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PP RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHMT RUEHQU RUEHVC
DE RUEHOT #1091/01 2272006
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 142006Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8348
INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 OTTAWA 001091 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV CA
 
SUBJECT: YOUNG VOTERS HAVE POTENTIAL TO INFLUENCE ELECTION 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary: Conventional wisdom in Canada suggests that young 
voters are apathetic.  Indeed, official data show youth 
participation rates in federal elections have declined since 1993. 
However, mission conversations with politically-active young 
Canadians suggest that many of them are politically savvy and 
willing to engage, although they seem to favor social protests and 
events organized through the internet as their primary means of 
political expression.  Youth policy priorities do not necessarily 
track with those of older generations either.  The recent upsurge of 
interest among young American voters in Barack Obama's campaign 
might also have a ripple effect in Canada, according to our 
contacts.  These generational differences could bring crucial 
support in the prospective fall 2008 federal election for the party 
that can best tap into issues that interest young people and engage 
them in their preferred media.  End summary. 
 
 
The Disappearing Young Voter 
---------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) In all Western democracies the turnout rate for young voters 
has declined significantly in recent years, and Canada is no 
exception.  Only 38 percent of 18-24 year olds voted in the 2004 
federal election.  A 2007 report by the non-partisan Canadian Policy 
Research Networks (CPRN) said that young Canadians are not only less 
likely to vote, but also are less likely to be interested in 
conventional politics or to be members of political parties and 
interest groups.  Young Canadians are more likely to engage in 
political demonstrations and to be involved with a group or 
organization, said report author Brenda O'Neill.  When measuring 
non-traditional political activity, such as political protest and 
demonstrations, young people participated at a level equal to or 
higher than every other age category, according to O'Neill. 
 
 
Clashing Values and Neglect Deflate Youth Turnout 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶3.  (U) Some factors for the decline in traditional civic 
participation among youth include a deficiency of political 
knowledge, a perceived lack of competition between political 
parties, a misunderstanding of the importance of parties, and a 
belief that traditional politics are not an effective conduit to 
political change, according to a study by Elections Canada. 
Researchers also cite increasing individualism and social isolation 
due to more advanced technology as a catalyst for the changing 
nature of political participation and civic engagement.  Politicians 
tend also to focus their energy to engage baby boomers, who do vote 
more often than young people.  Not surprisingly, groups that get the 
most attention from politicians tend to have an increased voter 
turnout, according to an Elections Canada study. 
 
¶4.  (U) Researchers report that another reason for the declining 
young voter turnout rate is that young Canadians hold different 
values than older voters.  Since politicians tend to focus on the 
priorities of older voters, young people believe their political 
leaders ignore their interests, according to a 2007 CPRN report by 
Andre Turcotte.  The environment, education, and health care are the 
areas most important to Canadian youth.  They care less about 
defense and economic issues, according to a 2007 CPRN poll. 
Candidates who are seeking the support of young voters are using new 
campaign methods that are perceived as youth-friendly, including 
blogs, text-messaging, and interactive websites.  The Liberal and 
Conservative parties both use these methods, but interact with their 
younger counterparts differently.  Liberals devote a significant 
Qyounger counterparts differently.  Liberals devote a significant 
portion of time and money to their youth organizations, providing 
them with dedicated channels for input on policy development.  The 
Conservatives connect to their youth wings by providing Party news 
and campaign ideas to their university and riding clubs.  They do 
invite young Conservatives to their party conventions.  However, the 
Tories maintain their dominant focus on issues that appeal to older 
generations such as security and the economy. 
 
 
Liberals Attract Youth 
---------------------- 
 
¶5.  (U) The Liberal Party has reached out to young Canadians by 
forming a youth commission for citizens under the age of 26, called 
the Young Liberals of Canada (YLC). YLC is divided into provincial 
organizations and riding associations within each province.  Their 
membership has ranged in recent years from 60,000 to 80,000.  For 
biennial Liberal Party Conventions up to four Young Liberals in each 
electoral district can join the delegation.  The Liberal Party has a 
blog, podcasts, and online videos (coined "Liberal TV).  MPs and 
high ranking Liberals have made efforts to engage youth by hosting 
events such as beach parties and making appearances at concerts 
hosted by Young Liberals clubs. 
 
¶6.  (U) In addition to support for the larger party, Young Liberals 
 
OTTAWA 00001091  002 OF 002 
 
 
of Canada has its own policy objectives such as relieving poverty in 
Africa, fighting climate change, protecting Canadian sex workers, 
improving post-secondary education, protecting civil liberties, and 
promoting same-sex marriage rights. In particular, the Young 
Liberals campaigned hard to make same-sex marriage rights part of 
the Liberal platform during the 2006 party plenary. 
 
 
Tories Focused on Older Voters 
------------------------------ 
 
¶7.  (U) The Conservatives voted to eliminate their federal youth 
wing in 2004 when the Progressive Conservative Party and Canadian 
Alliance merged to form the Conservative Party of Canada.  CPC 
Energy, an unofficial conservative youth organization, is present 
forty universities.  They also offer summer parliamentary 
internships for college students.  At the provincial level, the 
Ontario PC Association is the governing executive which divides into 
riding clubs similar in organization to the Ontario Young Liberals. 
The Conservative Party seeks to garner support from young people by 
using cell phone texting, e-cards, podcasts, email and blogs to 
circulate Conservative news and policies.  The Tories require that 
at least one of the twelve persons in each electoral district 
delegation be 23 years old or younger. 
 
¶8.  (U) Major issues for youth members of CPC Energy are a free 
economic markets, environmental protection, and lower taxes to 
stimulate the economy.  However, while young Conservatives tend to 
support policies fighting climate change, they oppose the Liberal's 
Green Shift carbon tax plan proposed by Liberal leader Stephane 
Dion.  The absence of a federal youth wing of the party could have 
political ramifications in future elections if Conservative youth 
feel marginalized, according to a 2008 analysis by the non-partisan 
youth organization "Apathy is Boring".  The Liberal Party stands to 
win more of the youth vote due to its proactive inclusion of young 
Canadians, according to the report. 
 
¶9. (SBU) In conversations with young Canadian political activists, 
it is clear that young people from both parties are responsive to 
MPs contacting them and engaging them in the political sphere. 
Katie Jellett, the Provincial President of the Ottawa-Orleans Young 
Liberals Club, told the political section intern that Liberal MPs 
support fundraisers and rallies organized by young Liberals. Jellett 
added that her Young Liberal peers travelled to Detroit to campaign 
for Barack Obama, indicating, she said, that some of Senator Obama's 
popularity with young Americans has spread to Canada and encouraged 
increased youth activity in Canda.  She also said Justin Trudeau, 
son of former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, may be the kind of 
candidate in the next few years who compares to Obama in appealing 
to youth. 
 
 
Education and Engagement Are Keys to Higher Turnout 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶10. (SBU) Extensive and increased school-based civic education is 
the key to increased youth political participation, according to 
Elections Canada and CPRN researchers.  However, young people are 
also organizing themselves to promote the youth vote.  The 
non-partisan Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) 
promotes political participation by young voters in local and 
national politics in the capital region.  SFUO Campaign Coordinator 
Michael Cheevers said his organization does extensive 
"get-out-the-vote" operations during election seasons.  He said the 
popular "Rock the Vote" campaign in association with the young 
Conservatives club and the Young Liberals uses rock concerts to 
encourage students to vote.  The fringes of the concert hall are 
Qencourage students to vote.  The fringes of the concert hall are 
lined with booths to disseminate information about the parties and 
issues, encouraging students to register and become informed voters. 
 
 
¶11. (SBU) Comment: While the youth turnout rate is much lower than 
that of older voters, young people are not politically indifferent. 
As in much of the rest of the developed world, young Canadians care 
about different issues than older generations.  Youth organizations 
such as "Apathy is Boring" and "Student Vote Canada" show that young 
people do tend to organize themselves but do so differently than 
older citizens, with more emphasis on internet-based forms of 
communication and mobilization through protests and demonstrations. 
In a close election, an energized youth vote might tip the balance 
for the party that is best able to tap into the ambitions and 
desires of the new generation of citizens. 
 
Wilkins