Federal Election 2015
Welcome to the Federal Election 2015 page for Collingwood School. We are involved in the student vote program and studying the election in detail in order to help build a stronger Canada. The participation of citizens in the electoral process is a central component of a healthy democracy, yet a marked decline in electoral participation has been observed in Canada and other democracies over the last two decades. In Canada, voter turnout is now 15 % lower than it was following the Second World War. Electoral participation reached an all-time low of 59% in the 2008 federal election and only 61% in 2011. From 1945 -1988 turnout rates rarely fell below 74%. And this phenomenon is not limited to federal politics. In fact, in the 2011 Ontario provincial election, less than half of all eligible voters cast a ballot and in the last BC provincial election barely 55% of eligible voters bothered to show up to the polls.
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We, as a nation, need to remember and recognize that the freedom we have is valuable and precious. We need to once again involve ourselves in the democratic participation of our nation. And most of all we need to acknowledge that we all share in civic responsibility to, at the very least, make our mark when afforded the opportunity.
Over the course of the election, students will compare, and contrast videos, assess candidates and parties, debate policies and promises, fact check the candidate's claims, and attempt to understand their message. Students will get to choose, and ultimately vote for, their candidates in the student vote we will run just before the official election. But most importantly, they will begin the process of becoming engaged, concerned citizens.
Of course, the entire process will be non partisan and left up to the students to decide for themselves who they think will do the best job. So let's get started. Click on the links below to learn more about the federal parties, the candidates in the West Vancouver sea-to-sky riding, or the election in general!
Over the course of the election, students will compare, and contrast videos, assess candidates and parties, debate policies and promises, fact check the candidate's claims, and attempt to understand their message. Students will get to choose, and ultimately vote for, their candidates in the student vote we will run just before the official election. But most importantly, they will begin the process of becoming engaged, concerned citizens.
Of course, the entire process will be non partisan and left up to the students to decide for themselves who they think will do the best job. So let's get started. Click on the links below to learn more about the federal parties, the candidates in the West Vancouver sea-to-sky riding, or the election in general!
Our Student Vote Results
We had a very exciting election day here at school. Our students voted Pamela Goldsmith Jones in with a 7.3% margin over the incumbant, Conservative John Weston. Third spot went to the Green Party's Ken Melemed who managed to capture almost 18% of the vote. The NDP trailed closely behind with less than 10 votes separating them from the Green Party.
Federal Parties/West Vancouver Candidates
ConservativeJohn D. Weston, MP is a Canadian politician, who was elected to represent the electoral district of West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country in the 2008 Canadian federal election. He is a member of the Conservative Party.
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Green
Ken Melamed is a former mayor of Whistler, British Columbia. He is a businessman, conservationist and current Green Party of Canada candidate in West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country.
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LiberalPamela Goldsmith-Jones is the former mayor of West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Goldsmith-Jones attended École Pauline Johnson Elementary School and West Vancouver Secondary School.
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North Vancouver Candidates
Andrew Saxton is a Canadian politician, who was elected to represent the electoral district of North Vancouver in the 2008 Canadian federal election and re-elected in 2011. He is a member of the Conservative Party.
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Claire Martin was a national television weather presenter with CBC Television in Canada. She is a niece of Barbara Edwards, who in 1974 became the BBC's first female weather presenter in the UK.
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Jonathan Wilkinson has had more than 20 successful years in the private sector, having held leadership positions with a number of companies dedicated to the development of green technologies.
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For 16 years, Carleen served as an elected council member for Tsleil-Waututh Nation, where she was responsible for all aspects of community development. In addition to managing justice and culture issues, she worked tirelessly to improve health, education and housing within her community.
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Welcome to the 2015 Federal Election
Sources for the information above:
Elections Canada - http://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?dir=turn&document=index&lang=e§ion=ele
Elections BC - http://www.elections.bc.ca/docs/stats/bc-voter-participation-1983-2013.pdf
CIVIX - http://civix.ca/why-it-matters/
MercyCorps - http://www.mercycorps.org/articles/turkey-iraq-jordan-lebanon-syria/quick-facts-what-you-need-know-about-syria-crisis
Elections Canada - http://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?dir=turn&document=index&lang=e§ion=ele
Elections BC - http://www.elections.bc.ca/docs/stats/bc-voter-participation-1983-2013.pdf
CIVIX - http://civix.ca/why-it-matters/
MercyCorps - http://www.mercycorps.org/articles/turkey-iraq-jordan-lebanon-syria/quick-facts-what-you-need-know-about-syria-crisis