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Even if you’re not old enough to vote, your voice can still be heard. Often it’s as easy as using the technology in your pocket! Here are just a few ideas—some traditional, some technological—to help you influence government and change communities.
Writing letters and emails or visiting government representatives are effective ways to express opinions. Elected representatives are there to represent the concerns and interests of their constituents. Writing to them is a way to directly voice your concerns.
By helping a local municipal candidate or joining a political party you can learn more about the political and legal processes at work in Canada. You can also influence policies. Local candidates welcome young volunteers, and political parties even have youth chapters that provide opportunities to network and get involved.
Petitions are formal requests to government that can be signed by people who support the idea. They can be created either in paper form or online. Creating, promoting, and presenting petitions builds awareness of issues for both the government and the general public.
Many communities have public spaces where posters can be displayed. From concert announcements to information about public-interest issues, posters can bring awareness to issues, events, and causes that are important to the community.
Political rallies and protests are surprisingly common. Peaceful assembly is our right, guaranteed in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Even if you do not support a cause, attending a rally or protest as an observer is a useful way to understand the multiple viewpoints that make up our society.
The Charter of Rights and Freedoms gives us freedom of expression. Participating in blogs, online forums, and social media—as a poster, commenter, or simply a reader—allows you to express your thoughts and opinions while learning about the thoughts and opinions of others.
