When 20-year-old Halifax psychology student Samantha Pratt slipped her twice-sealed envelope into a ballot box on Canada’s east coast Saturday morning, she may well have been one of the first Canadians to do so in this month’s federal election.“I think it’s really important for our age group to make an impact,” Pratt said.This year, with so many millennials and other young people taking to the streets in recent weeks to demand action on climate change, Star reporters fanned out across the country to see what was motivating early voters, and whether climate-oriented street actions were being carried to the ballot box.Pratt, an Ontarian studying in the university-dense maritime city, cast her ballot as part of a new special program aimed at allowing university students across the country to easily vote in their home ridings even if they’re studying elsewhere. While regular advance polls don’t open until Oct. 11, students, faculty and staff on select campuses across the country got the chance to have their say starting Saturday.Pratt said her vote was primarily decided by three issues: climate action, political commitment to engaging with youth, and support for higher education.Climate was top of mind for every student voter who spoke to Star Halifax on the first day of on-campus voting.Connor Zinck-Marier, a 19-year-old from Bridgewater, N.S., said he was sure politicians would be galvanized into more expedient climate action if everyone in his generation took to the polls.“There would be a big change with that. I think (climate) would be one of the biggest issues that would be dealt with right away.”Zinck-Marier, who’s in his second year of a science degree, said no federal party had a climate action plan “down pat, right now,” but he hoped they would get there soon.“As of now, I think we’re only living until 2050, or something like that. I’d like to live longer than that.&# ...
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