Should 16-year-olds be allowed to vote in Canadian elections?

Is it time to let people as young as 16 vote in federal elections?

The Vote16 Summit is being held on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday as part of a renewed push to try and lower Canada’s voting age.

There have been several attempts over the years to make a change and the head of the group Young Politicians of Canada says the time is now.

“We cannot wait until young people become Canada’s next leaders, to begin implementing the visions and choices made that will impact our generations,” says 15-year-old Jaden Braves. “I’m worried that young Canadians are not heard and our voices have been left behind.”

The group advocates for more youth inclusion in politics by engaging young Canadians between the ages of 14 and 24 years of age. They also argue young people need to have a say in the decisions that will impact the country moving forward.

“The status quo does not give us space to share our beliefs and change policy,” says group member Spencer Lambert.

Sen. Marilou McPhedran has a bill before the senate that may come to a second reading vote in the coming weeks. If passed it would send the legislation to committee for further study and possible amendments. If it is approved in a third reading vote in the upper chamber, it would also have to be approved in the House of Commons before becoming law.  

“Only good things happen to democracy in every country where there has been a lowering of the federal voting age,” she says. “What we’re talking about is an infusion of energy and vitality into our democracy.”

Other countries where the voting age has been lowered to 16 include, Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Cuba, Ecuador and Nicaragua.

In Canada, the voting age for federal elections was 21, until 1970, when it was lowered to 18.

The NDP, Greens and some Liberals MPs have shown support for lowering it to 16, the government and Conservatives have shot down previous efforts.

NDP MP Charlie Angus says he hopes the bill passes the upper chamber and lands in the House of Commons before next year’s election. He also scoffs at arguments that teenagers aren’t mature enough to cast ballots.

“I’ve been in many high schools where I’ve heard many more intelligent conversations,” he says.

If the change happens it would add two million more names to Canada’s voter list.