Voters-in-Training program reaps dividends: 2,000 ballots cast in simulated elections

Most of the students who voted did so following activities through which they were familiarized with campaign issues and learned about the dynamics of democracy that prevail in a federal election.

“The simulated balloting was an expression of the young people’s priorities and preferences regarding which political parties they would liked to have had as their government,” say sources at Forum jeunesse de Laval.

In the end, if it had been up to the young people who voted, the Bloc Québécois would have formed the government, although only by the very slim margin of 9 votes over the Green Party, no less.

Once the votes were counted, say the figures released by the Forum Jeunesse de Laval, the Bloc Québécois was shown to have obtained 21% of the ballots, with the Green Party of Canada 20.6%, the Liberal Party of Canada coming up with just a few votes less at 19.2%, the Conservative party of Canada at 16%, followed closely by the New Democratic Party of Canada with 15%. The NeoRhinoceros Party managed to attract 6.5% of the vote with some of their ‘politically creative’ policies such as making Laval a part of Cuba, because the weather is always better there. The Marxist-Leninist Party also drew some support with 1% of the vote, while independents were favoured by about 8 young people out of the 2,000 (0.4%).

In the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board, two schools on Laval island were reported to have participated in the Voters-in-Training project, one officially – Laval Junior High School, the other – Phoenix Alternative High School, in an unofficial capacity through an election project conceived and designed by history teacher Jerry Cohen.

At both these schools, several candidates (although not all candidates who were invited showed up) took the time during the campaign to visit with the students who engaged them in lively debate and discussion concerning a variety of issues.

“Although we didn’t officially participate in the Voters-in-Training project, we undertook a full exploration of the democratic process in a series of informative and illuminating activities which drew phenomenal interest from the young people at Phoenix High School,” explained Mr. Cohen, who added that the unofficial voting among his students produced an overwhelming majority (about 75%) for the New Democratic Party.

The first initiative involved an information campaign directly linked to the democratic implications of the federal election. This initiative also attempted to encourage eligible students to actually vote on election day. The second measure involved a conference and panel discussion at which various candidates were given the opportunity to inform students about their priorities and to pronounce themselves on the issues of the economy, the role of government, the environment, youth, and justice. In turn, students took the opportunity to question candidates on major current issues such as culture, environment, and youth legislation.