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Sam Oosterhoff is a Conservative MPP in Ontario. He& #39;s 23 now, was first elected at 19. He& #39;s done some questionable things lately and is much in the news. People have asked if it& #39;s fair to say it& #39;s because he& #39;s young, or just because he& #39;s an evangelical conservative. #onpoli 1/10
First, let me say it& #39;s entirely possible to be a thoughtful, conservative person of faith and occupy public office with dignity. I may not agree with a person like that, but we& #39;re all in Canadian society together and need to coexist. Government is how we do that. #onpoli 2/10
I do think it& #39;s ridiculous to elect a teenager to Parliament, whether a right-wing or a left-wing teen. Folks have said teens can show great leadership and potential. True. They& #39;re at the forefront of climate change issues, for one. But public office demands more. #onpoli 3/10
Forget about voting in Parliament. MPPs run constituency offices - a vital service. People go there when they aren& #39;t getting their disability cheques, when their landlord is trying to evict them illegally. I& #39;m sorry, but someone with experience should be in charge. #onpoli 4/10
I& #39;m not against youth involvement in politics. Far from it. The voting age should be 16, if not lower. There should be all kinds of programs and opportunities for youth to be involved at almost every level, whether learning at entry level or substantial leadership. #onpoli 5/10
The problem is that being a Member of Parliament can never be an intern position. There& #39;s no training wheels. This is the final backstop of responsibility in our government. Every buck stops here, eventually. These are literally the people who make our laws. #onpoli 6/10
Truthfully, I don& #39;t believe the problem is that people think too much of Sam Oosterhoff. I believe people think too little of government, and of Parliament. And however tempting it may be to get on that bandwagon, it& #39;s a habit we must all fight against. #onpoli 7/10
Government is how we organize ourselves as a society. It& #39;s how we protect and care for our must vulnerable. It& #39;s the only way we all act together. However much some government or politician may have pissed you off, in the end you either believe in that goal or not. #onpoli 8/10
We should empower young people, absolutely, but not to the point of devaluing public office and the responsibilities that come with it. Elected office should be the culmination of a career - ideally a successful one outside politics - and not where someone starts. #onpoli 9/10
