"If I Could Vote"

Curated from responses by the youth performers of Is My Microphone On?

Young Canadians are eager to share their opinions about the future that lies ahead of them. Their lives will be shaped by the decisions the adults around them make.  

Can you hear them?

Are you listening?

In this edition of CS Grid, we invite cast members of Is My Microphone On?, all between the ages of 13 to 17, to tell us what they care about. Find out what stirs their hearts, what answers they want, and what actions they demand. 

If you could vote in the upcoming election, what would you ask of our leaders? It’s your vote.

I would like elected officials to take action and remain true to their word. So many candidates express their support for those fighting injustices in Canada but they refuse to take any real steps towards dismantling the institutions that cause these issues. I also want officials to be empathetic. I believe that the last thing we need is someone who is going to manipulate the public by exploiting our fear and anger. I would also want elected officials to consider young voices as well. The next generation of voters genuinely care about politics, they are passionate about the issues that affect them. Young people are not afraid to hold their leaders accountable and elected officials neglect to recognize the value in that. 

I would like to elect someone who is willing to grow alongside the world and the people living on it.

A real acknowledgment of issues like the lack of support for mental health in Canada, the housing crisis, and the climate emergency would be crucial for them to earn my vote.

I would ask voters to really consider people like us who can’t vote. The decisions being made by elected officials directly influence us and our ways of life and yet we have no say in them.

I want elected officials to take the mental health of today's youth more seriously (especially during the pandemic), and break down the stigma around drug overdose, because those are considered taboo in our society and they need to be addressed because people are dying and no one is doing anything about it.

I want someone who's going to provide a water plant for the Neskantaga First Nation. I want this elected official to give the necessary mental health resources to heal the trauma of residential school survivors and to provide educational opportunities for indigenous youth.

If I could vote I would consider each candidate's plans for dealing with the climate emergency, (logging, carbon taxes, holding large companies accountable for their waste, animal rights, etc.); inequalities due to systemic issues (like racism, sexism, ableism); and other integral issues including homelessness, the mental healthcare system, and covid recovery.

Please carefully consider which candidate you're going to be voting for. Do your research and think about the impact of your candidate being in office.

At the end of the day, the future of our country is in the hands of the people. Young people are not afraid to hold their leaders accountable and we’re incredibly hopeful.

Look at the big picture