LOGAN MCLELLAN

CONNECTION: CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATE FOR EGMONT, P.E.I.

Though he’s always had a keen interest in the political process, Logan McLellan never imagined he’d be running for member of Parliament at 26 years old.

McLellan, a financial advisor by trade, said he spent about a year considering getting involved in politics before finally deciding to go for it last October, and he said it was actually his background in finance that inspired his decision.

As a young person living in P.E.I., McLellan said he sees first-hand the need for good-paying jobs in the region.

“I was seeing a lot of issues across the board from that side of things, the cost of living and different aspects of life for really affecting the everyday individual in my riding,” he said. “Rather than just complaining about it, I decided that I should step up and be a part of some of the solutions.”

McLellan, whose election team is comprised mostly of people under 30, said younger people engage differently in the political process than their older counterparts, with social media being a crucial part of that. He said it’s important for politicians to understand how to communicate with their younger constituents in a way that reaches them.

“As a millennial and with gen Z as the next generation, generally they vote every single day on social media -- that's whether they like a photo, comment on a post, or ignore a post,” he said. “So if we can translate that over the political process I think we'd be farther ahead than we are right now.”