We’ll said Glen - thank for your cogent comments! I entirely agree with you that voter engagement (and voting period) among young people is critical to a fairer future for all. I believe that lowering the voter age is a smart step towards that goal.
Here in Ontario we finally changed the high school curriculum to include basic financial literacy. How great would it be if the civics course (required in Ontario) included voting (real voting if there happened to be election) but also learning about how to evaluate party platforms, where to get unbiased information such as the GenSqueeze voting guide. If we could get teens registered to vote before leaving high school that would be ideal. Other countries such Nicaragua, Scotland, Isle of Man, Guernsey, Ethiopia, Ecuador, Cuba, Brazil, and Austria already allow voting at age 16. Voting is a skill - it can feel alien if you’ve never done it before so it’s important to demystify this incredibly important civic duty and privilege. Those given the opportunity to vote at 16 are more likely to vote in early adulthood. Engagement in the political process is critical if young people are to have influence and help shape a fairer future.
And then there’s climate change... young people are going to be on this planet a lot longer than us boomers and they deserve a safe and healthy environment. But climate policy requires commitment and a long term plan and the election cycle is too short. We need more young people who are climate minded in the halls of power for long periods of time and that will only happen if we have more engagement from young people in the political process.
I think young adults are often overwhelmed (rent, student debt, climate worry ...) and this state of being overwhelmed leads to a sense of hopelessness and disengagement. And it also makes young people vulnerable to populist sentiments. So let’s engage them before this difficult stage of life is upon them. Let’s get them voting earlier and impress on them that their vote counts!
As a boomer I continue to raise my generational squeeze concerns whenever and wherever I can. We have a lot of institutional structures in place that no longer serve the needs and reality of our times. Time to move the dial and talking openly about this ie. the generational inequity we’ve allowed to develop over decades. Boomers like me want to observe the campground rule - leave this place better than we found it. And there’s a fair bit of work to be done if we’re going to do that.
Thanks to Paul Kershaw and his team at Generation Squeeze for working towards that goal and for creating this public forum.
Excellent Paul! Well answered. In my second post and letter to you I stressed all of us needing to fight for equity. Astra Taylor’s Debt Collective…her practical approaches-Solidarity solutions for those who can’t and won’t pay debt come to mind. I am sure Astra Taylor would be most supportive of Generation Squeeze too! She is giving The Massey Lectures on CBC this November.
It would be great if she drew attention to Generation Squeeze when she delivers her lectures.
Astra is a fellow of the Shuttleworth Foundation for her work on challenging predatory practices around debt. The Shuttleworth Foundation provides funding for people engaged in social change. Possibly a good resource for generation squeeze?
My full posted comment was:
Closing loopholes-simplifying the tax code- ridding of tax shelters and installing a truly progressive tax code- taxing wealth giving benefits to every generation.... thinking along the lines of Universal Basic Income-Universal Basic Needs being met not just for some but for all. Young people without a sense of security are vulnerable to becoming alienated, apathetic and cynical. They are our future. Future policy makers. Wounded citizens tend to be reactionary. And those that succeed in a unfair system are easily inclined to think: “I made it in spite of the unfair system-so it’s not so bad.” Some even grow in their belief that government should get out of the way and let the marketplace decide and lower taxes-supports-government interference for those too lazy to make it. Thus, the popular appeal of Pierre Poilievre.
Getting at the inequality of the generational squeeze will require all of us becoming far more politically active citizens than we are. The squeezed need to vote. Voter turnout in Canada is lowest for young voters. Older generations vote. Public policy reflects those that vote, organize and pressure in solidarity. We all need to pressure and support the most equity driven politicians-parties. Too many young people vote reactionary-vote Conservative reflecting sentiments that government supports don’t work. My efforts are towards making the NDP and Greens more equity driven- to get them off the fence and really stand up to be an alternative. (voters in Alberta reported finding it hard to distinguish the NDP policies from the Conservatives)
So often is the case that young people are overwhelmed from lacking the Security- financial security- lacking the FREEDOM that seniors have to be politically active. Scrapping to get by is no way to get a healthy participatory democracy...which is why I argue for a Universal Basic Income. It would reduce reactionary politics.
At the root of the problem is reactionary narrow interest group politics/policies that keep us too dumb for democracy-for fair play.
I really appreciate your thoughts Glen, and thanks also for bringing our attention to Astra Taylor. I'm eager to look up more of her work, but already I like this quote of hers: "We all need a bit of self-care, but you can't meditate your way or exfoliate your way out of this crisis," Taylor said. "This is absolutely a structural, social and political phenomenon. And that means that we can only actually address it through collective structural solutions." (https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/cbc-massey-lectures-2023-astra-taylor-1.6886197)
This reminds me very much of something we often say at Gen Squeeze: young people can't work their way individually out of these crises. All generations must work together to tackle the root cause. So Mary and Glen, your comments are a wonderful ray of hope that we can build that intergenerational solidarity and a cultural movement "to change the collective imagination" about what young and old, present and future generations owe one another (quoting Rebecca Solnit in the above CBC article).
Getting at the inequality of the generational squeeze will require the generations that are being squeezed to become far more politically active citizens than they are. They need to Vote. And they need to vote for the most equity driven politicians-parties. voter turnout in Canada is lowest for young voters. Public policy reflects those that Vote. And too many young people vote Conservative which cares the least about equity.
Your point about voting is a good one, Glen. Motivating people to vote also means inspiring them to think that political systems can make real change - which makes it worthwhile to show up to support the changes you want to see. When so much political coverage focuses on the negative and the 'scandals' (with an ever-widening definition it seems), it's easier to lose sight of the ways in which our political systems really do work for all of us, every day, when we drive on safe roads, get public pension cheques, or send our kids to public schools. It's a sneaky form of disempowerment. Perhaps lowering the voting age to 16 would help counteract this, by starting young people off voting at a time when they're also learning about history, social sciences and government. UNICEF Canada has done some good work on the voting age and civic education. Check out their submission on electoral reform, for example.
Yes, Andrea! As a retired teacher writing a book I am stressing the need for teaching Civics and teaching it differently than we do. I suggest projects of direct engagement - experiencing how our governments really work, rather than discussing them as abstract theoretical distant things. I also stress a more vigorous approach to teaching media literacy- critical thinking. We are a consumer society when we need to be more of a civics society, a participatory democracy. Ralph Nader was my hero growing up.
Hello Glen. It's a long standing "moral of the GS Story" that politics responds to those who organize and show up. And you are right that voting is a key sign of "showing up." So we have long encouraged voter turn out by younger Canadians.
To facilitate voting (by all age groups), we routinely publish non-partisan evidence-based analyses of platforms that parties put on offer for voters. https://www.gensqueeze.ca/voters_guides We do so in order to reduce the risk that people get discouraged from voting because they find it difficult to make meaning of the many promises made during election campaigns. We can help potential voters decipher whether a promise, and its associated budget allocation, is up to the task of contributing a solution -- according to the best available evidence.
That said, the post by Mary signals how we actually need older voters to cast a ballot for intergenerational fairness. We need Boomers to vote for the healthy, financially secure retirements that they deserve. AND to vote to leave a proud legacy by ensuring that governments raise revenue from (affluent) Boomers in a fair way that reduces the risk they leave unpaid bills for their kids and grandchildren, and ensures there is adequate revenue available to invest urgently in wellbeing, from the early years onwards.
In sum, we need Boomers to vote as Good Stewards, Planning for all Ages, so that we honour the Intergenerational Golden Rule -- treating other generations as we would want those generations to treat our own.
Yes! Yes! Yes! We must delete asap the principal residence tax exemption and have a much higher tax on the capital gain from principal residence selling. And we must check asap all the OAS and GIS eligibility with all the assets, not only income. Many seniors today have much more money with assets, not income, even zero income. This is now a very new situation in our time and our country.
Closing loopholes-simplifying the tax code- ridding of tax shelters and instilling a truly progressive tax code- taxing wealth giving benefits to every generation.... thinking along the lines of Universal Basic Income-Universal Basic Needs being met not just for some but for all. Young people without a sense of security are vulnerable to becoming alienated, apathetic and cynical. They are our future. Future policy makers. Wounded citizens tend to be reactionary. And those that succeed in an unfair system are easily inclined to think: “I made it in spite of the unfair system-so it’s not so bad.” Some even grow in their belief that government should get out of the way and let the marketplace decide and lower taxes-supports-government interference for those too lazy to make it. Thus, the popular appeal of Pierre Poilievre.
Getting at the inequality of the generational squeeze will require all of us becoming far more politically active citizens than we are. The squeezed need to vote. Voter turnout in Canada is lowest for young voters. Older generations vote. Public policy reflects those that vote, organize and pressure in solidarity. We all need to pressure and support the most equity driven politicians-parties. Too many young people vote reactionary-vote Conservative reflecting sentiments that government supports don’t work. My efforts are towards making the NDP and Greens more equity driven- to get them off the fence and really stand up to be an alternative.
So often is the case that young people are overwhelmed lacking the Security- financial security- lacking the FREEDOM that seniors have to be politically active. Scrapping to get by is no way to get a healthy participatory democracy...which is why I argue for a Universal Basic Income. It would reduce reactionary politics.
We’ll said Glen - thank for your cogent comments! I entirely agree with you that voter engagement (and voting period) among young people is critical to a fairer future for all. I believe that lowering the voter age is a smart step towards that goal.
Here in Ontario we finally changed the high school curriculum to include basic financial literacy. How great would it be if the civics course (required in Ontario) included voting (real voting if there happened to be election) but also learning about how to evaluate party platforms, where to get unbiased information such as the GenSqueeze voting guide. If we could get teens registered to vote before leaving high school that would be ideal. Other countries such Nicaragua, Scotland, Isle of Man, Guernsey, Ethiopia, Ecuador, Cuba, Brazil, and Austria already allow voting at age 16. Voting is a skill - it can feel alien if you’ve never done it before so it’s important to demystify this incredibly important civic duty and privilege. Those given the opportunity to vote at 16 are more likely to vote in early adulthood. Engagement in the political process is critical if young people are to have influence and help shape a fairer future.
And then there’s climate change... young people are going to be on this planet a lot longer than us boomers and they deserve a safe and healthy environment. But climate policy requires commitment and a long term plan and the election cycle is too short. We need more young people who are climate minded in the halls of power for long periods of time and that will only happen if we have more engagement from young people in the political process.
I think young adults are often overwhelmed (rent, student debt, climate worry ...) and this state of being overwhelmed leads to a sense of hopelessness and disengagement. And it also makes young people vulnerable to populist sentiments. So let’s engage them before this difficult stage of life is upon them. Let’s get them voting earlier and impress on them that their vote counts!
As a boomer I continue to raise my generational squeeze concerns whenever and wherever I can. We have a lot of institutional structures in place that no longer serve the needs and reality of our times. Time to move the dial and talking openly about this ie. the generational inequity we’ve allowed to develop over decades. Boomers like me want to observe the campground rule - leave this place better than we found it. And there’s a fair bit of work to be done if we’re going to do that.
Thanks to Paul Kershaw and his team at Generation Squeeze for working towards that goal and for creating this public forum.
Excellent Paul! Well answered. In my second post and letter to you I stressed all of us needing to fight for equity. Astra Taylor’s Debt Collective…her practical approaches-Solidarity solutions for those who can’t and won’t pay debt come to mind. I am sure Astra Taylor would be most supportive of Generation Squeeze too! She is giving The Massey Lectures on CBC this November.
It would be great if she drew attention to Generation Squeeze when she delivers her lectures.
Astra is a fellow of the Shuttleworth Foundation for her work on challenging predatory practices around debt. The Shuttleworth Foundation provides funding for people engaged in social change. Possibly a good resource for generation squeeze?
My full posted comment was:
Closing loopholes-simplifying the tax code- ridding of tax shelters and installing a truly progressive tax code- taxing wealth giving benefits to every generation.... thinking along the lines of Universal Basic Income-Universal Basic Needs being met not just for some but for all. Young people without a sense of security are vulnerable to becoming alienated, apathetic and cynical. They are our future. Future policy makers. Wounded citizens tend to be reactionary. And those that succeed in a unfair system are easily inclined to think: “I made it in spite of the unfair system-so it’s not so bad.” Some even grow in their belief that government should get out of the way and let the marketplace decide and lower taxes-supports-government interference for those too lazy to make it. Thus, the popular appeal of Pierre Poilievre.
Getting at the inequality of the generational squeeze will require all of us becoming far more politically active citizens than we are. The squeezed need to vote. Voter turnout in Canada is lowest for young voters. Older generations vote. Public policy reflects those that vote, organize and pressure in solidarity. We all need to pressure and support the most equity driven politicians-parties. Too many young people vote reactionary-vote Conservative reflecting sentiments that government supports don’t work. My efforts are towards making the NDP and Greens more equity driven- to get them off the fence and really stand up to be an alternative. (voters in Alberta reported finding it hard to distinguish the NDP policies from the Conservatives)
So often is the case that young people are overwhelmed from lacking the Security- financial security- lacking the FREEDOM that seniors have to be politically active. Scrapping to get by is no way to get a healthy participatory democracy...which is why I argue for a Universal Basic Income. It would reduce reactionary politics.
At the root of the problem is reactionary narrow interest group politics/policies that keep us too dumb for democracy-for fair play.
I really appreciate your thoughts Glen, and thanks also for bringing our attention to Astra Taylor. I'm eager to look up more of her work, but already I like this quote of hers: "We all need a bit of self-care, but you can't meditate your way or exfoliate your way out of this crisis," Taylor said. "This is absolutely a structural, social and political phenomenon. And that means that we can only actually address it through collective structural solutions." (https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/cbc-massey-lectures-2023-astra-taylor-1.6886197)
This reminds me very much of something we often say at Gen Squeeze: young people can't work their way individually out of these crises. All generations must work together to tackle the root cause. So Mary and Glen, your comments are a wonderful ray of hope that we can build that intergenerational solidarity and a cultural movement "to change the collective imagination" about what young and old, present and future generations owe one another (quoting Rebecca Solnit in the above CBC article).
Getting at the inequality of the generational squeeze will require the generations that are being squeezed to become far more politically active citizens than they are. They need to Vote. And they need to vote for the most equity driven politicians-parties. voter turnout in Canada is lowest for young voters. Public policy reflects those that Vote. And too many young people vote Conservative which cares the least about equity.
Your point about voting is a good one, Glen. Motivating people to vote also means inspiring them to think that political systems can make real change - which makes it worthwhile to show up to support the changes you want to see. When so much political coverage focuses on the negative and the 'scandals' (with an ever-widening definition it seems), it's easier to lose sight of the ways in which our political systems really do work for all of us, every day, when we drive on safe roads, get public pension cheques, or send our kids to public schools. It's a sneaky form of disempowerment. Perhaps lowering the voting age to 16 would help counteract this, by starting young people off voting at a time when they're also learning about history, social sciences and government. UNICEF Canada has done some good work on the voting age and civic education. Check out their submission on electoral reform, for example.
https://www.unicef.ca/sites/default/files/2016-10/UNICEF%20Canada%20Submission_Voting%20Age%20Final.pdf
Yes, Andrea! As a retired teacher writing a book I am stressing the need for teaching Civics and teaching it differently than we do. I suggest projects of direct engagement - experiencing how our governments really work, rather than discussing them as abstract theoretical distant things. I also stress a more vigorous approach to teaching media literacy- critical thinking. We are a consumer society when we need to be more of a civics society, a participatory democracy. Ralph Nader was my hero growing up.
Hello Glen. It's a long standing "moral of the GS Story" that politics responds to those who organize and show up. And you are right that voting is a key sign of "showing up." So we have long encouraged voter turn out by younger Canadians.
To facilitate voting (by all age groups), we routinely publish non-partisan evidence-based analyses of platforms that parties put on offer for voters. https://www.gensqueeze.ca/voters_guides We do so in order to reduce the risk that people get discouraged from voting because they find it difficult to make meaning of the many promises made during election campaigns. We can help potential voters decipher whether a promise, and its associated budget allocation, is up to the task of contributing a solution -- according to the best available evidence.
That said, the post by Mary signals how we actually need older voters to cast a ballot for intergenerational fairness. We need Boomers to vote for the healthy, financially secure retirements that they deserve. AND to vote to leave a proud legacy by ensuring that governments raise revenue from (affluent) Boomers in a fair way that reduces the risk they leave unpaid bills for their kids and grandchildren, and ensures there is adequate revenue available to invest urgently in wellbeing, from the early years onwards.
In sum, we need Boomers to vote as Good Stewards, Planning for all Ages, so that we honour the Intergenerational Golden Rule -- treating other generations as we would want those generations to treat our own.
Yes! Yes! Yes! We must delete asap the principal residence tax exemption and have a much higher tax on the capital gain from principal residence selling. And we must check asap all the OAS and GIS eligibility with all the assets, not only income. Many seniors today have much more money with assets, not income, even zero income. This is now a very new situation in our time and our country.
Mary’s proposals are excellent.
Closing loopholes-simplifying the tax code- ridding of tax shelters and instilling a truly progressive tax code- taxing wealth giving benefits to every generation.... thinking along the lines of Universal Basic Income-Universal Basic Needs being met not just for some but for all. Young people without a sense of security are vulnerable to becoming alienated, apathetic and cynical. They are our future. Future policy makers. Wounded citizens tend to be reactionary. And those that succeed in an unfair system are easily inclined to think: “I made it in spite of the unfair system-so it’s not so bad.” Some even grow in their belief that government should get out of the way and let the marketplace decide and lower taxes-supports-government interference for those too lazy to make it. Thus, the popular appeal of Pierre Poilievre.
Getting at the inequality of the generational squeeze will require all of us becoming far more politically active citizens than we are. The squeezed need to vote. Voter turnout in Canada is lowest for young voters. Older generations vote. Public policy reflects those that vote, organize and pressure in solidarity. We all need to pressure and support the most equity driven politicians-parties. Too many young people vote reactionary-vote Conservative reflecting sentiments that government supports don’t work. My efforts are towards making the NDP and Greens more equity driven- to get them off the fence and really stand up to be an alternative.
So often is the case that young people are overwhelmed lacking the Security- financial security- lacking the FREEDOM that seniors have to be politically active. Scrapping to get by is no way to get a healthy participatory democracy...which is why I argue for a Universal Basic Income. It would reduce reactionary politics.