Young voters share their thoughts on the federal election
April 28, 2025, 11:12 am
Nicole Taylor
Issues such as the cost of living are top of mind for young voters and first-time voters in the local area. We spoke to several young voters to get their input on what is important to them as they head to the polls.
Hunter Tripp, 18
Hunter Tripp is a Grade 12 student at McNaughton High School who works at Hebert Grain Ventures and is voting for the first time in this federal election.
Do you plan to vote in the upcoming election, and why?
Yes, I do. I am trying to be part of something nation wide. It’s important because it is such a big change for the country, and voting determines how our whole entire system is run. I want to have the opportunity to say that I voted and I contributed. Since I am 18 now, voting has been something that I have already thought about. Being able to vote is a big deal, and now that I am finally able to do that, it feels pretty cool.
Why do you think young people should vote?
I think young people should vote so they feel they have the choice to help decide who will lead our country. Voting is important for young people so they are not excluded from that decision.
How do you find out about candidates running for election?
I get most of my information from my family. I watched the provincial election, and I watch the news sometimes. I’ll see it on my phone every once in a while, but I get most of my political knowledge from my family.
Do you talk about politics with your friends or peers?
Sometimes. The people I go to school with can be interested in politics, but at the same time, I don’t think they’re completely into it. There is probably about 15 students in our grade that are of age that can vote. I was talking to one of my friends that is a first-time voter and he was saying that he was eager to vote.
What issues do you think matter most to young voters?
I think the issues that would matter most to me are the rising costs of food and housing. Housing is a really big problem currently. I was looking at some places for rent, and it is just insane for prices, even in Moosomin. Rental prices are so high that it makes it hard for younger people to have their own home.
I think in the US when they have an election, they do a way better job of appealing to young voters by utilizing social media, like TikTok to make videos. I haven’t really seen the Canadian candidates do much of that. They all have their respective social media accounts, but they’re not on there to appeal as much to the younger voters. I would say the more politicians use social media, the more that they’ll appeal to the young audience. Without that social media presence, there are not many younger people that are going to be wanting to vote. I think the older generations see most political information on the news, but a lot of younger people do not see that as often. The news is not something that is as watched by younger people compared to older generations. We see everything on social media.
How do you feel about the way the politicians address the younger generations?
I don’t think they recognize they have so many younger voters that are coming in. 2007 had so many people born in that year. There is going to be a lot of people that are starting to vote, because 2007 was the biggest baby boom since the 1960s, and I just don’ think they are addressing the younger people the way they should be.
Would you ever be interested in being involved with politics beyond voting?
I would definitely consider politics at another level, like getting on town council. My grandpa was on town council in Wawota, and he really liked it. His brother was mayor in Maryfield for a bit, and I think it would be interesting. It would be nice to have my voice heard and my opinions on the table. It is probably something I could look at in the future.
How do you think young people could make their voices heard in politics?
Getting more involved in the community and volunteering could really make your voice heard and it is really good for younger people to have that experience. It’s really your own decision if you want to vote or not. If you don’t choose to vote that is your opinion. All Canadian citizens should have the opportunity to vote. If they don’t choose to vote, they can think whatever they want. They can think the government is not doing a good job, but I don’t think they should be able to voice that concern to other people. If I voted for someone, and they got into office and they weren’t doing what they said they promised and not following their word, then yes I would complain about it. But If somebody didn’t vote for anybody, and they complain anyway, I don’t think you should be able to verbally express that. If you didn’t put your opinion down on that ballot, I don’t think you really get a choice.
How do you see your future being impacted by this election?
Whoever gets into office will be in charge for the next four years, really anything could change. One decision can change so much these next few years.
Ainsley Raeburn-McCorriston, 19
Ainsley is a former McNaughton High graduate, who is currently attending welding school at Saskatchewan Polytechnic. She works part time at McCorriston Acres just outside of Moosomin.
Do you plan to vote in the upcoming election and why?
Yes, I already did. I voted because we need a change. Many Canadians are not happy with the current government and what they have done during their term . And if we don’t vote who is going to lead the country? Voting is important to maintain our democracy and prevent those with higher authority from taking control.
Why do you think young people should vote?
Younger people have different opinions and different struggles than older generations, we can bring new perspectives and ideas.
How do you find out about candidates running for election?
I usually find out who is running for election from TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. Sometimes I hear about it on TV, or I hear family and friends of the family talking about it.
Do you talk about politics with your friends or peers?
Yes I’ve talked to them, to me it seems most young people don’t have a strong political opinion and I think we need to change that. Usually my friends don’t show a whole lot of interest, but I think that has changed a bit this election, and there will be a better voter turnout.
What issues do you think matter most to young voters?
I think what matters most to young voters is being able to afford a house and having taxes lowered, the cost of living is too much for young people to be able to save.
Do you think politicians do a good job adressing younger voters during the campaign?
I think they really try to utilize social media to reach younger voters. Sometimes I’ll see an interesting video clip on social media of the candidate, where I agree with whatever argument they make, and it makes them more likeable.
How do you feel about the way the politicians address the younger generations?
I think it’s smart to utilize social media to communicate with the younger people, but if a politician shows up on your feed doesn’t mean they are right. Just because they are on your For You Page, doesn’t mean they are for you.
Would you ever be interested in being involved with politics beyond voting?
Right now the government is so terrible, and that makes me motivated to help change things.
How do you think young people could make their voices heard in politics?
They could put in more effort and time, volunteering where they vote, helping with campaigns, protesting and standing up for what you believe is right.
How do you see your future being impacted by this election?
It will impact me by helping me be able to buy a house in the future, I think it will be a big impact, because if things don’t change, taxes will just increase and before you know, no body will be able to afford food, housing, a vehicle, etc.
Brady Rhodes, 19
Brady Rhodes works on a drilling rig for Ensign Drilling and farms with his dad southwest of Hargrave, Manitoba.
Do you plan to vote in the upcoming election and why?
Yes I am voting because I think it’s important for our province and country to have strong leaders. As a young farmer, who has been farming alongside my dad, you can just see how things over the last several years under the leadership of the Liberals really affects farming and the economy, so it’s definitely time for a change.
Why do you think young people should vote?
It’s our younger generation that is going to have to adapt, so I think it’s important to have a say when choosing the next leader.
For the older generations it might not matter quite as much because they are slowly getting out of it. For us young people, we need to vote for what is best for our future families and our kids because it affects their lives too. It’s important to choose the strongest leader for our futures.
How do you find out about candidates running for election?
I find out through social media, or local town newspapers. Our local newspaper always sends out a lot of information during voting time. Lots of people read that, so word gets around pretty quick.
Do you talk about politics with your friends or peers?
Yes I have discussed politics with them. The people I have talked to think it’s time for a change. Things haven’t really been going our way for the last little while, something new needs to happen.
What issues do you think matter most to young voters?
The housing economy, that’s a big one. Being able to have your own property and afford to do things. For young people it’s hard to even get out from under their parents wing these days, and to have their own place is too expensive.
Do you think politicians do a good job addressing the younger voters during the campaign?
I think it’s good to try and do. It is great to be encouraged to vote, and to have a rough idea of what’s going on in your country .I think reaching out to young people on social media definitely influences them. Social media affects the way people think, and their opinions are based heavily on what they are seeing.
How do you feel about the way the politicians address the younger generations?
I don’t feel too bad about it, I think they definitely try to take their time and explain the reasoning behind each thing. I think every politician has a goal they are setting out to do, and I feel like back then it wasn’t really explained it was just like “this is the way it is” and I think now they really try to get into your head this is what each person is trying to do and this is why they are doing it.
What do you think would help more young people get involved in voting?
If their parents and friends encourage them to vote, and educate them on why voting is important. Young people need to know that every vote counts, and that the outcome of the election affects them personally as well.
How do you think young people could make their voice heard more in politics?
I would say just don’t be afraid to talk more about the issues with friends or family. Do not be afraid to post about it, write about it, or voice your opinion. Everybody is entitled to have something to say.
How do you see your future being impacted by this election?
10 years under a Liberal government has gotten us pretty much nowhere. We went from progressing pretty good, to totally declining. So definitely hoping for a positive impact and to get moving back on the right track.
Victor Santos Cardoza, 20
Victor is a former McNaughton High graduate who is currently the youngest-ever elected councillor for Moosomin Town Council. Victor is a third-year carpenter working for Mario Z Construction, pursuing his Journeyman in carpentry.
Do you plan to vote in the upcoming election, and why?
First and foremost, I just want to remind everyone truly what a privilege it is that we live a democracy, how grateful I am where we live in a country where our elections are held every four years, a country where we are protected under our Charter of Rights and Freedoms and we are granted the freedom to chose from several different parties. Through the power of vote, we select a candidate as a Member of Parliament to represent us and our constituency’s best interests, and voice our concerns at the House of Commons.
As someone who was born in a third world country, I try not to take our democracy here in Canada for granted. Up until recently, for the longest time, although deemed a “democratic society,” Honduras was a narco-dictatorship run by a president who is a convicted drug trafficker, that embezzled the country’s funds, and abused his presidential power to hide his involvement with narcotics, cartels and gangs for decades. Honduras is a country where electoral fraud isn’t uncommon, and neither is mass corruption on all ends of government. A country where although multiple parties ran, only one truly ever held the majority vote on paper. I’d say you only ever voted for the individual and not so much a party and their representatives, like we have here in Canada. Essentially Honduras was only ever a non-partisan system. The last president of Honduras made it impossible for anyone else to get in through means of bribery, violence and other ways deemed unconstitutional to say the least. So yes, for that I will be voting, and I’m grateful of our political system, that we’re able to vote on a representative in our constituency. Canada ranks 13th place on the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index. What that means is that we are a global leader for democracy.
Ranked significantly higher actually than our neighbors down south the United States. That is just a little bit of context for why I believe we should be proud of our democracy and the standard it’s held to. It gives you an idea as to why so many people choose to call Canada their home.
Why do you think young people should vote?
I think it’s important for the youth to vote because for the longest time, a dream for many is to work hard, get educated, obtain our dream careers, and then we’d have a shot at owning a home in a safe community, settling down, and starting a family, and at the end of the day, we’d still have enough left over to save and get ahead a bit. It’s still an obtainable future for some, but lately I think a lot of our youth have felt that they have started to fall behind to reach that goal later than anticipated.
The cost of living has outpaced our wages, and our dollar’s value has greatly diminished our purchasing power, leaving us with less disposable income and having significantly less saving and investing potential. For some of our youth living below our means to get ahead doesn’t work in this country anymore. This standard was the recipe for success for most to get ahead for previous generations. We have seen this is largely due to the inflation increasing the past few years. Although to an extent, we do try to aim for annual inflation rate of 2% to encourage economic growth and investments, but we’ve seen a surge greater than 3% in a short period of time, especially around 2022, where it shot up to a 6.8% inflation rate. This caused a surge in pricing which we haven’t seen come down yet. So that in turn affects a lot of our basic necessities and costs. Student loans and other expenses have gone up as well. In a way people feel punished, for working hard, foregoing gratification and choosing to live below their means to invest in their future. People’s paycheques don’t get them very far these days, and over the years we’ve seen people resort to borrowing money for basic necessities that we simply can’t afford anymore. It sets us back on our financial goals even more than ever before. It disincentives a lot of younger Canadians. The majority of our youth want to see a government that will incentivize them to work hard, allowing them to keep the majority of their paychecks to afford the cost of living and get ahead without compromising their future and making everything more unattainable than it already is.
How do you find out about the candidates running for election?
I have done my fair bit of research online and I have gone through each candidates policies. A lot of information, we find through media. I try to be very unbiased when I approach parties' policies and their promises. I try to look at their website, to see what they are promising. I look at their spending, more in terms of deficit spending. Closer to the election, we got to hear both major parties' policies, and they have come out promising to cut taxes and increase services to hopefully stimulate our economy through more deficit spending. One party's promise being more significant than the others.
On the surface this sounds enticing. It’s reassuring in a time of uncertainty.
Governments at all levels should be held accountable for their spending, which should always be targeted, timed right, and used to improve people’s lives for a reasonable cost. However we have to look beyond what they promise, how deficit spending will inherently have repercussions if not managed correctly, It is crucial we understand and consider the long term risks of deficits.
Do you talk about the election with your friends or peers?
I try to do so. I encourage folks to get educated on this topic. Sometimes people have this preconceived notion that you shouldn’t talk about politics because it is a sensitive topic. I think we need to get past that idea and we should be having these discussions. They are certainly important. I think a lot of times by not having these discussions, we are not made aware of what’s happening, and we have fallen behind on staying educated. I try to do my best with a lot of people I meet, to have these discussions while remaining unbiased. I try not to lean one way more than the other. I do have my personal political beliefs, and have decided who I will be voting for, but I try to do it in an unbiased manner. When we are faced with the issues of simply getting by, I think a lot of younger people now are more enticed to vote and follow the election to see which party will get them ahead through tough times. Now my peers and I are having those discussions, but before, politics might not have been a topic of discussion. The circumstances are certainly getting our youth more involved, which will cause a significantly greater voting turnout in the next election. So yes, our youth and the majority of folks will be and are paying much more closer attention to our Political Parties and seeing which of their’s policies will steer us from this economic disparity.
What issues do you think matter most to young voters?
I think I speak for majority of Canadians and especially the youth in our country, we’ve heard time and time again, a main topic of discussion for most if not everyone’s priority has been on affordability. Things like owning a home one day, or simply affording bills and basic necessities, has been a topic of discussion, same with lowering our taxes and getting out of consumer and student debt. For me, it’s which party will address our economic disparity. A lot of people struggle to get ahead, and I want to see which political party will address that issue. People have been encouraged to work hard all their lives, and their still doing so, but a lot of them feel like they are constantly working, and don’t seem to get ahead much. That is what I would like to see be addressed. How will our governments steer us from economic disparity and how they plan on getting us ahead. Tax cuts and increased services will help, but we also have to look at the broader picture.
How much of this deficit spending will impact the future?
Deficit spending is meant to incentivize economic growth in the short term, but in the long term it will also have a lot of negative effects that will affect us too. We need the government to step where need be, but we need to do it in a reasonable way.
Do you think politicians do a good job addressing younger voters during the campaign?
I think it's great to get every age and demographic involved. It certainly shows an interest and a sense of care. It shows them their vote matters, and their voice is heard. That was my objective when I decided to run for town council. I wanted to make sure the youth were heard from and accounted for. It does help, and it shows the youth that our politicians are engaged and they care, so I think it is great. Although a lot of us are getting out and voting, a lot of us are undecided. I think a lot of that has to do with what we are seeing on social media. The portrayals we are seeing of each candidate. A lot of the times, social media perceives this candidate as this or that, and it leaves viewers with a lot of doubt. I have seen that online. The internet likes to portray a certain narrative for each candidate, and that’s damaging for us developing an opinion on these candidates. We are not seeing the full picture, we are just seeing what the media wants to portray them as far as character, and that’s not the correct way to do so. A lot of clips and videos get you emotionally invested, but they are not sharing enough facts. I think we should be educating people as much as we can in an unbiased manWould you ever consider getting involved with politics beyond voting?
Beyond voting I got involved at the municipal level with town council, because that motivated me. I wanted to step up to the plate and be apart of that change. Its one thing to complain about the direction of the country or even community, it’s another to actually get involved.
How do you see your future being impacted by the outcome of this election?
It significantly matters, whichever way it falls under, its the future of Canada. It is the future generations that will pay for the consequences of the parties policies. Like I said earlier, they are planning on delivering these promises through deficit spending, which I have mentioned previously in the short term delivers great economic growth and return, but in the long run, it actually contributes to rising interest rates and inflation. That certainly does affect the youth, because the we look at having long term investments, if we want to into the housing market, perhaps it will be a lot more unaffordable in the future than it already is. I encourage others to look closely at the policies. Do not just look at the promises they make today, look at the long term effect of it. Look at the spending that involves, that will have a great impact of the future, and determines this countries trajectory. If not handles properly, it could make things more expensive than it already is. While yes I will certainly be focusing on each of their platforms and the policy’s they plan on implementing, which I encourage everyone else to do so, I am more so focused on each party and their fiscal responsibility and how they plan on delivering these promises without compromising our future because everyone agrees we certainly don’t want a repeat of the past decade of rising costs.
How can young people make their voices heard in politics?
Expressing concerns online does help, but a lot of that gets filtered out.
Express your concerns, as intimidating to your local MLA’s or local municipal government. A lot of them are open to suggestions and concerns. They certainly don’t shy away from people coming in and having a chat with them at their offices. I encourage it myself, if people have concerns to reach out to me or other town council. I think a lot of the youth should not shy away from having those conversations. That is what those people are there for, to here you out.
They are elected to voice your concerns, so I encourage people to do that.
To conclude I will certainly be taking full advantage of this federal election and will be encouraging folks to get out vote because every vote matters.
Most importantly get informed because it’s important we may all make a well comprehensive and educated decision this upcoming federal election because the trajectory of our country’s well being inevitably boils down to the next government’s fiscal responsibility and their proposed spending for the next four years.
Yegor Tsymbal, 21
Yegor is a conductor for Cando Rail. He immigrated to Canada from Ukraine in 2008 and graduated from McNaughton High School in 2021.
Do you plan to vote in upcoming election and why?
Yes. I think everybody should vote. It’s our country and our future. If you didn’t vote and complain, I feel like you are not doing as much as you can to contribute.
Why do you think young people should vote?
I think everybody should vote. I was reading that Gen Z had a pretty low voter turnout, which means not a lot of us vote when we have the opportunity to.
Older generations tend to vote more, so it would be nice to get more representation from the youth because we are the ones working right now, we are the ones trying to buy a house. If you are planning on living here, or starting families here, you need to think about the next 10 to 20 years and what’s going to be good for you. The older generations are going to be voting for what’s best for them, they might not take into account what’s best for the younger generations. It is up to us to create the Canada we want to live in.
How do you find out about candidates running for election?
It’s all over media and social media, it’s everywhere. We have been waiting for an election because a lot of people aren’t happy with the current government, it’s kind of crazy that it’s happening now. I mostly find out who is running through media and word of mouth.
Do you ever talk about the election with your friends or peers?
Yes I do, but I noticed that a lot of people, if they have a different opinion, they usually won’t speak up. Usually if you do talk to somebody, they either don’t want to talk about politics because they disagree with you or they want to talk about it because they agree with you and I think that is bad because you are in an echo chamber. I talk to my coworkers about politics, but I agree with them on a lot of topics, so I feel like we are repeating the same stuff over and over again, and there’s no actual conversation.
What issues do you think matter most to young voters?
Specifically to me, the issues that matter most are actual houses being built, and also government spending that is being misused. I have seen a lot of money go to things that never worked out. For example, the ArriveCan app, we are just misusing money. With housing, I noticed one party wants to increase rental houses that are being built, which is good for people who are renting, but me personally, I want to be able to own a home. I want more houses to be built and for the laws to be a little bit more lax on that.
Do you think politicians do a good job addressing younger voters during the campaign?
They have tried, but I mean what really is a good job? I feel like because Gen Z doesn’t vote as much, we are kind of brushed aside more, and maybe we are not the most important demographic in their mind. I think most candidates haven’t done a good enough job reaching out to younger voters.
I think the influence social media has is terrible. There a lot of bad stuff on social media because it’s sensationalized. The mainstream media, depending on your algorithm, might trap you into being stuck with a certain political view. If that is all you see on your social media, you’re definitely more prone to thinking like that. We are all kind of prone to propaganda in a way.
I know that a lot of the older generations, they watch a lot of news channels like CBC, and that one in particular is funded heavily by the federal government, which I know the Conservative Party wants to defund. They are a little bit more biased towards the Liberal Party, so there could be that bias transferring over to the viewers of the CBC. Online, it’s all over the place, I feel like it radicalizes people and I think that is something to avoid, is the whole “I’m team red, I’m team blue” instead of “what’s best for me? What’s going to help out my family, my job, my kids , my future family?” We just pick a side without thinking about it, and social media and the TV doesn’t really let you think for yourself, they just show you what they want and make it all flashy. The media is not a good place to learn about polices and the policies of all the parties, because it’s not the full the story.
What do you think would help more young people get involved and voting?
That is a great question. There is probably a lot we could do, but I feel like we just have to encourage conversation about it with less bias. What I mean by that is it’s perfectly okay to be super Conservative or super Liberal, as long as you’re honest with your bias. A lot of people will have an opinion, and they’ll say that it’s a fact, and a lot of people will see someone else’s opinion and to them, that sounds smart, so they won’t second guess it and just regurgitate the information. Instead, let’s talk about it. Let’s have a conversation. Politics are in that group of things you don’t talk about, because it might cause an argument, but why does it have to be an argument?
Why can’t it just be a mature conversation. The people who can vote are adults. We are over the age of 18, we should be able to have a productive conversation. I think every single person that can vote should vote, because we all matter here, thesis basically it, don’t be lazy. In a small town it’s going to take 5 minutes, and in the city it might take half an hour, but what’s that compared to the next 4 years or however long this party might be in power for. Go and make your voice heard, it’s really easy. It’s not like you have to write an essay about it, you literally just check a box.
How do you see your future being impacted by this election?
I think it’s crucial. I am in my twenties. I am supposed to be building up wealth, but everything is rising in price and it sucks. We need to stop the rising of prices instead of just continuously throwing rebates at us. I will get a couple hundred bucks back from rebates,but what does that really do? Right now I am spending $500 dollars a month on gas just to get to work. I am really glad the fuel prices went down, but they were so high for so long, that it has already made a dent, and who knows if they are going to go up again.
We need to make more products and focus on our own economy. I work at a potash mine doing switching there, and the whole world needs potash, so, I’m not worried, but there are other industries that could probably be heavily impacted negatively. Who knows, maybe I don’t want to do this my entire life, and maybe I want to go into something else, I might not have that opportunity.
I might have to move to a different country. All of these things are on my mind. The main thing I guess I am trying to say is that it’s really going to determine whether I stay or I leave Canada, because the best thing I have as a Canadian right now is my passport.
How do you think young people could make their voices heard in politics?
I feel like we just need to talk about these issues, keep posting things on social media, and try to educate our families and friends. We just need to keep talking about it and get less upset when having these discussions. I get people are angry, but holy crap, If you look at politics 30 years ago, and you watch spike of the debates, they are very civil. Everybody wants what’s best for them, and the best party is the one that finds the solution that is best for everybody.
Ashlyn Yeske, 21
Ashlyn graduated high school in 2022 and is a hairdresser at Studio M in Moosomin.
Do you plan on voting in the upcoming election and why?
Yes, I do plan to vote in this election. This is my first time voting so it will be a different experience for me.
I am voting in this election because I am finally of age to vote and I want to contribute my part. I think everyone that can vote should.
Why do you think young people should vote?
The younger generations have different point of view than older generations do. We grew up differently than they did, which means we have different opinions, ideas, and needs than they do. It’s important for young people to vote so that the younger generations have some representation.
How do you find out about candidates running for election?
On Facebook or other social media platforms. Anything that’s relevant or trending, I usually find out about on social media.
Do you think politicians do a good job addressing younger voters during the campaign?
I do not think they are doing a good job reaching out to all demographics. The candidates have social media accounts, but I don’t necessarily think they’re targeting younger people with the posts and content they are creating. However, I do think social media can be used very negatively because people can go on there and make things up, and make others believe stuff that is not even true.
Do you talk about politics with your friends or peers?
Not really. I have talked to a couple friends who said they are voting, but politics is not a main discussion point.
What issues do you think matters most to young people?
The main issue is the rising cost of everything. Renting or owning a home is extremely expensive. I live with my boyfriend on land his parents own, so rent is very reasonable. If we weren’t renting from his parents, there is no way we would have been able to live on our own and move out.
How do you think young people could make their voices heard in politics?
Young people can make themselves more known and heard by being very involved with what their interested in.
For example, volunteering to support a cause, or protesting against an issue you care about. Showing up and being there is the best thing you can do.
How do you see your future being impacted by this election?
Considering I live on a farm, and I feel that the Liberals don’t really address the concerns of the prairies, which significantly influences my life. I think it would negatively impact my future if the outcome of this electron is the same as last. I am just hoping they can cut down cost of living and do something that actually benefits the younger generations.
