The British Columbia Federation of Students (BCFS) and the Alberta Student Executive Council recently launched Influence the Vote, a new campaign aimed at providing students the incentive and information to make an informed vote in the upcoming federal election, taking place on September 20.
BCFS chairperson Melissa Chirino says the BCFS is taking a non-partisan stance on the election and is encouraging those who are running to reach out to students and share their platforms.
“We’re trying to reach out to folks that are running to post their platform and share [it] with students, so students can go and read and just inform themselves and make their decision on who they want to vote for,” she says.
Chirino says the two reasons young people—who make up one of the largest group of voters in Canada—might not vote are not having enough information to make the decision and that they might think that their vote doesn’t matter.
“Yes, your vote does matter,” says Chirino. “When you sign up for the campaign, you get general information. That’s kind of how we’re combatting those two barriers to voting.”
Camosun College Student Society (CCSS) external executive Puneet Kaur says the CCSS has been expecting for a few weeks that the election would be called.
“It has pros and cons. It’s a short period. It’s good for one [of the] government [parties]. It’s mixed emotions at the moment,” she says.
Kaur says two big issues the government is dealing with now are COVID-19 and climate change. The government can focus on issues relating to expenses and employment for students after COVID gets more under control, she says.
“The federal election is something which is one of the major concerns each political student union focuses on,” says Kaur. “This is why we are here as a student union.”
Chirino says the BCFS knows students care about issues facing them, such as the increasing costs of education and living, climate change, and racism and discrimination, both systemically and day to day on campus.
“On our part, we are just trying to get parties to submit what they will be working on related to students, or what students care about, and we’re putting these out so students are able to make an informed decision,” says Chirino.
Kaur says one of the main ways the CCSS will get the word out is at Camfest, the welcome-back event for students happening the first week back at school.
“Each vote will make a difference,” says Kaur. “This is a democratic country… Everyone should be responsible citizens and voting is our first duty towards a democratic country.”
Chirino says voting is important, and that it is a privilege.
“Really use your voice at the polls,” she says. “Your vote does matter.”
Students can go to influencethe.vote for more information on the campaign.
Camosun students are all members of the BCFS, paying $2.40 per month per student to be in the provincial organization.