A group of Canadian children aged 12-17 is going to court to fight for their right to vote..The kids on Tuesday filed their claim in Ontario Superior Court..“Denying Canadian citizens under the age of 18 the right to vote is unconstitutional,” the clinic Justice for Children and Youth of Toronto wrote the court..Lawyers said the current age limit under the Canada Elections Act should be struck..The Charter Of Rights guarantees the ballot to every citizen, but sets no age limit. Parliament last lowered the minimum age of electors in 1970, from 21 to age 18..“Using age as a proxy for cognitive capacity, political competency, political access and responsibility must be grounded in evidence and accord with the actual capacities of citizens under the age of 18,” wrote lawyers..A ban on balloting by children is based on “vague and unsubstantial assertions about maturity,” said the court application..Children named as plaintiffs in the case ranged in ages from 12 to 17. “They reside across Canada, specifically Nunavut, BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Québec and Nova Scotia,” wrote lawyers..“Despite being Canadian citizens who are directly impacted by the decisions of the federal government, these youth applicants have been expressly denied the right to vote in federal elections by virtue of their age,” said their application..The last bill to grant 16-year olds the franchise, Bill S-209, survived a Senate vote last June 9 by a 55-19 margin but lapsed when Parliament dissolved for the general election..An identical bill S-201 was introduced last Wednesday by Senator Marilou McPhedran (Man.)..“Our young people are mature, informed and engaged enough to vote,” McPhedran earlier told the Senate..“Indeed, research would indicate to us that young people today are more engaged, and I can say with some anecdotal experience as a long-time professor and now with a very strong connection to young advisers across the country, that they are more engaged and better informed than I certainly was at their age.”.Elections Act rules were last amended by court order. The Supreme Court in 2002 struck down a ban on balloting by federal prisoners, and in 2019 upheld voting rights by Canadian citizens who had lived abroad for more than five years..Data show Canadians over 65 have the highest voter turnout rate. Records from foreign jurisdictions that lowered voting ages show mixed results on turnout..The Parliament of the Isle of Man in 2006 lowered its voting age to 16. Initial voter turnout among children was just 36%, according to parliamentary reports.
A group of Canadian children aged 12-17 is going to court to fight for their right to vote..The kids on Tuesday filed their claim in Ontario Superior Court..“Denying Canadian citizens under the age of 18 the right to vote is unconstitutional,” the clinic Justice for Children and Youth of Toronto wrote the court..Lawyers said the current age limit under the Canada Elections Act should be struck..The Charter Of Rights guarantees the ballot to every citizen, but sets no age limit. Parliament last lowered the minimum age of electors in 1970, from 21 to age 18..“Using age as a proxy for cognitive capacity, political competency, political access and responsibility must be grounded in evidence and accord with the actual capacities of citizens under the age of 18,” wrote lawyers..A ban on balloting by children is based on “vague and unsubstantial assertions about maturity,” said the court application..Children named as plaintiffs in the case ranged in ages from 12 to 17. “They reside across Canada, specifically Nunavut, BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Québec and Nova Scotia,” wrote lawyers..“Despite being Canadian citizens who are directly impacted by the decisions of the federal government, these youth applicants have been expressly denied the right to vote in federal elections by virtue of their age,” said their application..The last bill to grant 16-year olds the franchise, Bill S-209, survived a Senate vote last June 9 by a 55-19 margin but lapsed when Parliament dissolved for the general election..An identical bill S-201 was introduced last Wednesday by Senator Marilou McPhedran (Man.)..“Our young people are mature, informed and engaged enough to vote,” McPhedran earlier told the Senate..“Indeed, research would indicate to us that young people today are more engaged, and I can say with some anecdotal experience as a long-time professor and now with a very strong connection to young advisers across the country, that they are more engaged and better informed than I certainly was at their age.”.Elections Act rules were last amended by court order. The Supreme Court in 2002 struck down a ban on balloting by federal prisoners, and in 2019 upheld voting rights by Canadian citizens who had lived abroad for more than five years..Data show Canadians over 65 have the highest voter turnout rate. Records from foreign jurisdictions that lowered voting ages show mixed results on turnout..The Parliament of the Isle of Man in 2006 lowered its voting age to 16. Initial voter turnout among children was just 36%, according to parliamentary reports.
