Canada Considers Lowering Voting Age to 16

Canada's voting age may be lowered to 16, as the UK has done, following the U.K.'s decision to allow 16-year-olds to vote in the next general election. Some are questioning whether Canada should follow suit. CBC's Darren Major discusses the potential implications of lowering the voting age.

In a move that could influence Canadian politics, the United Kingdom has announced it will lower the voting age from 18 to 16 in time for its next general election. This decision has sparked a debate in Canada about whether to follow suit and lower the voting age to 16.

The U.K.'s decision to lower the voting age is part of a broader effort to strengthen British democracy and restore trust in politics [1]. The move is seen as encouraging by advocates in Canada who have long pushed for similar changes. Jaden Braves, CEO of Young Politicians of Canada, told CBC News, "It's a step that should have been done a long time ago." He added that it's "infantilizing" that young Canadians don't have a say on issues that matter to them [1].

Advocates argue that lowering the voting age would boost voter turnout and encourage young Canadians to engage in politics earlier. However, detractors have suggested that there are other avenues for teens to get involved in politics and that lowering the threshold would have little impact on overall turnout [1].

Previous efforts to lower the voting age in Canada have largely been unsuccessful. In 2021, a group of youth advocates launched a legal challenge to lower the voting age, arguing that the current rule violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms [1]. The case is still making its way through the courts, but the U.K.'s move has given the advocates hope that Canada may follow suit.

Senator Marilou McPhedran, who has been advocating for the change, welcomed the U.K.'s decision and said Canada should be the next country to lower the voting age. She believes that expanding the right to vote to 16- and 17-year-olds would revitalize Canadian democracy and strengthen its civic fabric [2].

Some private members' bills have been introduced in both houses of Parliament to lower the voting age, but none have so far been successful. McPhedran's most recent bill was introduced at the end of May and is her top parliamentary priority. She is confident that when young voices are directly heard by senators, skeptics will turn around [2].

The U.K.'s decision to lower the voting age may influence Canada, but it may not come as quickly as in 1970 when Canada lowered its voting age to 18 after the U.K. did the same [1]. Valere Gaspard, a research fellow at Western University, noted that more political parties and young people's engagement would be needed for the change to happen.

In conclusion, the U.K.'s decision to lower the voting age has reignited the debate in Canada about whether to follow suit. While advocates argue that it would boost voter turnout and encourage political engagement, detractors have raised concerns about the impact on overall turnout and the availability of other avenues for teen involvement in politics. The outcome of this debate remains to be seen, but the U.K.'s move has certainly sparked a renewed interest in the issue.

References:
[1] https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/voting-age-uk-canada-1.7587845
[2] https://globalnews.ca/news/11299904/canada-should-lower-voting-age-senator/