As Elections Canada officials were busy counting ballots, Oak Bay was discussing plans to engage its younger residents in local politics.
At its April 28 council meeting, the district voted to create a forum where youth can discuss issues important to them, learn about council operations and ask questions directly to council.
“This is election night in Canada, and we want our youth to participate in democratic processes ... and this is one way to do that in our own community,” said Coun. Lesley Watson. “I think it’s a good way to go at a time when people seem to be withdrawing from those civic opportunities and duties.”
This was the fourth of four youth-engagement models staff outlined for council consideration in an April 28 report.
Before voting in favour of the motion, Oak Bay rejected one tabled by Coun. Carrie Smart, who proposed that the district appoint a local high school student to take part in council discussions, while helping engage their peers in district affairs.
"If we can have that voice at our table, I think that our decisions will be more informed and we'll be able to create greater bonds with the youth in our community," she said.
Coun. Andrew Appleton was "wholly in support" of Smart’s motion.
“We’ve got some really highly motivated young folks in the community that are interested in engaging,” he said.
Coun. Esther Paterson spoke against the idea – specifically, how student recruitment, orientation, support and coordination would impact staff time.
“I'm just really concerned with over-taxing the resources that we have with staff,” she said. “We’ve got so much on our plate right now and ... I am concerned about taxing our very limited resources even more.”
Watson also opposed Smart’s motion.
“It focuses too much on one individual, and we’re surrounded by students in high school and I much prefer model four – the council-led youth engagement – because it reaches more of the youth community,” she said. “I think that engagement of a larger body of youth ... is probably way to go.”
Oak Bay's director of corporate services Dianna Plouffe, who helped prepare the April 28 report, expressed a similar sentiment.
“It would be a high impact on staff resources and existing work plans," she said. "It would be difficult, but it is up to council’s purview. We can change some work plans around.”
Ultimately, Smart voted in favour of the fourth youth-engagement option.
“I will support the motion because something is better than nothing, but I had wished we had gone with something that had shown a greater level of respect in bringing a student to this table," she said.
As part of the model council voted for, the April 28 report noted that the district could also collaborate with School District 61 (SD61) to adopt a "meet youth where they are at" approach by bringing Council members into school during class time to engage with students.
Oak Bay staff are working with SD61 to determine interest in the initiative and schedule a forum.
