A lot of the political analysis I've been reading lately seems to point to one thing. Politicians ignore young people's key issues because young people vote in very low numbers. It's easy to understand why - most parties that represent our views are traditionally marginalized, it's harder to vote when you're in the limbo between living in one city for school and having your permanent address in another city, and those politcians really don't seem to care about us.

We have to make them notice us by voting, of course, but we also need to make them notice us before there is anything to vote on. So the homework for everyone reading this who is under 25 is to engage in one piece of political activism at each level (local, provincial, federal) before each respective election. A piece of political activism can be writing or emailing your representative, writing a letter to the editor, starting a petition - anything to indicate your support for or disapproval of any issue. Those who have two addresses depending on the time of year can rightfully write to their representatives in each jurisdiction, thus being heard twice!

If every young person in the country spoke out and said "I'm here, and I have political opinions too!" those grownups would think twice before marginalizing us.

So get out there, do something, and pass this message on.