As part of its youth action plan, the Charlevoix-Est MRC is concerned about young people's lack of interest in democratic life.

"We realized that there was little awareness before the age of 18. So you turn 18, but you don't know anything. You have the right to vote, but you don't know what it is to vote, who I should vote for, how I register, who I choose and why," notes one of the organizers, Dulce Vivar, Territorial Development Officer with the Charlevoix-Est MRC.

An interactive workshop was therefore organized to prepare them. They will all have the right to vote within a year.

"Voting is the basis for expressing political ideas in society. I think you have to start voting, and then I can't wait to vote to say: yes, I'm involved in politics," says CECC student Nicolas Bergeron. "There's so much going on that I really feel I have to voice my opinion, I feel it," adds fellow student Marie-Louise Gagné.

These future citizens are themselves concerned by issues that affect them directly.

"We see a lot of the exodus of young people to the cities and then fewer people here. I think we need to offer more leisure activities, and find ways to make young people want to stay here," says Nicolas Bergeron. "Especially when it comes to education, and the budget cuts that are affecting us at the Cégep a lot right now," says Marie-Louise Gagné.

According to the organizers, even if young people are interested in politics, we need to reach out to them in their own communities and stimulate their desire to get involved.

"You can talk about politics in class, then stay in class, but if you don't do politics, or if you don't go out and meet people who do, you're missing the point. It's a bit like learning how to cook, and then just having people read cookery books," says Karine Dufour-Cauchon, a political science and economics teacher at the CECC.

For the MRC, it's never too early to raise awareness. The workshop was also given to students at Plateau high school.

Source: cimtchau.ca/