80% 70% 60%
Overall Turnout
50%
Est. Youth Turnout
40% 30% 1975
1985
1995
2005
THE CONTEXT Canadian youth are not opting into the democratic process. In the 2011 Federal Election only 38.8% of Canadians aged 18-24 voted, continuing a long-term downward trend. Voting – or not voting – is a habit. If we don’t address this issue, in a generation we will have a country where the majority of citizens don’t vote. Meanwhile, millions of young Canadians aren’t volunteering, and 45% say it’s because no one asked them to. With the looming retirement of the baby boomers, young people will not be there to meet our country’s increasing need for volunteers unless we change the way we are engaging them in our communities. Young Canadians deserve to be a part of the democratic process and we need them to be active citizens. An engaged citizenry is key to the strength of our democracy. If we don’t engage young people now, we are setting ourselves up for the dangerous reality of a fragile democracy and a disengaged generation.