It was great to see that our recent federal election had one of the highest voter turnouts since 1993, at 68%. It also had the highest amounts of visible minorities being elected as MPs. But what about the specific turnout of visible minority groups? How did minority vote fair up in this last election? The First Nations community increased their votes so much that two ridings ran out of ballots. Thanks to social media, the youth vote also increased in this year’s 42^nd election where the Liberal party won a majority. However these advancements for minorities can distract from the plight of other marginalized groups, such as Black Canadians, very few of which have been elected to parliament, and none chosen for Trudeau’s “diverse” cabinet. After interviewing several minorities in our Humber River, Black Creek riding, many minorities claimed that they voted and encouraged their children to vote. The few that did not vote claimed that their vote did not matter so they did not bother voting. Some even claimed, “All politicians are the same”. Others claim our existing democracy is too shallow. However, have we taken the time to really learn about our political system? Who were the 5 candidates running in our riding and what were their platforms? Who are the major Canadian political parties and what do they represent? What does left wing and right wing even mean? If you have not had schooling in Canada, all of this may be unfamiliar and there is rarely a crash course in Canadian politics.

Though the current political structure may not benefit the majority of people, refusing to vote makes citizens compliant to the current system. It says I agree with the decisions our government makes. As citizens our vote matters and we have the opportunity to promote positive values. Our one vote can help to change systems and reform policies. Collectively, we can promote long-term change, one vote at a time. So whether it be another federal election, provincial or the municipal election, get out and make your opinion matter by casting your vote!