For students at Vernon鈥檚 Mission Hill Elementary School, Saturday鈥檚 provincial election is a prime opportunity to learn about the democratic process.
After more than a week of lessons on local candidates, the voting process and other election topics, six classes from Grades 4-7 made their way to the voting booths 鈥� stationed conveniently at the head of their classroom.
Grade 5-6 teacher Chantz Fitchett said his students鈥� understanding and enthusiasm about the election grew noticeably over the past week.
鈥淭aking an interest in politics early is very valuable,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd it hopefully gets them talking with their parents about the election, the process and who the kids are interested in among the different candidates in our district, as well as the provincial leaders too.鈥�
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The mock vote was an early opportunity for the students to think about the issues they care about. For Grade 6 student Emily Miles, health care and business support top the list. She鈥檚 also learned there鈥檚 more to a candidate than the platform of the party they run for.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been learning about local candidates and we鈥檝e been seeing where they stand with their party and how they can be different from their parties,鈥� she said.
Grade 6 student Katie Flint said she鈥檚 learned that not all politicians are as bad as they鈥檙e made out to be 鈥� but she prefers candidates who 鈥渕ake doable promises.鈥�
鈥淪ome parties talk about changing the whole province overnight,鈥� she said.
Easton Quigley has noticed there鈥檚 often a difference between what politicians say and what they do.
鈥淥nce you look into it you realize there鈥檚 different layers to what they do,鈥� the Grade 5 student said. 鈥淭hey make a lot of promises 鈥� but when you actually see what they鈥檙e doing, on their website even, it鈥檚 completely different.鈥�
Were he old enough to vote this year, Quigley says he鈥檇 cast his ballot for whichever candidate is most likely to raise minimum wage and support retail workers during COVID.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e working twice as hard, and they鈥檙e not getting paid as much,鈥� he said.
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