The Political Process

In a democracy, individual citizens have a

right to be heard and to influence political
leaders in their decision-making. Citizens
can withhold or give support to politicians
through votes, petitions, and various forms of
communication. This chapter will explain the
political process and examine how citizens,
like you, can make sure their voices are heard.

CHAPTER GOALS
In this chapter, we are learning to

process in Canada

groups are part of the political process in

Key Terms Canada
coalition
government
conservative differences among political parties and
electoral district their policies
first past the post

government SKILLS
minority
government
party platform based on data, evidence, and information
political
ideology
political party information presented in graphs, charts,
political and diagrams
spectrum
politician to analyse an issue, event, policy, or plan
polling station of action
proportional
representation
protest party
socialist

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 Framing Questions

how the political process works?

individuals and groups can be

involved in the political process?

FIGURE 5–1 The political process

balances the forces of elected
representatives, the media, the
voters, and interest groups. Who else
is involved in the political process?

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 TOO YOUNG TO VOTE?

issue has come up for debate several times in

Canadian society—sometimes resulting in changes
and sometimes not. In 1970, the voting age in Canada

there have been calls to lower the age even further to

16 years old. In 2004, Mark Holland, now a former

introduced a private member’s bill to Parliament that

sought to lower the voting age from 18 to 16.

Lowering the Voting Age
To support his proposed
bill, Holland suggested that
lowering the voting age was
needed in order to get young
people engaged in the political
process. To support his view,
he pointed to steadily declining
voter turnout among young
voters. He suggested that if
this trend continued, eventually
would not vote.
Holland suggested that
reducing the voting age to 16
would give young people an
opportunity to vote while still
in high school, where they
could learn about the political
issues at the same time. Once a
pattern of voting had been set,
young people would be more
likely to continue voting into
adulthood. Other supporters
of this argument have pointed
out that 16-year-olds should
be able to vote because they
already have a number of
adult responsibilities. They are
already old enough to work and
pay taxes, be tried in court as
adults, drive a car, fly a plane,

up for the Canadian Forces

FIGURE 5–2 “If 16-year-olds
can drive and pay taxes, then
they should be able to vote too.”
Reserves. Some also believe
that lowering the voting age
FIGURE 5–3 “Why should I vote? How is my vote would give politicians more
going to make any difference? I have other things to reason to pay attention to
do with my time.” issues related to education.

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Raising the Voting Age adult population and that they
are less likely to vote anyway.
Questions
On the opposing side of this
Some have pointed out that the 1.
issue are those who believe
human brain does not finish about a possible change in
that the conversation should
maturing until the mid-20s, so it
be about raising the voting age
does not make sense for youth
to 21 rather than lowering it 2. a) Prepare a T-chart.
to vote until their brains have
to 16. The supporters of this Record arguments for
developed more fully.
argument point out that since and against lowering the
Mark Holland’s bill to lower
most young people do not voting age.
the voting age did not become
work full-time, they do not have b) State your opinion about
a law, but it did spark a national
the same stake in society or which side of the debate
debate on the issue of the
understand how taxes work. you support and why.
appropriate age to vote.
They also think that youth are 3. For several different
not as well-informed as the countries, find out the
minimum voting age and
the percentage of eligible
voters who voted in recent
elections. How does the
minimum voting age seem
FIGURE 5–4 Minimum voting ages vary around the world. The vast majority of countries to affect voter turnout?
around the world have a minimum voting age of 18 years old. However, there are some
countries with voting ages that are younger or older. What do you think the minimum
voting age should be?

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