Trudeau’s youth council seeks transparency

OPEN TO MAKING MINUTES OPEN TO FOR VIEWING

Members of the prime minister’s youth council want their own activities to be more open and transparent.

Justin Trudeau, who dubbed himself minister of youth, isn’t the one initiating transparency measures, however, despite consistent rhetoric about inclusivity and accountability. Instead, the onus appears to be on council members, aged 16 to 24.

“We have been given some autonomy in terms of building our own agenda,” said Donovan Taplin, 22, from Bell Island, N.L.

Two in-person meetings have been held by far, one with 15 youth in the fall and another, concurrent to the Calgary cabinet retreat in January, with an additional 11 members. Monthly meetings occur online and by teleconference, with the next scheduled for March 28. In the last couple of months, 11 subcommittees have been struck on various policy issues.

Youth have met with cabinet ministers, including Natural Resources Minister James Carr, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan and Environment Minister Catherine McKenna.

Taplin, who has taken a co-ordinating role, said the council is figuring out how best to make their deliberations public, whether through releasing transcripts, summaries of meetings, or issuing media releases.

“I personally would invite and be very open to releasing the minutes of our meetings when the prime minister has been present,” he said.

Neha Rahman, 19, who’s from Toronto but is studying in Montreal, said she has dis- cussed topics such as climate policy, innovation and youth employment in “parlay sessions” with youth from outside the council. Trying to get more ideas from their peers is something others have been working on too.

To share results of those sessions and of bigger meetings, Rahman said, “we’re in the process of trying to have a centralized platform, like a website,” where documents can be uploaded. “Myself, I am definitely open to sharing them.”

Ashley Whiteman, 18, from Edmonton, said she doesn’t want any youth to be excluded from the conversation. “We’re definitely open to the idea of having more transparency,” she said.

Trudeau’s parliamentar y secretary, Peter Schiefke, has offered no specifics in the Commons, only saying the prime minister is proud to have the council in place.

“I can only hope that his pride in creating this council will translate to him valuing the information and the feedback the council gives him,” Taplin said.

“I think it is important to reach out to all groups, even those who are partisan. I want to hear from the Young Conservatives, the Young NDP and the Young Liberals,” he added. “I think it’s important to hear what these groups believe in, what they’re advocating for, what they’re organizing for.”

I ... (WOULD) BE VERY OPEN TO RELEASING THE MINUTES OF OUR MEETINGS WHEN THE PRIME MINISTER HAS BEEN PRESENT