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e-600 (Electoral system)

E-petition
Initiated by François Girard from Ottawa, Ontario

Original language of petition: French

Petition to the Government of Canada

Whereas:
  • The best guarantee of future voter turnout is past voter turnout;
  • Youth at age 16 go to school, where they can take civics courses, discuss elections in a facilitated environment and learn how to make an informed choice;
  • A voting age of 16 would give youth a voice, restore a certain degree of balance and encourage politicians and political parties to take their concerns into account; and
  • The voting age is already 16 in other parts of the world, including Austria, Nicaragua, Brazil, Argentina and Ecuador.
We, the undersigned, Fédération de la jeunesse canadienne-française, call upon the Government of Canada to:
1. Amend section 3 of the Canada Elections Act, which sets the minimum age to qualify as an elector at 18, to make 16 the minimum age to qualify as an elector; and
2. Increase the Government of Canada’s collaboration with its provincial and territorial partners to implement measures to enhance civics education among secondary students in order to facilitate their first federal voting experience.
Government response tabled on December 7, 2017 (Sessional Paper No. 8545-421-11-23)
Open for signature
October 11, 2016, at 12:34 p.m. (EDT)
Closed for signature
February 8, 2017, at 12:34 p.m. (EDT)
Presented to the House of Commons
Dan Vandal (Saint Boniface—Saint Vital)
October 31, 2017 (Petition No. 421-01767)
Government response tabled
December 7, 2017
Photo - Dan Vandal
Saint Boniface—Saint Vital
Liberal Caucus
Manitoba