Third-year political science student Justin Reist is looking to trade classroom theory for real-world experience in the upcoming provincial election, Oct. 6.
Reist, the Green Party of Ontario candidate for the Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry riding, got involved with the party in February when he said he worked on federal leader Elizabeth May’s campaign. He currently sits on the Young Greens' Council as the Anglophone communications chair.
Reist said he decided to run because he is passionate about green politics and so there would be a Green party option in the neighbourhood.
“I felt sort of a duty I guess, like if they didn’t have that chance [to vote Green], I was letting them down,” he said. “I feel like the ideas that I’m presenting are ideas that they would relate to if they had the chance to hear them.”
Sustainable economic development is a major voter issue this election, he said.
“People are just very worried about not only their job security, but having good jobs,” Reist said. “Our current trend right now is toward part-time positions, [which is] creating jobs, but not lasting jobs that are helping local economies in the long run.”
The party's plan to reduce the payroll tax will help “create those longer term opportunities,” he said.
Balancing his current academic responsibilities with politics isn’t an easy task, he said.
“The riding is in the Cornwall area [and with school] I don’t really have the chance to get into the riding. So it’s kind of forced me to be innovative and find new ways to talk to people and connect with people,” he said.
Resit said he uses social media platforms and Skype video chat to stay in touch with voters and Twitter to stay on top of local issues. The experience has been largely positive, he said, adding that he would encourage other young people with an interest in politics to get involved.
“It’s so, so, so important,” he said. “I would encourage any young person, even if you’re not going to run, just to get involved with the local party. It’s so educational and it opens your eyes to this whole other level of politics that you didn’t know about. You learn so much about politics and community, and you learn so much about yourself too . . . I would highly, highly recommend it.”