Bill: the House of Commons opposes the right to vote from 16 years old

Federal Liberals and Conservatives have opposed the advancement of an NDP bill to lower the voting age to 16.

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The proposal, sponsored by New Democrat from British Columbia Taylor Bachrach, had however received the support of elected members of the Bloc Québécois.

“The issues we are discussing these days in Parliament, such as the climate crisis or access to housing, are issues that have a big impact on young people, and that is why I believe they have the right to have a say in the elections,” Mr. Bachrach said during a press briefing before the vote.

The result of the vote is not a surprise. The bill had been tabled in the spring and had already been debated.

Note that the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) gave its members aged 14 and over the right to vote during the last leadership race. The race ended with the election of Pierre Poilievre.

The bill had received the support of several organizations representing young people across the country.