Ballooning CEO wages, equity and climate change are among the leading trends that concerned student voters on Friday during Oak Bay High’s mock election.
“The [mock] student vote is important as it shows our current leaders what the next generation is thinking and sends a message to current politicians that we do want change,” said Sidney Hurst.
The Grade 10 student was among the hundreds who took time to fill in their ballot for the school’s mock 43rd election.
Oak Bay hosting the Student Vote today.
— 🚽 🧻 (@TravisAPaterson) October 18, 2019
"It's important because it shows the politicians what's important with the next generation of voters," Sidney Hurst, Gr. 10. pic.twitter.com/CfAjSyETgs
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“We want the democracy to accurately represent the population, [it’s] great to get into that practice when you’re in high school,” Hurst said.
Hurst’s classmate Tristan MacArthur-Guelich also took time to vote and share his views, some of which would earn double-takes at some Oak Bay dinner tables.
“Overall a lot of effort should be put into keeping the most wealthy from continuously staying on top and growing, over and over again, the system that keeps bosses and CEOs earning big wages,” MacArthur-Guelich said. “There isn’t any away around preventing a total division between the one per cent and 99 per cent unless the whole system we have gets dismantled.”
Both students were clear that they want to see immediate action on the climate crisis.
“It’s an extinction problem and humans are on the list of endangered animals, nobody seems to realize that,” Hurst said. “Politicians can talk all they want about the economy but in 20 or 30 years, it’s not going to matter what our economy is.
“A lot of parties are all big talk, but they don’t do anything, for example, the Liberals. We don’t need another pipeline, we need to be a leader that we once were before Harper pulled us out. “If we can do our part we can serve as a model for other countries to follow.”
Canada should be seeking other options in the face of climate change, MacArthur-Guelich added. Not just renewable energies, but have a bigger look at nuclear energy.
“Nuclear energy isn’t talked about enough, it is efficient.”