One of the exciting things about this upcoming election season is the sense of change in the air. Under Premier Alison Redford, I see signs of a rejuvenated connection to between Albertans and their government. While this spirit is more noticeable with the PC supporters I talk to while campaigning for nomination in Calgary Currie, I have no doubt that the other parties are feeling a similar infusion of energy.
This is important, not just because it makes communities feel stronger, but because we have an upcoming generation of Albertans that need to feel included in the political process, that provincial politics is a meaningful way for them to make their voices heard. While the video below was created for an American audience, our own Albertans born after 1977 share many of the same concerns and characteristics, and like their American cousins, they are too numerous for us to ignore.
With Premier Redford, we arguably have our first Generation X provincial leader in Alberta. I too am a member of Generation X. As an educator, I am acutely aware that the so-called Millennials outnumber my generation in any given social situation. Whereas we grew up in the shadow of the baby boomers, the numerical superiority of the Millennials allow them to create their own social and cultural reference points. If we do not actively engage them in the political process, if we cannot convince them that politics can be for them and by them as well, then we risk losing them to indifference and apathy.
The party that can engage the Millennials will be the party that leads Alberta into the future.
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