Youth Newsletter August 2017
Name this newsletter contest winner!
Meet Kandeel Imran, a strong youth leader from Toronto, Ontario. Kandeel is dedicated to advocating for commendable causes through her work at non-profit organizations focused towards social action for low-income youth, refugees, and women and girls – she has already accumulated over 300 volunteer hours! This fall, she is entering the Co-op Social Sciences and Humanities program at the University of Toronto, where she hopes to major in Public Policy.
She chose the name “Leaders Today Canada” because she believes that young people are the leaders of today and that investing in them means a better, more sustainable future for everyone.
Have your say!
Canada’s energy future: What does it look like to you?
Meeting our climate change goals is one of the greatest challenges of this generation. The ways we make, move and use energy will need to change. We want you to help define how.
The Government of Canada is listening to Canadians from across the country and from all sectors and backgrounds about trade.
A food policy for Canada
The decisions we make as individuals and as a country about food have a direct impact on our health, environment, economy, and communities. When it comes to developing a Food Policy for Canada, what matters to you?
Make your voice heard!
Help inform a new approach to the collection, use and display of sex and gender information in federal programs and services. Send us your suggestions before August 31st of transgender, gender non-binary and two-spirit leaders we should speak with who are advocates for gender identity and gender expression rights. Consultations will begin taking place in the fall of 2017.
For more Government of Canada consultations, check out Canada.ca/consultingcanadians.
Did you know? Saturday, August 12, was International Youth Day. Hear what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
and Ms. Sophie Grégoire Trudeau had to say to commemorate the day. Watch the video here.
Proposed cannabis legislation
The Government of Canada committed to legalizing, strictly regulating and restricting access to cannabis. To get ready for this change, we are developing a public education campaign to ensure that you have the information you need about cannabis, from the therapeutic uses, to the dangers of drug-impaired driving.
We want to make sure that the information we give you, and the way we provide it, meets your needs. Let us know what you think about planned public education activities related to cannabis. We want your opinions on web content, messages and tools that you would find useful and even what kind of videos catch your attention on YouTube. Keep your eye out this fall for your chance to get involved and make your opinion count! To learn more about cannabis, visit Canada.ca/cannabis.
You’ve been celebrating Canada 150 all year long, so get out and get moving with Canada’s Play List. Try as many as you can before summer is gone!
You’re already making a difference in your community, so why not show us how?
Use the hashtag #LeadersToday and share your stories!
What’s the Prime Minister’s Youth council up to?
Since our last newsletter, the Prime Minister’s Youth Council has been involved in a number of policy briefings and discussions with the Prime Minister, ministers, and senior officials. They held their third in-person meeting in May on the role of youth in the national project of reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples – check out the highlights video. The Council has also had the chance to contribute to dialogue on issues important to them and to Canada, including discussions on creating new accessibility legislation, developing a Canadian Poverty Reduction Strategy, improving youth employment and developing Canada’s future energy policy.
The Council will hold its next in-person meeting in September where members will explore issues related to young people living in rural and remote communities, including discussions on accessibility, employment and economic development. Have ideas on these issues? Follow and join the conversation using the hashtag #PMYouthCouncil.
Meet Dana Kenny, one of our Youth Council members
Dana Kenny hails from Charlottetown, P.E.I., where he earned a bachelor of arts in Modern Languages at the University of Prince Edward Island. He brings with him experience living abroad in Spain and France, where he’s studied and worked. While serving as President of the UPEI Student Union, he learned that grassroot approaches are best to accomplish sustainable change. Dana is passionate about democratic engagement, promoting la Francophonie, and improving supports for victims of sexual assault through policy development and education. Dana loves tossing frisbees on the beach and singing (off-key) with a group around a bonfire!
Interested in applying to the Prime Minister’s Youth Council? Sign up here
to be notified when the next selection process is launched!
Young canadians on the world stage
Canada’s youth delegate to the World Health Assembly
Nicola Toffelmire of Kingston was selected to represent Canadian youth at the 70th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, Switzerland from May 22-31, 2017. Currently completing a Master of Public Health at Simon Fraser University, an internship at the WHO Office at the UN and serving on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Coalition for Global Health Research, she spoke with young people across Canada on global health issues in the months leading up to the WHA and integrated their perspectives into Canada’s positions.
As a delegate in Geneva, Nicola participated in WHA sessions and side events, delivered Canada’s statement on dementia, and facilitated a meeting between Canadian youth and Minister of Health, Dr. Jane Philpott on current global health issues, including antimicrobial resistance, health emergencies, and achieving equitable health systems.
Young canadians making a difference
Meet Stella Bowles from Bridgewater, Nova Scotia
Over the past two years, Stella’s idea for a science fair project has taken off and helped drive a campaign to get rid of 600 straight pipes that feed sewage into the LaHave River. With the help of a science mentor, Stella took water samples from four different river locations, the results of which demonstrated that bacteria levels in the river exceeded permitted guidelines.
Her project has not only raised awareness about river pollution in her community but has also led to collaboration between all three levels of government on a river clean-up project that will work towards making the LaHave River straight pipe free in the not so distant future.
As a result of her work, Stella has been presented with the Canadian Wildlife Federation “Wade Luzny Youth Conservation Award” which recognizes Canadian youth who have undertaken habitat conservation projects or activities.
Way to go Stella!
“I think we have a lot of work to do in our environment and I do believe we are the generation to make huge gains to help heal our earth, one straight pipe, river, and community at a time.”
– Stella Bowles
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Canada. Privy Council Office
Title in French: Infolettre jeunesse.
Available also on the Internet: www.canada.ca/youth
© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, 2017.
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