Thank you.
I'd like to thank all the witnesses for their testimony and for their patience with us as we dealt with some political issues in the House of Commons today.
Mr. Beebe, I'll start with you. As you gave your testimony, I noted your observation that political engagement, particularly among younger people, is lower and probably going in the wrong direction. I find it ironic that the more social media we have, the less social our society seems to become. This is not really a question; it's just a comment, but it is the basis of my next question.
A number of you noted that voter turnout has been going down. There was a record high of almost 80% in 1958 with John Diefenbaker's landslide victory. These days it's typically less than 60%, sometimes even less than 50% provincially. It's definitely heading in the wrong direction. When I knock on doors during campaigns, I often ask people if they follow politics. They often go, “I'm sorry. I don't, really.” This is their choice. We want an engaged public, but they have a choice about how engaged they want to be. I wonder if you could comment on that.
I have some quotes from your website. You state, “The promise of democracy is that everyone has a voice in shaping the future they want for themselves, their families, and their communities.” You go on to say, “People who are least likely to participate are rarely disengaged by choice. They are excluded by design.” In the last provincial election, 40% of British Columbians decided not to vote. Did they not vote by choice or by design?