19. motion - OUTREACH TO YOUTH AND FIRST TIME VOTERS

MOTION - SENSIBILISATION AUPRÈS DES JEUNES ET DES NOUVEAUX ÉLECTEURS

Committee RecommendationS

That Council:

1. Approve that Elections Ottawa staff be directed to work with non-partisan, youth oriented groups in Ottawa such as Child and Youth Friendly Ottawa (CAYFO) and the Ottawa Youth Commission (CJOYC) to develop better youth outreach initiatives to promote the importance of youth participating in the electoral process;

2. Request that the Manager of Municipal Elections and Municipal Freedom of Information (MFIPPA), Shane Kennedy, ask school boards in Ottawa to work with the City of Ottawa in an effort to harmonize a Professional Development Day with Election Day to encourage youth voter turnout and participation in the election process; and

3. Approve that the results of these consultations be reported back to the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee and Council in advance of December 31, 2009.

RecommandationS du comité

Que le Conseil :

1. Approuve que l’on demande au personnel d’Élections Ottawa de collaborer avec des groupes neutres axés sur les jeunes à Ottawa, comme Ottawa : Ami de la jeunesse (CAYFO) et la Commission de la jeunesse d’Ottawa Youth Commission (CJOYC), afin de mettre au point de meilleures initiatives de sensibilisation des jeunes visant à promouvoir l’importance de la participation des jeunes au processus électoral;

2. Demande que le directeur des Élections municipales et de l’Accès à l’information municipale (LAIMPVP), Shane Kennedy, demande aux conseils scolaires d’Ottawa de collaborer avec la Ville d’Ottawa en vue d’harmoniser une journée de perfectionnement professionnel et le jour des élections afin d’encourager la participation des jeunes au processus électoral;

3. Approuve que les résultats de ces consultations soient transmis au Comité des services organisationnels et du développement économique et au Conseil avant le 31 décembre 2009.

Documentation

1. Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee report dated
21 November 2007 (ACS2007-CMR-CSE-0015).

2. Extract of Draft Minute, 19 November 2007.

Report to / Rapport au :

Council / Conseil

21 November 2007 / le 21 novembre 2007

Submitted by / Soumis par : Corporate Services

and Economic Development Committee

Comité des services organisationnels et du développement économique

Contact/Personne-ressource : Diane Blais, Committee Coordinator/Coordonatrice du comité,

Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee /

Comité des services organisationnels et du développement économique

580-2424, Ext./poste : 28091 Diane.Blais@ottawa.ca

City Wide / À l'échelle de la ville

Ref N°: ACS2007-CMR-CSE-0015

SUBJECT: MOTION - OUTREACH TO YOUTH AND FIRST TIME VOTERS

OBJET : MOTION - SENSIBILISATION AUPRÈS DES JEUNES ET DES NOUVEAUX ÉLECTEURS

REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS

That Council:

1. Approve that Elections Ottawa staff be directed to work with non-partisan, youth oriented groups in Ottawa such as Child and Youth Friendly Ottawa (CAYFO) and the Ottawa Youth Commission (CJOYC) to develop better youth outreach initiatives to promote the importance of youth participating in the electoral process;

2. Request that the Manager of Municipal Elections and Municipal Freedom of Information (MFIPPA), Shane Kennedy, ask school boards in Ottawa to work with the City of Ottawa in an effort to harmonize a Professional Development Day with Election Day to encourage youth voter turnout and participation in the election process; and

3. Approve that the results of these consultations be reported back to the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee and Council in advance of December 31, 2009.

RECOMMANDATIONS DU RAPPORT

Que le Conseil :

1. Approuve que l’on demande au personnel d’Élections Ottawa de collaborer avec des groupes neutres axés sur les jeunes à Ottawa, comme Ottawa : Ami de la jeunesse (CAYFO) et la Commission de la jeunesse d’Ottawa Youth Commission (CJOYC), afin de mettre au point de meilleures initiatives de sensibilisation des jeunes visant à promouvoir l’importance de la participation des jeunes au processus électoral;

2. Demande que le directeur des Élections municipales et de l’Accès à l’information municipale (LAIMPVP), Shane Kennedy, demande aux conseils scolaires d’Ottawa de collaborer avec la Ville d’Ottawa en vue d’harmoniser une journée de perfectionnement professionnel et le jour des élections afin d’encourager la participation des jeunes au processus électoral;

3. Approuve que les résultats de ces consultations soient transmis au Comité des services organisationnels et du développement économique et au Conseil avant le 31 décembre 2009.

BACKGROUND

At its meeting of 19 November 2007, pursuant to Section 84(3) of the Procedure By-law 2006-462, the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee agreed to consider the above-noted motion, moved by Councillor R. Bloess on behalf of Frank Ferris, a co-op student assigned to work in the Office of Mayor O’Brien. The full text of the motion follows:

WHEREAS the turnout of youth eligible to vote is very low and still decreasing;

AND WHEREAS students in high school who are not yet eligible to vote need to be better educated about the electoral process in order to be more prepared to vote once they are 18 years old;

AND WHEREAS first time and young voters aged 18 to 25 years old need to be encouraged to learn more about their local candidates, political parties and their platforms;

AND WHEREAS first time and young voters aged 18 to 25 years old need to better understand the importance of local government and be encouraged to vote in municipal elections;

AND WHEREAS students are often preoccupied with school and part-time employment and do not have time to vote, participate in the election process and learn about the issues and platforms of their candidates;

AND WHEREAS a Professional Development Day in November where students in most schools in Ottawa have no school is usually near the Election Day on the second Monday of November;

AND WHEREAS the Manager of Municipal Elections and Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA), Shane Kennedy, has indicated that students in schools which have polling stations may be “unsafe” due to the public walking through their schools during class times;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Elections Ottawa staff be directed to work with non-partisan, youth oriented groups in Ottawa such as Child and Youth Friendly Ottawa (CAYFO) and the Ottawa Youth Commission (CJOYC) to develop better youth outreach initiatives to promote the importance of youth participating in the electoral process;

AND THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Council request that the Manager of Municipal Elections and Municipal Freedom of Information (MFIPPA), Shane Kennedy, ask school boards in Ottawa to work with the City of Ottawa in an effort to harmonize a Professional Development Day with Election Day to encourage youth voter turnout and participation in the election process;

AND THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the results of these consultations be reported back to the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee and Council in advance of December 31, 2009.

CONSULTATION

N/A

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

Approval of this report will not result in any financial implications to the City. However, should there be some financial implications associated with the implementation of the recommendations, these will be outlined in the report to come forward from the Manager of Municipal Elections and Municipal Freedom of Information (MFIPPA).

ATTACHMENTS

N/A

DISPOSITION

N/A

Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee Report 17 28 november 2007	Comité des services organisationnels et du développement économique rapport 17 le 28 novembre 2007
Extract of draft Minutes 18 19 november 2007	Extrait de l’ébauche du procès-verbal 18 – le 19 novembre 2007

MOTION - OUTREACH TO YOUTH AND FIRST TIME VOTERS

MOTION - SENSIBILISATION AUPRÈS DES JEUNES ET DES NOUVEAUX ÉLECTEURS

ACS2007-CMR-CSE-0015 City Wide / À l'échelle de la ville

Moved by Councillor R. Bloess

That the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee approve the addition of this item for consideration by the Committee at today’s meeting, pursuant to Section 84(3) of the Procedure By-law.

CARRIED

Mayor O’Brien indicated his office had been blessed to have a young co-op student working with them and providing a youthful insight. He advised that this student, Frank Ferris, was coming to the end of his co-op period and had been working on a motion, which he wished to bring forward to Committee with respect to outreach to and involvement of youth and first-time voters in the political process.

At Mayor O’Brien’s request, Mr. Ferris read his motion into the record.

Responding to a question from Councillor Deans with respect to the motion, Mr. R. O’Connor, City Solicitor confirmed that there was a provision in the legislation, which allowed voters to take time off work in order to participate in an election. However, he believed Mr. Ferris’ motion was broader in terms of proving more of a level of participation and volunteerism with regards to a host of matters surrounding the municipal election.

Following this brief exchange, Committee unanimously approved the motion, moved by Councillor Bloess on behalf of Mr. Ferris.

Moved by Councillor R. Bloess

WHEREAS the turnout of youth eligible to vote is very low and still decreasing;

AND WHEREAS students in high school who are not yet eligible to vote need to be better educated about the electoral process in order to be more prepared to vote once they are 18 years old;

AND WHEREAS first time and young voters aged 18 to 25 years old need to be encouraged to learn more about their local candidates, political parties and their platforms;

AND WHEREAS first time and young voters aged 18 to 25 years old need to better understand the importance of local government and be encouraged to vote in municipal elections;

AND WHEREAS students are often preoccupied with school and part-time employment and do not have time to vote, participate in the election process and learn about the issues and platforms of their candidates;

AND WHEREAS a Professional Development Day in November where students in most schools in Ottawa have no school is usually near the Election Day on the second Monday of November;

AND WHEREAS the Manager of Municipal Elections and Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA), Shane Kennedy, has indicated that students in schools which have polling stations may be “unsafe” due to the public walking through their schools during class times;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Elections Ottawa staff be directed to work with non-partisan, youth oriented groups in Ottawa such as Child and Youth Friendly Ottawa (CAYFO) and the Ottawa Youth Commission (CJOYC) to develop better youth outreach initiatives to promote the importance of youth participating in the electoral process;

AND THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Council request that the Manager of Municipal Elections and Municipal Freedom of Information (MFIPPA), Shane Kennedy, ask school boards in Ottawa to work with the City of Ottawa in an effort to harmonize a Professional Development Day with Election Day to encourage youth voter turnout and participation in the election process;

AND THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the results of these consultations be reported back to the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee and Council in advance of December 31, 2009.

CARRIED