Nearly half of candidates who ran for Parliament in the last federal election would lower the voting age to 16, according to Elections Canada.
A survey of candidates who ran in the 2019 federal election found 7% of elected MPs were “dissatisfied” with democracy in Canada, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. None of the legislators were named.
However, The Survey Of Candidates Of The 43rd General Election found 50% of respondents said they were satisfied with the way democracy works in Canada.
“The two most frequently cited reasons for dissatisfaction include the lack of proportional representation, and that the first-past-the-post system does not reflect voters’ preference,” the survey by Ekos Research Associates said.
“Just less than half the candidates, 46%, agreed the voting age in the federal election should be lowered from 18 to 16.”
Elections Canada paid the pollster $59,244 for the study which was based on responses to questionnaires issued to 1,172 candidates.
Parliament last changed the voting age — from 21 to 18 — in 1970.
According to the survey, candidates under 35 were most likely to favour giving high schoolers the vote.
Advocates of a lower voting age include former gov.-gen. Adrienne Clarkson, who cited a speech last Sept. 23 by teen climate activist Greta Thunberg.
“Thunberg is right in her direct attack on our world robbing her future!” Clarkson tweeted.
“Her anger is justified and I cheer her. If we lowered the voting age to 16, she and her cohort could create policy and not just suffer from it!”
The latest Elections Canada research showed 10% of candidates had low levels of trust in the accuracy of election results.
Copyright Postmedia Network Inc., 2020
