The invisible issues
A common complaint around elections these days is that our young people don’t care about politics. But what seems to be overlooked in general conversation is that, often, politics doesn’t seem to care about our young people. As a low-20-something who’s been reading the newspaper since grade school and voting since her 18th birthday, I’d like to do a little venting of my own regarding how youth are addressed by today’s politics – or rather, the lack of such acknowledgment.
Yes, it’s true that an appallingly low percentage of my age bracket puts down their iPhone long enough to cast a ballot. But many of us do not fall into that category – and many of our elders do. So before we are written off completely, I sincerely hope that at least some of our politicians remember that we do exist, that we have a voice, and that many of us are willing and eager to use it.
The upcoming mayoral election in Guelph has left me quite disappointed. I think it’s great that we have a wide selection of candidates, and thus a wide variety of stances on the countless issues that matter to our wonderful city’s citizens. That being said, there seem to be many concerns that are either being ignored or simply forgotten. The problem, I think, is that it always seems to boil down to dollars and cents. But money is not, contrary to popular belief, the only thing that makes the world go round.
It is a myth that students are not taxpayers/don’t understand the needs of the city. We rent, and our landlords pay taxes on that property. Those taxes get passed along in our sad monthly parting with half-a-grand (give-or-take), and it can matter as much to us where that goes as if we paid those property levies ourselves. Permanent residents and politicians alike must also remember that Guelph is a ‘university town.’ No doubt raucous downtown weekends and unnecessary litter breed resentment, but it doesn’t quite merit the cold shoulders and bad reputations we automatically receive. The economy in Guelph is heavily influenced by our presence, and if you don’t believe me, ask local restaurants, cab companies, or virtually any business for their profit margins in November compared to July.
Also frustrating is the dismal level of discussion regarding mental health issues, and the lack of such support. The campus itself is bursting with resources and events to assist those in need and raise awareness, but students (or anyone, for that matter) do not live in a bubble. So many of society’s problems can be traced to their roots of emotional or mental afflictions, and it is truly baffling that despite this growing notion, very little is being done to get the ball rolling on productive conversation and implements. Some might argue that such issues fall under the jurisdiction of the provincial or federal governments, who hold more influence over health care. To those people, I ask you this: if we don’t offer dialogue to begin helping our neighbours next door, how is some minister 100 or 300 kilometers away going to be able to assist them?
Finally, and most shockingly, it feels as if there has been virtually no discussion on the fate of our local environment. It is our generation who will bear the brunt of damage caused by those who are currently paid to lead us, yet they are ignoring how we will be affected in the future. Despite what you may think, we care. We care about preserving local green space. We care about curbing urban sprawl, and we care about sustainable development. Treating the threats posed to the environment as a backburner issue to the economy is like ignoring heart failure to focus on healing a broken arm. Without the former, the other doesn’t even matter.
We under-30 folk are a far from perfect. But show me an ideal demographic, and I’ll show you a liar. It is dangerous to write off the concerns of students and youth as insignificant, because we are the future. We will make up future city councils, and we will canvass neighbourhoods to meet with denizens. We will save lives and design buildings and educate those who will succeed us. When our own politicians pay no heed to our concerns, they make their message loud and clear. With the power of our voices and our votes, so will we.