan Siefert from Vote It Up.
“We are trying to get rid of all the reasons that young people don’t vote or feel excluded,” Siefert explained.
On-campus voting, and registration, as well as debates like the one held on Friday, are tools that voting advocacy groups hope will help young voters get politically active.
Early voting is now open in the province and Election Day is Monday, Oct. 1.