Ottawa — With a fixed election date and the longest pre-election period in history, this federal election could be the most watched ever. But could it also be the one with the lowest voter turnout? To help ensure that's not the case, the Council of Canadians, CUPE, Unifor and PSAC are organizing town halls across the country with one message: Get out and vote!
"This is a watershed election, one that Canadians will remember," said Maude Barlow, National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians. "After nine years of job losses, health care privatization, falling wages, and environmental neglect, it's time for change. But we'll only achieve that change if we all get out and vote."
WHO: Speakers including:
- Maude Barlow, National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians
- Michael Blais, President and Founder of Canadian Veterans Advocacy
- Monika Dutt, Chair of Canadian Doctors for Medicare
- Brigette DePape, Council of Canadians Game-Changers Organizer
- Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, President of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs
- Jessica McCormick, National Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students
- Paul Moist, National President of the Canadian Union of Public Employees
- Jerry Dias, National President of Unifor
- Sylvia Boudreau, Winnipeg Indigenous Rock the Vote Co-organizer
- Joanna Kerr, Executive Director of Greenpeace Canada
- Itrath Syed, Instructor and activist
- Cecilia Point, member of the Musqueam Nation
WHAT: Pre-election town halls in the following locations:
- Vancouver
- Ottawa
- Winnipeg
- Saskatoon
- Toronto
- Scarborough
- Bridgewater
- Moncton
- London
- Vancouver Island
People will be urged to take a Voter's Pledge committing to vote in the next election and encouraging at least two others to do the same.
WHEN: April 30 to June 24 (details available at www.canadians.org/govote2015)
In recent months, as part of the Council of Canadians Game-Changers tour, rogue Senate page Brigette DePape went out to campuses and communities to encourage young people to vote. She visited the University of Winnipeg, the University of Regina, Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, Ryerson University in Toronto, Nipissing University in North Bay, and Mahone Bay. More events are being planned for the summer and fall.
-30-
