The recent federal election has brought a number of young New Democratic Party (NDP) candidates to Parliament, including four McGill University students in their 20s and one 19-year old. While it’s clear that the wishes of the voters should be respected, the election of very young MPs should not be made a regular custom.
Although these young men and women have clearly shown their interest in the political affairs of their country and their ridings, it’s less likely that they possess the necessary life experience for the position. It takes more than political awareness to fulfill the job. They may possess admirable qualities, and they will undoubtedly put out their best effort, but they are still very young.
An MP is responsible for representing the wishes and concerns of his or her riding. That means having a good understanding of business matters, community issues, and the future needs of the riding. The MP must also represent all of the people in the riding. A 20 year-old may not know the struggles of raising a family or paying off a mortgage.
Being an MP is a high-caliber job. It’s reflected in the $150,000 salary. To deserve this, an MP must demonstrate suitable qualifications. True, not all MPs have degrees, but they do have real-life experience. The five students who were elected to Parliament this month likely don’t have degrees or a great deal of experience. Furthermore, they could be jeopardizing their studies in the process.
These MPs will have to deal with politicians who have decades more experience than they do. How can they command respect?
The point has been made that these five MPs represent the Canadian youth. But an MP doesn’t have to be a youth to represent youth. Senior MPs were once young too, and can draw on that experience. These five MPs have no such advantage with their older constituents.
