Interview with Katie Gibbs (Leader of Young Greens)

1. Why do you think the Green Party has been so successful at gaining a large youth following?
I think youth are starting to realize that there is a good chance that they are going to inherit a planet that is uninhabitable and they see that we are the only party that wants to ensure that the environment is used in a sustainable way so that they and their children will be able to have the same quality of life as their parents. I think they are also drawn to the way we do politics. We are about common sense, cooperation and getting things done, not playing political games, and this what young people want from their leaders.
2. Do you feel as though there is a majority of youth who are apathetic about politics? If so, what can people do to counter this and are there any societal forces exacerbating the problem?
There definitely is a group of youth that are apathetic. I certainly wish this wasn't the case. Part of the problem is that the larger parties don't listen to young people and so youth then don't bother getting involved. I think the last American election is a perfect example of how youth are just waiting for a party to reach out to them, which is what the Green Party is trying to do.
3. Do you see the youth as having the possibility to play a pivotal role in Canadian politics? If so, please give an example of ways to get involved.
Again, the American election is a great example. Of course youth can play a pivotal role! The simplest way for them to get involved is to vote! They are a huge block of potential voters that are dismissed by the governing parties. If they got out and voted en mass, it could easily change the outcome of an election. For example, based on the latest EKOS poll, if only voters under the age of 25 were able to vote, the Green Party would have 60 seats in Parliament!
There are endless ways to get involved: educate yourself on politics in this country, join a political party, canvass with a local candidate, write a letter to your MP letting them know what you want to see done, talk to your friends about politics, vote, etc. Check out our action page for some things you can do to support the Green Party: http://youth.greenparty.ca/en/action.
4. Do the youth bring something unique to Canadian politics that other age demographics do not?
Of course. A democracy only really works when all the segments of the population are voting. Young people generally have very different view points than older generations, and right now these views are not being represented in our government. They also bring a host of new skills for utilizing things like social media.
5. Since there is a lack of information amongst youth about party platforms, are there more things that schools and the media can do to bring about awareness? What specifically is the Green party doing to bring about youth awareness specifically?
I agree there is a lack of awareness. I think we need to get youth engaged as early as possible so that they understand how our political system works and how their lives are affected by politics. The Student Votes initiative is a great example. They hold mock elections in high schools at the same time as General Elections. Bringing candidates in schools (high schools, colleges and universities) is a great way for parties to get the message out there. I also think Elections Canada needs to do a better job at getting to youth. Putting up a youth voting rules page isnt enough, they really need to go where youth are, by using things like Facebook and Twitter.
The Green Party formed a youth wing three years ago and part of what we do is try to engage youth in politics in general and specifically in the Green Party. We focus mainly on campus clubs at universities and colleges. In between elections these clubs host a number of events and activities that range from the purely political to non-partisan. Then during a writ period they focus mainly on political activities and trying to educate students and youth on what their voting rights are and why it's so important to vote.