Should the voting age be lowered to 16?
Who can vote and who can't?
This question has been debated nationwide during these past years. A fundamental element in the success of a democratic society is the willingness of the people to be self-governing. In today's modern society, to say that we have a government that is for, by, and of the people does not mean that each citizen is dictatorial. It does not imply that each citizen takes the law into his or her own hands, but rather that everyone has the responsibility to actively participate in society. Thus, the problem of declining voter participation is an extremely serious one indeed. People are trying to come up with various solutions for this problem but the most debatable resolution is whether the voting age be lowered from eighteen to sixteen. What would persuade the government to lower the voting age to an even lower one than the young adults age of eighteen? On the other hand how can the youth of Canada who have their individual opinions and beliefs be able to make a difference in society without having the right to vote? I strongly believe that lowering the voting age will interest youth to further participate in politics and they will have an effect on the course of their future.
In today's world, sixteen year olds are more mature and responsible than ever. Taking into consideration the amount of responsibility placed on teens, it does not seem inappropriate to include the right to vote. The population of Ontario between the ages of ten to eighteen accounts for about 14% of the province's overall population. Of this 14%, thousands already possess a vast political knowledge and have similar concerns and demands of people who actually vote. In addition to that, the youth of Canada also have problems of their own which they are unable to address substantially to the government. Teenagers are interested in matters much different compared to an employed adult. They are more concerned about class sizes, lack of job opportunities and minimum wage. It
This question has been debated nationwide during these past years. A fundamental element in the success of a democratic society is the willingness of the people to be self-governing. In today's modern society, to say that we have a government that is for, by, and of the people does not mean that each citizen is dictatorial. It does not imply that each citizen takes the law into his or her own hands, but rather that everyone has the responsibility to actively participate in society. Thus, the problem of declining voter participation is an extremely serious one indeed. People are trying to come up with various solutions for this problem but the most debatable resolution is whether the voting age be lowered from eighteen to sixteen. What would persuade the government to lower the voting age to an even lower one than the young adults age of eighteen? On the other hand how can the youth of Canada who have their individual opinions and beliefs be able to make a difference in society without having the right to vote? I strongly believe that lowering the voting age will interest youth to further participate in politics and they will have an effect on the course of their future.
In today's world, sixteen year olds are more mature and responsible than ever. Taking into consideration the amount of responsibility placed on teens, it does not seem inappropriate to include the right to vote. The population of Ontario between the ages of ten to eighteen accounts for about 14% of the province's overall population. Of this 14%, thousands already possess a vast political knowledge and have similar concerns and demands of people who actually vote. In addition to that, the youth of Canada also have problems of their own which they are unable to address substantially to the government. Teenagers are interested in matters much different compared to an employed adult. They are more concerned about class sizes, lack of job opportunities and minimum wage. It