A group of Canadian children and youth are trying to make history, hoping for the possibility that they and their peers may be able to cast a ballot in the next federal election.
The 13 youth range in age from 12 to 18 years old and come from all across the nation, including several from Nova Scotia and as far away as Nunavut.
The group have filed an application at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to challenge the voting age in Canada. They’re arguing that the Canada Elections Act, which hinders citizens under the age of 18 from voting in federal elections, is in violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which states that every Canadian has the right to vote.
Seventeen-year-old Diego Christiensen-Barker is from Campbell River, B.C., and is one of the litigants in the group. He got involved in politics several years ago with the BC Youth Council and Vote16 BC.
“It feels like a Canadian and a democratic thing to do,” he said. “Because as it stands now, there are a lot of people in this country and they don’t have the right to vote even though it is not restricted by the constitution. And in fighting to ensure they do get a voice feels like upholding Canadian values to me.”
The group was connected through Children First Canada, a national charitable organization that serves as a voice for children and youth in the country.
The court challenge is being supported by the Justice For Children and Youth and other child- and youth-focused groups, including UNICEF.
Emily Chan, part of the legal counsel, believes it is important for youth to have their voices heard.
“I think the mass climate change protests across the world is one example of how well connected the young people are on various issues,” she said.
Barker says youth should have a vote in elections because issues that are raised federally affect him and his peers, such as the growing concerns surrounding climate change.
“I don’t know what the world will look like by the time I am reaching the end of my life. I think with increasing climate change pressure, I think that could also increase the chance of large wars happening. I think there are a lot of devastating effects that can happen that do scare me, and the fact that I don’t even know if I can have children because of the state of the world,” he said.
In 2007, Austria lowered its voting age to 16. Since then, studies have shown that adolescent voters have higher turnout rates compared with the 18-to-21 cohort.
“This is because before you’re 18, you’re generally in a more stable environment at home, you’re working a part-time job. But then when you turn 18, maybe you’re working full-time. Maybe you’re going to university and working full-time,” said Barker.
During the 2021 federal election, 800,000 votes were cast in schools all across the country as a mock vote election, getting children engaged in the election process. Votes were cast in every riding in the nation.
Barker says he understands how some may feel apprehensive at the prospect of allowing youth to vote. Some have argued that most of the youth vote would be voting left. However, the voting in the mock election was very diverse.
“It shows that across the board it’s fairly even that the NDP, the Liberals and the Conservatives all got about 24 to 28 per cent of the popular vote. I think it’s interesting in how the voting was,” said Barker.
Other countries that have lowered their voting age to 16 include Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Germany, Scotland and Wales.
Chan says numerous documents still need to be filed before the actual court date will be set.
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