PARRY SOUND - Youth and politics don't always combine like oil and water.
Local political party riding associations and candidates' campaign teams include those under 35.
During the last federal election the NDP had a 19-year-old in Quebec elected to Parliament. This seems to be paying dividends with more youth - who range in age from teenagers to nearly middle-aged adults - getting involved in this provincial election.
Many of today's youth have different concerns than their parents, and a longer outlook on today's policies, with their entire lives ahead of them. Possibly without yet worrying about a house, job or young family, the focus shifts to the environment, tuition fees and balanced budgets.
All the local campaigns for the Liberals, Green Party, NDP and Progressive Conservatives have youth within their folds for the October 6 election.
That holds true for the campaign for incumbent member of Provincial Parliament Progressive Conservative Norm Miller. The party's local communications campaign chair is 25-year-old Greg Anthony, of Bracebridge. He came to the North Star wearing a conservative blue golf shirt.
"I think there's been a push on both ends - that some of the established people on various parties have seen what the sort of younger generation can bring to a campaign; you know, sort of new ideas, new energy. I think young people have felt this is (a) our-time moment especially with decisions that are being made. Every year a government racks up a deficit that's just delayed taxes on us. I think more and more of us are realizing that the decisions that are made today are going to severely affect our lives in the future and we want to have a say in it."
It's a sentiment shared by the NDPs 22-year-old Candace Jazvac.
"It's our generation that is going to lead us in to the future," said Jazvac, vice-president of the Ontario NDP Youth.
Liberal Cindy Waters' links an increased interest in politics to a newly elected teenage member of Parliament they can identify with, plus education through school curriculum.
"I think that they are becoming more involved and I think the civics classes they have in high school is having a great impact in them coming out," said Waters.
Youth involvement in politics is very evident with the Green Party. The party had a group of high school students speak at its annual general meeting earlier this year.
"We've been encouraging at that level youth participation," said Green's provincial candidate Matt Richter. "In terms of 18-30 year olds - that crowd - it's massive, we're almost flooded with people who want to be involved."
The increase in youth involvement showed itself in the last federal election, especially in the nicknamed Orange Crush that rocked the NDP to the official opposition.
"Youth came out and supported the NDP in great numbers," said Jazbac of the 2011 federal election. "I think what youth want is someone to speak to their concerns."
That is a comment that came from all political parties, along with the desire for forward- and long-term thinking.
Stephanie Myshrall's involvement with the local NDP started two years ago. Now, 31, she's hoping to start a NDP club on the Bracebridge Nipissing University campus, where she started classes this week.
"I just think it would give young people an option to learn about the NDP and to get involved as well," she said. "I think the youth involvement is pretty good. I know everyone I'm friends with, my age and younger, are quite frustrated with the Liberals and Conservatives."
The Progress Conservative's Anthony said any youth involvement in politics is positive.
"One of the things I like to see is people my age coming more involved in politics - it's nothing but a good thing," he said. "Almost half of Norm's campaign team is under the age of 30."
More and more, political communication is moving to social media.
Members of Parliament and provincial parliament have webpages, Twitter accounts and Facebook pages.
Social media is a platform young people especially excel at, although it's not limited to the younger generation.
Many youth are also more affluent then their parents were at their age, with more time on their hands.
"I think it's a number of those factors in that as technology increases, it becomes much easier for people to stay informed to sort of look into things, look into people," said Anthony.
"Social media - that's one of the things that's sort of under my purview I guess as the communications chair for Norm's campaign - and I can tell you that it's a big part of the campaign....social media isn't just the youth vote any more...it's how we communicate"
Limited attention
For Grade 12 Huntsville High School student Kajsa Jansson, youth are attracted to the party that grabs the limited amount of attention they have for politics.
"I am a member of the EcoTribes club at my high school and we are dedicated to promoting greener alternatives," she wrote in an email.
"We are interested in the Green Party for different reasons. First off, being a teenager I do not have to pay any major bills, or need to work to bring in income, and I do not have a family of my own. With all of these factors I do not have to worry about those in other parties platforms. All I worry about are issues that I am passionate about. This just so happens to be global climate change, environmental issues, and human health. I have read the Green Party's platform and it is everything promising for a strong future, which is what I want for my generation and more to come. In high school now teachers really stress about how important it is to change the way we think about our planet. The Green Party is really popular with youths because we do not pay that much attention to politics and the Green Party stands out"
Voting
While the number of younger people lending hands during election campaigns is seemingly increasing, it's not expected to translate into a higher youth voter turnout.
"Honestly? No," said Anthony. "The media has a story and this year it's not going to be that story. They've already used that story with Obama, they are going to need to find something new. I think that this year, when you look at what's happening, this year is going to be about the economy."
Part of low voter turn out for this age group can be associated with the life events they are going through - including leaving home for post-secondary education - that takes more of their attention.
Inge Juneau, campaign chair for PC MPP Norm Miller, used her own son as an example.
He grew up in a household where helping during a political campaign was the norm, but with starting school away from home one month before election day, she expects it'll be an effort to get him the special ballot or write-in ballot - and means she'll have nag him a bit.
"It's too bad, it's so hard to know if you'll get more young people out," said Juneau. "I think the thing of an election being the first month back at school is problematic, because of the young people that are eligible to vote are off to university, like my own son."
That's a reality Parry Sound-Muskoka MPP Norm Miller himself acknowledged.
"It tends to be you're not involved too much in those years but that's how life goes," he said of those under 30.
The NDP's Myshrall did get some first-time voters in her peer group to the polls during the last federal election.
"I got lots of people who haven't voted (before) because I showed them a third option," Stephanie Myshrall's.
While not everyone under 30 is interested in volunteering to knock on doors, hand out pamphlets or participate in an election campaign in any form, there are other ways to become involved.
"Just listen, take the time to hear what going on around you, take time to voice your opinions. People feel politicians are cold, think nothing changes, but it's really anything but," said the NDP's Jazvac." When you get involved you find out they are people the same as you and things can change."