Young Canadians take political action to fight for the planet

For young people in this country, including myself, the environment is not just a policy issue; it is a matter of life and death. That is not hyperbole. I am a 15-year-old high school student and lead the Young Politicians of Canada because our future is at risk.

Youth in Canada are worried that climate change is a forgotten topic. Climate change resulting in environmental refugees, famine, global warming and forest fires is the greatest threat to our existence. In fact, even forest fires that have been burning all winter under the snow are now re-emerging.

With previous years of forest fires hitting record low air quality levels, the expectation is that this year will only become worse. It saddens me to remember how frightening it was having to be inside to avoid the smoke.

Some Canadians believe this is caused by arson, a theory for which there is no evidence. Unfortunately, forest fires directly started by human activity are rarely as catastrophic as what we are seeing.

The deteriorating air quality from these fires is just one of many environmental issues that are influencing how youth vote; the environment as a whole is a primary factor in voting decisions for many young Canadians. The threat of existential climate change and a country unaffordable to most of us is lighting a fire under youth across Canada.

Without the climate, we don’t have anything. Youth reject the notion that action cannot be taken. In Canada, we are the second most CO2-emitting country in the world, per capita.

Xavier Scott, a Professor at the University of Toronto’s Trinity College, seems to agree. “Politicians have completely failed on the environment,” Scott said, when asked about his take on political climate action. My peers and I seem to be the only ones petrified by the idea we may not be able to live a full life because of climate change — it seems as if adults think it's unimportant. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claims to be doing a number on the environment, but built a pipeline — and Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre doesn’t even claim to be doing anything.

Though this sounds daunting and stressful — and it is — young Canadians might just be able to take it on. The Young Politicians of Canada (YPC) is a national, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that works to engage young Canadians in politics and democracy.

We advocate for youth input into government systems and create innovative ways for young Canadians to engage in governance and civics. A large part of the YPC’s existence is driven by youth questioning the sustainability of decisions made by our current governments.

A new YPC initiative will engage students across the country on the issues that matter to them most — including the environment. The Young Politicians of Canada’s National Youth Roundtable on Legislation (NYRTL) is a new initiative allowing young Canadians to provide members of Parliament input into the direction of our laws.

It will function with a rotating cohort of young people, across Canada, who will report on the impacts of developing legislation in the House of Commons. Moreover, the participating youth will hold the government accountable to young Canadians by voicing their concerns when needed. Climate change and the existential threat of humanity seem to be the main concern lurking around the table.

Politics interests me because there are leaders in our system who should not have keys to the car. I started the Young Politicians of Canada because I saw gaps and exploitation of our political system. Myself and other young Canadians need a country they can grow up in that facilitates their needs. On top of that, they need a country that won't be burned to a crisp by the middle of their lives.

I am advocating for youth input because of fear — the climate is where I put my foot down. Without a functional environment, we can’t argue in the House of Commons, we can’t live our lives, we can’t have careers.

Whether it be hot summers, smoke, or the threat of our lives being limited by our own environmental implications, Canada needs infrastructure like the National Youth Roundtable on Legislation.

Fellow young people across the country; don’t walk, run.

Jaden Braves is a 15-year-old student from Toronto. He is the founder and CEO of the Young Politicians of Canada and the Co-Chair of the Young Greens of Canada. Jaden is also a recipient of the Future is Now Award, Top 10 Canadians Under 18. He works to bring youth voice into democracy by educating and empowering other young Canadians.