18 in 2018: How teens feel about their first provincial election
If you think teens are disengaged — you could be wrong
It may come as a startling realization that this year, every baby born in 2000 can serve in the Armed Forces and buy tobacco in some Canadian provinces (although they'll wait for another year in New Brunswick.)
Another coming rite of passage for the millennium babies: voting in their first provincial election on Sept. 24.
While some teens aren't tapped into what's happening in politics — others are looking forward to fulfilling their goals and taking on responsibility for the future of New Brunswick
As the 2018 provincial election approaches, CBC New Brunswick talked to a cross-section of young people turning 18 in the year 2018.
Here's what they had to say about the issues that matter to them — from technology, to human rights, to the environment — and how this province's leadership can better reflect what they're about.
Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Heaven Solomon, Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation)
Describe yourself in one sentence. I'm a young aboriginal lady who is interested in the Wolastoqiyik culture, the preservation of our language, as well as helping First Nations youth who are dealing with addictions, and addictions in family.
What are the issues that matter to you? The curriculum in schools having more to do with First Nations history, and First Nations people in general. I find a lot of people don't understand anything when it comes to First Nations people. I live 15 minutes from the town I went to high school in and a lot of them have never set foot on the reserve.
How do you see the future of New Brunswick? I see the future of New Brunswick to be more diverse and fair and inclusive. To me, on-reserve and off-reserve life seem so separate. I am currently getting ready to go off to St. Thomas University. It feels like moving to another country - when it's only two hours away. I hope that in the future the youth in my community are given the same opportunities as everyone else.
What's one thing we can do to make this province a better place for young people? Start informing young people about our political systems, both provincial and federal, so that we will have a better understanding of political topics and agendas.
Are you voting? Why or why not? I am unsure at this time if I am voting or not. I don't know anything about the election that's come up, because it was never taught to me and I have not heard anyone's platform yet. People would be more interested in voting and politics if they taught it in school, or had a conference for youth interested in politics to go to and learn about it.
Justen Di Ruscio, Fredericton
Describe yourself in one sentence. Someone who is determined to make an impact on the world and contribute to a healthier future. I want to see growth and spread knowledge.
What are the issues that matter to you? I want to see New Brunswick at the forefront of science and engineering, capitalizing on the possibilities we have here but doing it in an environmentally friendly way.
Science and business are how we progress, but doing it without exploiting natural resources and demolishing our landscape is important to maintaining a healthy future. Without the environment, we would have nothing to live on.
How do you see the future of New Brunswick? Bright and prosperous. I want to be a part of the business startup community here.
I would love to see more immigrants come into the province and bring their knowledge, education, and diverse culture in to further grow the province as a whole.
We are behind, but it doesn't have to stay that way. We can be the leaders of Canada.
What's one thing we can do to make this province a better place for young people? New Brunswick needs to be progressive. In recent years, I have noticed a shift toward hands-on learning in the province. Maker-spaces are popping up, experiential classrooms are becoming more common, and organizations such as Brilliant Labs are shaping the way education is carried out in the province.
The results from the initiatives are staggering and New Brunswick needs to continue down this path. New Brunswick needs to be more progressive in all avenues, just like education, from the way it recycles, all the way to the corporations it promotes.
New Brunswick is a fantastic place and the possibilities in this province are evident. We just need to harness them.
Are you voting? Why or why not? I want to be a part of my community and I believe strongly in growing it. Voting is an avenue to do so.
Hooriya Sher, Saint John
Describe yourself in one sentence. Passionate about humanitarianism.
What are issues that matter to you? In Canada, the issues that matter to me are hereditary poverty, injustices against indigenous people, and racism.
On a global level, issues that matter to me include inaccessibility to clean water in different regions, the refugee crisis, and access to education.
How do you see the future of New Brunswick? I want to see New Brunswick flourish into a business hub and become very strong economically. I also want to see people in New Brunswick being more educated about other cultures and races. Based on the observance of what is currently happening in N.B., I feel like more can be done to ensure what I hope to see happens.
What's one thing we can do to make this province a better place for young people? Based on the experience of being a very recent high school graduate, I find that young people leave New Brunswick in large numbers due to the fact that there aren't many job opportunities here. Thus, in my opinion, I think it is very important for the province to work on this as many of us youth feel like we have no future here.
Are you voting? Why or why not? Yes, I will definitely be voting because I believe that every vote and voice counts.
Since I want plenty to change, I'm going to vote for the leader who wants to improve similar things as I do.
Genevieve Boudreau, Memramcook
Describe yourself in one sentence. I am a free-spirited girl who just loves adventure!
What are issues that matter to you? Gender acceptance. In our world there are more than two genders, but a lot of people aren't educated on them and this causes a lot of ignorance.
What's one thing we can do to make this province a better place for youth? It's easy. I think the province should give more opportunities to youth to express their opinions.
Every new generation brings their own unique viewpoint to society, and we should learn more about them.
When I worked the Federation de jeunes francophones du Nouveau-Brunswick, they gave me the tools to speak about the issues that young people face and it gave me a sense of power.
How do you see the future of New Brunswick? I'm not someone who really thinks about the future, but I think New Brunswick has a lot of potential and a unique beauty. I don't think time will change that perspective. Hopefully, this province will have a lot of opportunities for young adults.
Are you voting? Why or why not? Yes. I was taught at a young age that voting is a duty. Even if you know that your political party will lose, you have to stand up for what you believe.
Liam Funk, Saint John
Describe yourself in one sentence. Athletic, open-minded and progressive home-schooled student with aspirations to become an accountant or a lawyer.
What are the issues that matter to you? The environment and our health care. I believe everyone should have access to a family doctor. As well, I have concerns about air and water quality due to the use of harmful chemicals by large companies. I also believe our province should steer away from oil and become more involved in renewable energy sources.
How do you see the future of New Brunswick? Our province has a lot of potential because of its location on the ocean and its tourist attractions. However, lack of innovative leadership has resulted in New Brunswick trailing behind the rest of Canada.
If our government becomes more progressive and introduces better environmental regulations and becomes one of the first provinces to introduce long-term plans for renewable energy sources, we could become one of the most successful provinces in the country.
However, if we maintain the status quo, significant improvements are not likely.
What's one thing we can do to make this province a better place for young people? Make New Brunswick a healthier place for our youth.
Are you voting? Why or why not? I am voting in this election because it is an important duty as a citizen to do so. Voting is necessary for the survival of our democracy, and the less people vote, the more vulnerable it becomes.
Hajar Abdessamie, Fredericton
Describe yourself in one sentence. Wants to make a difference in her community.
What are issues that matter to you? I have faith in humanity and strongly believe that anyone can make a difference. I take it on myself to contribute in my community and in the world to create a better place for future generations.
Some issues that I am passionate about are human rights — including refugee rights, international injustices, and indigenous rights — environmental issues, and mental health.
Working with Amnesty International on some of these issues has taught me so much, and made me realize that we have a long way to go on making this world a better place.
What's one thing we can do to make this province a better place for youth? Providing more opportunities for our voices to not only be heard, but also acted upon. This will help to make our opinions, ideas, suggestions about our society valued and a priority.
We are the leaders of tomorrow. I truly believe we have the potential to make the biggest changes.
How do you see the future of New Brunswick? New Brunswick is becoming a place where youth are more and more involved. I have noticed that every year there are new programs, councils, and opportunities that give young people the chance to get involved.
That is why I have faith in the future of New Brunswick.
Are you voting? Why or why not? Absolutely. It is the best way to make our voices heard and choose our political destiny. I will not take the fact that I can vote for granted.
Nathan Pickett, Moncton
Describe yourself in one sentence. I am a very strong-hearted individual about issues that matter to me.
What are the issues that matter to you? Gender equality in the workplace, proper investigations into missing and murdered aboriginal women and girls, and the expansion of the government's commitment to bring new technology into schools.
What's one thing we can do to make this province a better place for young people? Make sure that the education system is continually changing and improving so that when young men and women are going into the workforce they are prepared to make this province a better place.
Are you voting? Why or why not? I am voting in this election. Some people in my age group don't believe in the importance of voting, and I believe that this mindset needs to change.
Henry Yang, Saint John
Describe yourself in one sentence. Born in China, wants to make the world a better place. There are simply too many reasons for me to love this world: my guitar, the Rubik's cube, my running trails, and of course, the people.
What are the issues that matter to you? Teenagers' addiction to pornography. World hunger and poverty.
How do you see the future of New Brunswick? I see New Brunswick having an optimistic future. The government is putting time and resources into keeping the youth here in the province. I think, in the future, New Brunswick will thrive on innovative startups on top of tourism.
What's one thing we can do to make this province a better place for young people? The side-effects of marijuana —for example, its addictive nature and the ability to impair driving ability — should be mentioned to the youth in New Brunswick so they can make educated decisions when they are old enough to purchase marijuana.
Are you voting? Why or why not? I cannot vote since I am not a Canadian citizen yet — I just applied to be a Canadian not long ago. I would like to, though.
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