Senator Marilou McPhedran's calls for Canada to follow the United Kingdom's lead in lowering the voting age to 16 has garnered national attention and become a topic of discussion for many since the idea was floated earlier this week.
Discover Moose Jaw News reached out to our local Member of Parliament, Mr. Fraser Tolmie, to weigh in on the topic. He shared his thoughts on the matter in the following official statement:
“I believe that Canada has the best electoral system in the world. I see no reason to change the fundamentals of how elections are conducted in this country, including changing minimum voting age requirements. In fact, very recently in 2022 I voted against a bill seeking to lower the voting age to 16, Bill C-210, which was voted against decisively by MPs.
“Young people under the age of 18 can become politically engaged in numerous ways, including becoming a member of a federal political party or volunteering for a local campaign. It is very important to engage young people in our democratic process. We saw in the last election that more young people rallied behind the Conservative Party than ever before, fueled by concerns over the rising cost of housing, inflation driving up the cost of everyday essentials, skyrocketing youth unemployment, and more.
“That said, 18 is a logical voting age that corresponds with several other legal minimum age requirements, like military service. Canadian courts have found the voting age of 18 as constitutional and reasonable, notably in Fitzgerald v. Alberta, and I see no reason to overturn that legal and political consensus.
“Deciding who will represent you in Parliament at a local level and subsequently deciding which party will represent all Canadians in government, is a critically important decision and a great responsibility. I support maintaining a minimum voting age of 18.”