Canadian Election Act says citizens under the age of 18 cannot vote in federal elections. But A group of 13 young people from across the country is filing an application at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice challenging this Canada Elections Act. The 13 young people are range in age from 12 to 18 years old and come from all over Canada, including from Nunavut, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia. In fact, the group is arguing the section of the act and says that it does not include Canadians under the age of 18 from voting in federal elections which is unconstitutional.
Youth are the future, and they know that their choice should be taken into consideration. They considerate that young people should also have the right to weigh in on issues, like climate change for example, that affect the future of the country. To defend themselves they use sections 3 and 15 of the Charter of Rights and Freedom who both say that every citizen is equal under the law. They are encouraged by organizations such as Children First Canada, UNICEF Canada, and the Students Commission of Canada.
They have the hope of seeing their effort see the light of day like in the City of Vancouver where they officially endorsed lowering the voting age to 16 in municipal elections in British Columbia in June.
Be the first to comment