Gen Z revolution

Gen Z is bringing the world’s attention to the power young people have to implement change on a national level.

A wave of Gen Z protests in Madagascar this month forced President Andry Rajoelina to flee the country. The protests are reminiscent of Gen Z-led protests in Nepal this September, which also triggered massive political turnover. 

When considering the spirit of these recent protests, Canada’s political chastity belt becomes much more glaring. 

To extrapolate the metaphor: young Canadians are not politically sterile, but for an array of cultural reasons, our political drive often runs up against a barrier. 

For the last three provincial elections in Nova Scotia (2017, 2021, 2024), voters aged 18-24 consistently recorded the lowest turnout out of all age groups. 

In the 2024 provincial election, only 16.6 per cent of Gen Z showed up at the ballot box. 

Unless a dramatic cultural paradigm shift occurs, it’s hard to imagine Gen Z Canadians engaging in the same sort of political action we’ve seen in Nepal if faced with a similar situation at home. 

There are many reasons for our youth’s apathy towards legitimate political action like voting, protesting, rallying, lobbying and distributing pamphlets and posters. 

The proliferation of the consumer class has resulted in widespread satisfaction with material goods, which limits the urgency that typically drives political action. 

Our focus and attention are repeatedly mined by advertisements and media companies, locking us in a web of distraction. 

Our minds have been peppered with non-stop entertainment, and we have enough GST/HST credit payments to afford Coca-Cola and condoms, leaving us with as much gumption to take to the streets over municipal issues as a sophomore going to class the morning after Gin & Jazz. 

If ever there is a place where the mechanisms of the “developed” world keep the majority of the population apathetic and far from civil unrest, it’s Canada. 

The biggest barrier preventing legitimate political action among Canadian youth might be that protesting can now be simulated without ever leaving the house.

The prominence of “clicktivism” might work to alleviate the overwhelming guilt of complacency in a troubled world, but it also blinds us to what is locally important. 

Our tendency to fixate on issues of global or foreign importance — while undeniably severe and worthy of attention — can also have the effect of eclipsing issues that are closer to home, such as increased cost of living, banking malfeasance, use of force on minorities and other industrial, social and digital misconduct that should warrant resistance.

The importance of focusing on municipal politics, and the issues they both solve and cause, cannot be overstated. Environmental and social injustices can, more often than not, be addressed locally by demanding accountability on the municipal and parochial level. 

The criminal justice system can also pose a threat to young people interested in political resistance. The threat of arrest or detainment while protesting has the potential to torpedo one’s hopes and dreams. 

A criminal record can prevent future travel, employment and a slew of other professional opportunities. In a world where professional development is intricately tied to one’s material well-being, a criminal record can be a straightjacket. 

The question is how can we reset the standard for political action among young people in Canada.

I have always been a fan of non-violent guerilla tactics. Who doesn’t love a good pamphlet or public demonstration? Material sabotage, while effective, is all fun and games until some bystander is crushed by a falling cell tower — and that risks providing the opposition with a martyr. Avoid the creation of martyrs at all costs. 

In all seriousness, the power of youth to change the political landscape should never be underestimated. 

For Canadians, however, it may take time before we get to political revolution.