FNU students take voting project to the next level

A group of First Nations University’s (FNU) northern campus are welcoming anyone who feels marginalized by society – particularly focusing on aboriginal people – to learn about the importance of voting.

The Monday afternoon information session at the Indian Metis Friendship Centre runs from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., and was organized by seven students in Prince Albert.

“We all know the historic arrangements with aboriginal people and all the [voting] suppression that’s been involved with them,” said second-year sociology student, Ashley Peterson.

Now in her second year at FNU, Peterson said studying for her bachelor’s degree in social work taught her about the staggering numbers when it comes to First Nations voting.

“It’s an upwards of 80 per cent or more of aboriginal youth ages 18-25 that don’t vote, that is a big number and that is a big problem and that’s why we chose to do that,” she said. “We felt that it was really important to spread awareness throughout the city of aboriginal voter turnouts and the lack of it.”

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This began as an assignment for Peterson, but has grown into much more.

“The goal of our class, since it’s a sociology class, we’re supposed to target a group of marginalized people that [are] dealing with a social problem,” Peterson said.

“We decided to create social innovation along with equal, and accurate representation for aboriginal people.”

Peterson describes the students in her group as overly enthusiastic about the topic.

“We want to help the world that’s kind of the cliché for undergraduate social workers but I don’t see it as a bad thing,” she said.

But it’s an uphill battle when the issue of voter apathy – something particularly tough with aboriginal youth – comes into play.

“I think there’s a huge lack of interest in the government and their decisions. People don’t feel like it affects them, people just don’t care,” she said.

“We’re trying to create excitement about our involvement and everyone’s involvement with the government’s decisions and … we know that change starts with the youth.”

The Monday session will focus on letting people know more about federal political parties and what they offer to the public, but Peterson says “we’ll leave it up to each individual to decide what they think is best.”

Peterson said she hopes this program is the first of many where the lack of voting is addressed and therefore increases voter turnout.

“All I know is that people say they want change but they’re not doing anything about it, people will complain about Harper and the Government but they haven’t voted and that’s not good,” she said, adding “I always hear ‘oh well, it’s just one vote, my vote doesn’t matter,’ but when you add up all those votes from everyone saying that, that’s a big thing.”

kbruch@panow.com

On Twitter: @KaylaBruch1