Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to have the opportunity to respond to the issue raised by the member for Huron—Bruce in his original question raised in the House.
The hon. member had asked why Elections Canada was involved in hosting a vote in schools across the country. I believe he was referring to what was known as the national election for the rights of youth. Elections Canada and UNICEF Canada had invited all students under the age of 18 to select which one of the several rights enumerated in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child they felt was most important. These rights include the right to an education; the right to food and shelter; the right to a safe environment and a healthy life; and the right to be treated without discrimination.
The Canada Elections Act gives the chief electoral officer a mandate to implement public education and information programs to make the electoral process better known to the public. Over the years Elections Canada has undertaken numerous initiatives, many of them involving youth, on the importance of voting and other means of participating in our democratic system. Examples are the Forum for Young Canadians, CRB Foundation, regional heritage fairs and Salon Pepsi Jeunesse.
In carrying out such initiatives with Canada's youth, Elections Canada is not indifferent to the fact that the 18 to 24 year old age group registers the lowest rate of participation in the electoral process.
Elections Canada has also developed educational programs to assist schools in explaining how the Canadian electoral system works. Participation of schools in these educational programs, such as the national election for the rights of youth, is always on a voluntary basis. The decision to undertake—