Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP Taylor Bachrach tabled a bill this week that no other member has been able to move forward in decades.
On December 13th, just days before the House broke for the Christmas break Bachrach introduced Bill C-210, The Right to Vote at 16 Act, which, if passed, would permit Canadians 16 years of age to vote in Federal and Provincial elections.
Bachrach said if students are engaged in politics at an early age they are more likely to vote consistently later in life.
“The decisions our country faces today have tremendous bearing on young people,” Bachrach said.
“With the ongoing global pandemic, worsening climate change and growing economic inequality, young people’s future is at stake. They deserve to be at the table and this bill will put them there.”
Bill C-210 builds on a long history of NDP initiatives that push for young people to improve voter turnout, which include former private member’s bills tabled by NDP MP Don Davies and former NDP MP Bev Desjarlais. However, those bills failed to become law.
Although the bill is still in the early stages Bachrach is confident it will come up for debate in the spring session and he hopes to build support for it across all parties over the next few months.
“This isn’t about one party or another, it’s about an idea whose time has arrived,” Bachrach said.
“I’m hopeful we can come together as Parliamentarians, strengthen Canadian democracy and give young people a say by passing this bill.”
Listen to the full interview below.