THUNDER BAY — Thunder Bay-Superior North MP Patty Hajdu is touring local schools as she launches the application period for her annual Constituency Youth Council.
Hajdu visited Hammarskjold High School on Tuesday, where she addressed students from Grade 9 to Grade 12.
She encouraged them to apply to join the council, describing it as a leadership opportunity and a chance to discuss important issues facing youth today, including affordability, climate change and mental health.
"It's an opportunity for young people to come together and inform a federal politician about the issues that are relevant to them, in terms of their own lives and life here in our riding," Hajdu said.
But she said youth councils in previous years have also taken on projects on their own, such as collecting donations for food banks, raising awareness of mental health resource needs, and – most recently – creating position papers on transformation within Indigenous Services Canada, the portfolio that she's responsible for in cabinet.
Hajdu said the experience she's had with youth councils has been different every year, as the students "don't shy away from sharing their perspectives on a variety of really difficult and challenging topics."
She's found it helpful, she said, to hear students reflect on their unique struggles with things such as the influence of social media, and the challenge of managing it in day-to-day life.
"Oftentimes what adults think are solutions are not solutions for young people," Hajdu noted, adding that through the youth council she's been able to bring their perspectives to the table as the government considers ways to support better mental health, reduce online harm, or resolve other social issues.
Grade 12 student Rachel Tribe is an enthusiastic member of the current council.
She said the members meet once a month to discuss an issue that's important to them.
"Sometimes our conversations turn and take a new direction....I really enjoy that my voice is heard."
Ella Pilot and Keaton Cristofaro, both in Grade 12, said they're very interested in applying to participate this year.
They're co-presidents of the Student Activity Council at Hammarskjold, and feel that joining Hajdu's youth council will improve their leadership skills.
Cristofaro said "Also, we're law students, so I think seeing that political view is just interesting to us...[and] bringing our own issues up to the federal government is super-cool."
