How Young is Too Young?

[Right-of-Centre]

We are living in a rather progressive age in Canada where the political game seems to be becoming less and less the "old boys club" of years past. More and more young people are running for office and winning. 2008 saw a very young Spencer Herbert pick up an MLA position in BC at only 27. In the 2011 federal election we saw the youngest MP in our history elected (20 year old Pierre-Luc Dusseault for the NDP in Quebec).

In Regina, SK where I live, an 18 year old kid has thrown his hat in the race for municipal office (Story) (Website) I find myself wondering if this is such a good idea. Can I really trust people this young to properly represent me and understand my concerns, let alone the big issues? Is the age simply a novelty? What are your thoughts?

Edited August 24, 2012 by Right-of-Centre

[wyly]

We are living in a rather progressive age in Canada where the political game seems to be becoming less and less the "old boys club" of years past. More and more young people are running for office and winning. 2008 saw a very young Spencer Herbert pick up an MLA position in BC at only 27. In the 2011 federal election we saw the youngest MP in our history elected (20 year old Pierre-Luc Dusseault for the NDP in Quebec).

In Regina, SK where I live, an 18 year old kid has thrown his hat in the race for municipal office (Story) (Website) I find myself wondering if this is such a good idea. Can I really trust people this young to properly represent me and understand my concerns, let alone the big issues? Is the age simply a novelty? What are your thoughts?

they can get married, start a family, they can vote they can become a cop or join the military at that age and be given the responsibility to kill or not to kill another human and you think they're to young to make a political decision?...Rahim Jaffer, bev oda, peter mckay, vic toews ya I've no doubt there are a lot of 18year olds who could do a better job...and then there's rob anders :lol:

[Fletch 27]

25 should be the minimum. If insurance companies (and statistics) can not trust them with either alcohol or a car,,,, would you trust them with a budget or expense account?

We are living in a rather progressive age in Canada where the political game seems to be becoming less and less the "old boys club" of years past. More and more young people are running for office and winning. 2008 saw a very young Spencer Herbert pick up an MLA position in BC at only 27. In the 2011 federal election we saw the youngest MP in our history elected (20 year old Pierre-Luc Dusseault for the NDP in Quebec).

In Regina, SK where I live, an 18 year old kid has thrown his hat in the race for municipal office (Story) (Website) I find myself wondering if this is such a good idea. Can I really trust people this young to properly represent me and understand my concerns, let alone the big issues? Is the age simply a novelty? What are your thoughts?

[MiddleClassCentrist]

I think it should be up to the voters.

Don't you?

Seriously.

If you are old enough to be taxed, you are old enough to run.

[Fletch 27]

I paid tax on my twizzlers when I was 8. I also played with matches and left flaming bags of dog crap on a few steps. My first job I also paid "income tax", no way in hell I would have voted for myself or Any of my peers... Well, I probably would have,, but That would have been one he'll of a shie-show if any of them got elected..

My opinion is at 25, you start to understand the picture that is not just within your own self, but the rest of society..

I think it should be up to the voters.

Don't you?

Seriously.

If you are old enough to be taxed, you are old enough to run.

#

[TheNewTeddy]

Yes

I'll vote for anyone who I feel is qualified. 18, 81, male, female, white, black, so on and so forth.

edit

I actually did vote for a 18 year old, because he was the only one in the race I could really trust.

Myself.

Though, I actually seriously debated voting for the sitting MLA as I thought he was doing an alright job.

Edited August 25, 2012 by TheNewTeddy

[dre]

Honestly Id vote for a fetus over most members of our government.

[bleeding heart]

Yes

I'll vote for anyone who I feel is qualified. 18, 81, male, female, white, black, so on and so forth.

edit

I actually did vote for a 18 year old, because he was the only one in the race I could really trust.

Myself.

Though, I actually seriously debated voting for the sitting MLA as I thought he was doing an alright job.

This is a pretty awesome little post.

[Newfoundlander]

We are living in a rather progressive age in Canada where the political game seems to be becoming less and less the "old boys club" of years past. More and more young people are running for office and winning. 2008 saw a very young Spencer Herbert pick up an MLA position in BC at only 27. In the 2011 federal election we saw the youngest MP in our history elected (20 year old Pierre-Luc Dusseault for the NDP in Quebec).

In Regina, SK where I live, an 18 year old kid has thrown his hat in the race for municipal office (Story) (Website) I find myself wondering if this is such a good idea. Can I really trust people this young to properly represent me and understand my concerns, let alone the big issues? Is the age simply a novelty? What are your thoughts?

Maybe the young man (not kid) can represents the large population base under the age of 30, seeing we don't usually feel represented by 45, 55, or 65 year olds.

[Newfoundlander]

25 should be the minimum. If insurance companies (and statistics) can not trust them with either alcohol or a car,,,, would you trust them with a budget or expense account?

We'll have to raise the voting age to then.

[Topaz]

25 age limit? Then we should put a age limit on joining the military to 25. 18 years is too young, some don't know actually what they are getting into until its too late, so change the signup age to 25.

[MiddleClassCentrist]

I paid tax on my twizzlers when I was 8. I also played with matches and left flaming bags of dog crap on a few steps. My first job I also paid "income tax", no way in hell I would have voted for myself or Any of my peers... Well, I probably would have,, but That would have been one he'll of a shie-show if any of them got elected..

My opinion is at 25, you start to understand the picture that is not just within your own self, but the rest of society..

#

Do you think that voters would choose an 8 year old? Would they have enough sense not to?

Let's look at the reality of politics.

- In provincial politics, we put ministers in charge of areas they have no clue about. Ontario had a conservative education minister who was a high school drop out, for instance.

- Current politicians pass bills about technology use they don't even understand.

If you are saying that we need to increase the qualifications of all politicians, then I'm for that. I'm tired of economics degree theorists, political science majors and lawyers running the country... Let's get some people who actually know what they are talking about in there.

Edited August 25, 2012 by MiddleClassCentrist

[TheNewTeddy]

Considering how my opinions changed I'd ask how old is too old?

When I was 18, and when I ran again at age 21, I honestly though I could change the system, make things better for people, make the country a better place somehow, bring honesty and ethics into politics, and win by being honest and ethical.

Now at 28 I look and conclude that I can not change much on my own, I'll have to compromise and while I can make some things better, others are a lost cause, that I'll never be able to make politics honest, and that you will never, ever, win by being honest or ethical in any way.

As I talk to people who I knew at 18, all of them had their opinions change in the same way. So why should I vote for some 50 year old who knows how dirty politics is and is okay with it when I can vote for an 18 year old who wants to make useful change?

[Bonam]

Maybe young people in government can do a better job representing young people in society, who are not well served by representatives 40 years their seniors and completely out of touch with their interests and concerns.

[TimG]

So why should I vote for some 50 year old who knows how dirty politics is and is okay with it when I can vote for an 18 year old who wants to make useful change?

Experience does not mean corruption. Often things are the way they are for very good reasons and try to "change" things would only create more problems than are solved. Take my pet issue "climate change". The reason that this issue is ignored is not because of some big oil conspiracy but the reality that practical alternate energy sources do not exist and no amount of "desire for change" can alter the laws of physics. Young people are unable to understand their limits and often make bad leaders because they would rather drive off a cliff in pursuit of their ideals than acknowledge that they cannot be achieved.

[TheNewTeddy]

A mix is important. Seeing as there are few under 25s in all caucuses save the federal NDP, I'd have no problem voting a few more in. The same is true for those over 75.

[j44]

I paid tax on my twizzlers when I was 8.

I lol'd.

[cybercoma]

If you're willing to send 18 year olds to their deaths overseas then you sure as hell should be willing to vote for them.

[bleeding heart]

If you're willing to send 18 year olds to their deaths overseas then you sure as hell should be willing to vote for them.

Military service: ok. Adult prison: ok. Voting: ok.

But don't vote for them, and don't let them drink or smoke. For god's sake, they're just children!

Edited August 31, 2012 by bleeding heart

[TheNewTeddy]

I remember the scene I made in a mall in Charlottetown when the Alliant cell phone company told me I could not get a cell phone until I was 19, despite the fact that I, then 18, had just finished running in the provincial election.

I ended up going with Telus, cause, they were the only other ones in the mall.

[Jiblethead]

for some reason 18 seems to be the magic number, where we are suddenly allowed to do a lot of new and mature things. I think it is much too young for a person to be making political decisions. It is also too young an age to be allowed to vote, serve in the military, and to drink alcohol (yes i know the drinking age is 19). Granted, a lot of 18 year olds are mature enough to do these things, but most are not.

[Melanie_]

for some reason 18 seems to be the magic number, where we are suddenly allowed to do a lot of new and mature things. I think it is much too young for a person to be making political decisions. It is also too young an age to be allowed to vote, serve in the military, and to drink alcohol (yes i know the drinking age is 19). Granted, a lot of 18 year olds are mature enough to do these things, but most are not.

Welcome to the forum, Jiblethead!

I disagree that 18 is too young for any of those things (including drinking alcohol - the legal age here in Manitoba is 18). There is not likely to be a great difference in maturity between an 18 year old and a 19 year old, and raising the age simply extends childhood, so if the age is raised to, say, 21, there would be discussion about whether or not 21 year olds are mature enough to make these decisions.

Edited to add: I don't know if I would vote for an 18 year old or not. It would depend more on the person's ideas than their age. There are certainly many older candidates whose age hasn't brought them wisdom!

Edited September 29, 2012 by Melanie_