I would simply observe that I think we teach many of the wrong lessons about democracy in our high schools. Even the structure of student government teaches people, from a very young age, that they can opt out and leave it to other kids, who often have various sorts of privileges and advantages and are recognized as young leaders, to gallop ahead. It establishes a norm in which most people are relatively passive spectators of this thing called politics.
We have better models. Recently, the Senate convened Canada's first climate youth citizens' assembly, building off the B.C. model Mr. Wilkinson mentioned.
Let's recall that 58% of Canadians voted for electoral reform in B.C. I can't recall a government that's ever been elected with 58%.
When we invite people to do real work and serve in a capacity that lets them grapple with real problems, Canadians, time and again, spring into action, young and old. There have been 1,500 assemblies globally. It's one of Canada's proudest democratic exports.