MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 09/11/13 -- In the build-up to the municipal elections that are soon to be held across Quebec, Elections Canada and the Institut du Nouveau Monde (INM) are organizing a roundtable discussion on youth voter engagement, as part of Canada's Democracy Week.
The event will be held on Monday, September 16, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., in the Auditorium of the Grande Bibliotheque, 475 De Maisonneuve Boulevard East (Berri Street entrance). The event is free of charge, but you need to register at inm.qc.ca/scd.
Youth voter engagement in Quebec and across Canada is in marked, generalized decline. While voter turnout for the 18- to 34-year-old group has always been lower than among older voters, a worrying trend has emerged since the 1980s: a consistent, significant drop in initial turnout - that is, in turnout among members of a new cohort of electors who are eligible to vote for the first time.
What is voter engagement? Is it merely turning out to vote once every four years? What are the main issues associated with youth voter engagement in Quebec and Canada as a whole? What potential problems will our society be facing if youth voter engagement does not improve? What are the best ways to increase voter engagement? Come and share your views on these societal issues that concern us all!
Five renowned speakers will be sharing their analyses: Marc Mayrand, Chief Electoral Officer of Canada; Alec Castonguay, Political Bureau Chief at L'actualite; Liza Frulla, former minister and member of Parliament; Francois Gelineau, Professor at Universite Laval; and Cathy Wong, President of the Conseil des Montrealaises.
The event will also be webcast at inm.qc.ca/scd.
Join the conversation live on Twitter using hashtag demcda.
Canada's Democracy Week (from September 16 to 23, 2013) is an Elections Canada civic education initiative inspired by the United Nations' International Day of Democracy, held every year on September 15.
Contacts:
Institut du Nouveau Monde
Annie Cardinal
514 934-5999 ext. 230
Elections Canada
Media Relations
1-877-877-9515
