Message Not Delivered: The Myth of Apathetic Youth and the Importance of Contact in Political Participation

Over the last 30 years, Canadians have watched with concern as voting rates among younger people have declined, with the result that in the 2011 federal election, the majority of young people opted not to cast a vote. If the number of non-voters increases, the legitimacy of Canada’s democratic process may soon be called into question. Additionally, if groups of Canadians are not considered to be interested voters, will political parties and leaders prioritize their views during and outside of elections?

The low voting rate among younger Canadians is often viewed as evidence that young people today are more apathetic or lazy than any other generation before. That — more than other generations — they don’t care about politics and aren’t interested in the world. “Message Not Delivered” debunks these myths. In this report, we compare political participation and contact rates between citizens and Canadian political leaders across three age groups.

“Message Not Delivered” delves deeper into how political participation differs between age groups and finds that — counter to popular belief — younger people are more than pulling their own weight. This report also looks at one element that is known to encourage voting — contact from political parties, candidates or elected leaders — and reveals stark differences in the ways that parties communicate with the different age groups. The report’s conclusion raises a question that requires discussion: are young people more apathetic than their older cohorts or are they failing to cast a ballot because they’re ignored?
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