FEATURES opfeatures@gmail.com Examining the Campaign for Your Ballot The different approaches to combat Canadian youth voter apathy By Michael-Olivier Harding, The Link (Concordia University) MONTREAL (CUP)—Whether the thought that Stephen Harper now stands for Canada in the eyes of the interna- tional community brings on a seizure, or you rejoice at the fact, all can breathe a sigh of relief that overall voter turnout was up a few percentage points from last time around—65 percent last Monday compared to 60.9 per- cent on June 28, 2004). : While the campaign issues may have concerned more people this year, youth indifference still plagues the politi- cal landscape. The percentage of young Canadians aged 18-24 who visited their polling stations rose from 25 per- cent in 2000 to 38 percent in 2004, but those numbers are anemic when compared to overall voter turnout. To try to make up for this gap, a number of organizations have been trying to rouse interest in the political process among youth voters—so this youth voter rates their suc- cess. Belette Vibrante was here You might be puzzled by my nomination of MusiquePlus to this category, but their one-hour special “Vote Plus” was by far the most effective media product I saw trying to counter voter apathy amongst the youth. The program marks a clear departure from the channel’s more inconsequential fare without force-feeding political rhetoric down the throats of its Lindsay Lohan and Trois Accords-loving crowd. According to MusiquePlus reporter and VJ Rebecca Makonnen, the station has a history of making politicians accessible to youth. On the now-defunct show “Politiquement Direct,” former Parti Québécois leader, Jacques Parizeau, famously declared that his Boy Scout name was “belette vibrante,”’ or vibrating weasel! The two hosts of “Vote Plus,” which aired repeatedly during the days preceding the election, opted for a very informal, direct approach in their interviews to. connect young adults to the people and the issues. With its catchy slogan “Pete pas ta coche, coche!”—no translation could do justice to the play on words, but think of it as “don’t lose it, just check the ballot!”—Makonnen, and fellow reporter Nicolas Tittley, sought out party leaders, MPs, Quebec artists, and youth voters to paint a portrait of the current political landscape. “We were shooting to be as objective and informative as possible, while being neither boring nor patronizing,” says Tittley. The colourful responses from BQ leader Gilles Duceppe, hip-hop group Loco Locass, and Liberal cabi- net minister Liza Frulla demonstrates their awareness of the show’s intended audience. The result is a smart and refreshing assessment of the range of viewpoints cur- rently expressed in Quebec society. The interviews, con- ducted in locations as disparate as cars, bars, sidewalks, offices, malls, and universities, focus on sponsorship scan- dal, gay marriage, urban violence, Quebec’s status, and the refusal to vote. The electorate has never looked so good Another organization that can take at least partial credit for the recent increase in the youth vote is Apathy is Boring, which “aims to use art, media, and technology to revolutionize democracy.” It all began in January 2004, when a group of artistically inclined friends felt that the campaigns to encourage young people to vote were too one-dimensional. Recognizing the cynicism that a lot of young people have, they decided to approach the issues from another perspective. “Campaigns that are all about glamour, celebrities, and these very surface ideas of what democracy is aren’t very effective, nor are in-depth discussions of foreign policy with kids already very interested in the political process,” says Ilona Dougherty, co-founder of the Montreal-based group. Between elections, the group works on documen- taries, television shows, and radio spots about the impor- 4 tance of voting, as well as their new website, www.youthfriendly.com. Beyond media outreach, the organiza- tion holds “civic duty” concerts in which members of Parliament go to places where youth are (a.k.a. the bar) and produces a clothing line mixing fashion with political - messages, such as a t-shirt featuring'the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Dougherty is quick to dismiss the myth that youths have always been less engaged in the voting process. “If you start voting at 18, you'll continue voting throughout your life. If you don’t opt in to the system, however, sta- tistically you’re not ever going to vote. So what we're see- ing is very much a generational thing, where people who are now in their 80s saw it as their patriotic duty to vote.” Needless to say, patriotism doesn’t resonate like it used to with the young’uns. For Musique Plus, the politics and artists formula has fruitful appeal. “Hip hop, for one, has always been very topical, and a lot of it came out of social and political frustration,” says Tittley. “Punk also addressed many issues, so music can always have a very . positive influence on youth.” Some parties more compatible with youth than others Injecting new life into the idea of voting and politics remains a challenge most political parties are ill-equipped for. Dougherty alludes to the inaccessibility of party web- sites, the lack of interest in visiting places where young people tend to congregate and negative campaigns as fac- tors that turn off and alienate a lot of young people. Nevertheless, MusiquePlus’ Makonnen points out that Gilles Duceppe and Jack Layton were the first to jump onto the “Vote Plus” bandwagon both in 2004 and this time around. “They definitely know who they’te speaking to,” she argues, “especially a guy like Jack Layton who is aware of the importance of youth in the establishment of his sup- port base.” But we're still a far cry from what voter participation used to be amongst the youth. It may have to do with the overload of information thrown our way, a lack of educa- tion, or even a general cynicism towards political candi- dates and the empty promises that we’ve come to expect. The continual challenge faced by outreach organiza- * tions and media outlets targeting youth is to inform the new voters on party platforms and the importance of engaging in civil society. Letting them know, for instance, that every vote is worth roughly $1.75 in the pockets of the party they’ve supported is reason enough for many to drag their apathetic behinds off the couch and into the voting booth. But let’s not fail to acknowledge what has rendered the new generation of voters so indifferent: there’s only so much screaming we can do until we lose our voices. Youth discontent with the FTAA, climate change, media convergence, and Montreal’s gentrification must be backed with equal resolve to hold our leaders accountable. The democratic system is in place for us to take part in it, so giving up on our elected MPs shouldn’t be an option. As Quebec humourist, Patrick Groulx, so rightly pro- claimed, “the act of voting is what gives you the right to criticize after the fact.” Visit the Apathy is Boring website to find out more about their year-round outreach projects at www.apathyisboring.com.