Elections are an important aspect of democracy.
However, young people know that regardless of the promises made during this campaign, it is the work that we do before and after an election that most significantly influences decisions made by the federal government.
When federal elections come around, most youth have already been engaged in the democratic process in some way. Many young people vote regularly in provincial, municipal or students' union elections, and others actively encourage others to cast ballots. We also work year-round to support or oppose new legislation, laws or budgets that are considered by various governing bodies.
In fact, youth are most engaged in the democratic process not when we vote, but when we engage in the necessary work of building awareness for issues such as affordable education, well-funded public services and social justice.
There is a proud history of student activism in Canada on issues such as tuition fees, equity, poverty, sustainability and more. Petitions, mass protests, online email campaigns and other tactics mark many young peoples’ lives between elections. May 2 is merely a punctuation point in a long paragraph of fighting for a more fair and equitable country.
Students and youth must assert themselves to be an important voice in Canadian politics. Through the Canadian Federation of Students and its predecessor organizations, students democratically decide the priorities of the student movement, and have done so since the 1920s. We develop and resource our political work through this national democratic framework, build leadership and capacity for the next generation and advance and execute our campaigns nationally and provincially.
Through these resources, we have ensured that policies exist that are relevant to us: a national system of needs-based grants, increased funding for post-secondary education and a tuition fee freeze or reduction in all ten provinces in the past 10 years.
Many people have identified a lack of discussion on issues that matter to young people during this campaign. While it’s true that our issues have been sorely missing in much of the debate, it is our responsibility to continue to fight for those issues that we care about, year-round.
Whether it is fighting to improve education or health care, or for climate justice or migrant workers’ rights, engaging in the democratic process does not end for young Canadians on May 2.
Roxanne Dubois, 27, is the Treasurer and Chairperson-Elect of the Canadian Federation of Students. She completed her BA in Communication at the University of Ottawa where she served two terms as the Vice-President Finance at her students’ union, the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa, and worked as a journalist for the student paper, La Rotonde. Prior to working in the student movement, she was active as a youth organiser for the Federation of Francophone Youth and the World Social Forum. Dubois is part of the Toronto Star’s Youth Nation 2011 Panel.