Private Member's Bill To Allow 16 Year Olds To Have The Vote.

Largely setting aside some obvious counter-arguments to the more offensive assertions here (eg to quote: "Granted, not all sixteen year olds are killers and lawbreakers but..."--no kidding. Just substitute a word and you can see how poorly it holds up: "Granted, not all adults are killers and lawbreakers but...") , let's talk about whether 16 years olds have the maturity/knowledge to vote instead.

Personally, I think it makes a good deal of sense to allow teenagers to vote while still in school and actually learning about the political system. Having run in a federal election, I can tell you that the percentage of adults who have a firm grasp of the difference between provincial and federal politics, or even provincial and municipal politics, is low (if I had a loonie for every time someone asked me something like "Are you running for mayor?" or "Who's the Prime Minister now?" or "What other parties are you running against?" I'd be rich). And that's probably part of the reason for low voter turnout.

If 16 year olds could vote, not only would their newly gleaned knowledge be fresh in their minds, not only would they have the support of a teacher and textbooks to help them with any questions, it would drive the lessons home and make them real and practical, meaning that they would be more likely to carry that knowledge into adulthood. I think it's possible that if we got people involved at a younger age it's more likely voting and civics would become something they'd do longer and later in life. And because they would have the knowledge fresh in their minds, and because in my experience the majority of adults have such a low political IQ, I'm willing to bet that there are many (not all, but many) 16 year olds who would make just as measured and reasoned decisions as their adult counterparts; and make better decisions in some cases.

Also, most polls indicate that our younger Canadians tend to be more progressive on issues like gay marriage, missile defence, defence, etc. Perhaps if younger people could vote, we would have a better chance of fighting the Americanization of our policies and harmonization with the U.S. (ie a rightward swing in our politics). Younger people aren't generally going to be part of or approve of that old boys' club that runs the country, remember, and that could be just what we need to sap some of its power.


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Now call it extreme if you like, but I propose we hit it hard, and we hit it fast, with a major, and I mean major, leaflet campaign.--Rimmer, Red Dwarf

They'd only vote if they could use text messaging, and if, as they say on the Can-American Idol shows, they could "vote early and often". Just choosing from a list of "least worst" candidates is enough to drive a person to drink, which is why the voting age should coincide with the legal drinking age.

I speak at schools and 16 year olds are on average much more informed of current events and actions of our government than 60% of those over 35. Many work and pay taxes at that age - they certainly spend money - they know what taxes are, and through a decent education understand what they are for/or at least what they are suppossed to be for anyways.

Lower it to 16 - see more progressive vs regressive parties get votes.

Worth noting that here in my ridding when they did a mock election in all highschools. Every single school voted over 80% for the NDP. They voted after listening to all three candidates speak. Liberal - Conservative - NDP

Result of the actual election? NDP won by close to 2000 votes.

Kevin

I'd also like to throw in my support for such a move. If nothing else perhaps it will make the parents and grandparents of these 'kids' actually converse about the electoral process. Is it only coincidence that the voting age is also typically the age where young people are entering the 'beer and propaganda' culture of university, which seems designed to tune them out of politics completely? I concur with the poster above, I've only run municipally but even if this remark came back to haunt me I'd have to say that politically speaking canadians are retarded. Much like the states there is a minority who are vocal enough and involved enough to ensure the 'status quo' stays that way. Our federal system stays the way it is because half the people are content enough with their lifestyle to want things to stay the same, and half are upset at the way government runs its business but are usually split on how to change it. Like the states there is usually only a small minority of undecided-last election was an anomoly since nobody had heard of Harper or Layton and few people knew what to make of Martin as PM.

I'd also like to point out that, depending on the crime, virtually no 16 year old is tried as a juvenile (as in the case of murder which is very very rare). It depends more on case precedent and prior offenses. Even if one took the loony point about criminality seriously, those in prisons have the right to vote anyway, which sort of negates that whole argument.

That is the hardest thing about direct democracy, just waking people up. 16 year olds could make ideal constituents in that regard as they're less brainwashed.

During the Ontario provincial student election, Ontario went Liberal, and even Marilyn Churley's Toronto-Danforth NDP stronghold went Liberal by a bit--perhaps due to lack of knowledge/information on the part of the voters, perhaps some other reason. However, Ontario's PC's lead by Ernie Eeves got ZERO SEATS!