 |
Executive Summary
Key findings of the report include:
Identity
Contrary to stereotype, under 35s are more likely to describe themselves as centrists than as left-leaning. This is true for all four western provinces. Under 35s identify with Canada , western Canada , their provinces, and their local areas. However, under 35s are almost as likely to identify with their age cohort as they are to identify with Canada or their province.
Mobility
Most under 35s expect to remain in their current province for at least five years. However, under 35s with graduate or professional degrees are more likely than those with less education to anticipate moving. In addition, under 35s in Saskatchewan and Manitoba are more likely to anticipate moving within five years than are under 35s in Alberta and British Columbia .
National Unity
Under 35s are quite confident that Canada will remain united in 20 years, but register high levels of indifference toward Quebec separation.
Attitudes Toward Canadian Democracy
Under 35s report a moderate level of interest in politics. The vast majority feels an obligation to vote, and many see volunteering in their community as an obligation. Under 35s do not relate to political parties or election campaigns. They are cynical about politicians, ambivalent about the media, and feel that large corporations have excessive power.
Democratic Participation
Under 35s are less likely to report voting than are over 35s. The reasons for non-voting are as likely to be personal (e.g., too busy) as they are to be political. Over 6 in 10 under 35s report participating in at least one political activity other than voting (e.g., contacting an elected official) in the past year; those who report such
activities are also more likely to report voting. Under 35s report following current events, but not necessarily on a daily basis, and the majority of under 35s use newspapers as a source for current event information. Under 35s are more likely than over 35s to use the Internet as their information source. This is not surprising given that 7 in 10 under 35s report using the Internet on a daily basis.
Public Policy
While many "mainstream" policy issues (such as health care) are important to under 35s, they are also concerned about a number of issues that receive relatively less attention, including poverty, post-secondary education, and international issues. There are a number of important policy priority differences between under 35s and over 35s, particularly with respect to international issues.
What does all of this mean for the future of western Canada and of Canada ? There are a number of implications:
Potential for a new generation of western alienation.
The relative confidence (and perhaps complacency) in the future of national unity, coupled with the considerably high level of indifference or negativity toward the place of Quebec in Confederation, suggests that future national unity efforts designed to keep Quebec in the national fold will be a hard sell among western Canadians under age 35. It is not hard to envisage a scenario in which a federal government, seeking to woo Quebec , will come under harsh criticism from the under 35s of western Canada , thus fueling a new generation of western discontent.
Potential for increased democratic disengagement.
It is sometimes argued that young non-voters are participating in Canadian democracy in other ways, such as protest behaviour. However, the self-reported voting and democratic participation data strongly suggest that this belief is false: young non-voters are abstaining from most facets of Canadian democratic life. Given that non-voting is increasing amongst young people, this suggests that all forms of democratic engagement might be expected to decline in the years ahead.
Potential for an expanded or altered public policy debate.
If — and this is a big if — under 35s can be brought more fully into the political process at all levels, from voting and letter writing to engagement in political parties and running for office, there is the potential for the scope of policy debate in Canada to be somewhat altered or expanded. Under 35s are more likely to be vocal on international issues, particularly those that are infrequently voiced in current debate.
Potential for a growing Manitoba/Saskatchewan — Alberta/BC labour and population divide.
When it comes to growth, western Canada already has an east-west divide. The high anticipated mobility of young adults, specifically those from Saskatchewan and Manitoba , suggests that this divide may grow, rather than contract, in the years ahead unless these provinces make strong efforts to retain their young people, particularly their future "best and brightest." These efforts will likely need to focus on career opportunities and quality of life, particularly in the large cities.
Author(s): Dr. Loleen Berdahl
|