Liberal Candidates Tracy Calogheros and Matt Shaw brushed off the dreary weather as they officially opened the Liberal Campaign Office before a large crowd in downtown Prince George.
“This community is ready for change. The whole riding, everyone I’ve talked, no matter what logo is on their lapel,” exclaimed Cariboo-Prince George Candidate Tracy Calogheros, “Our whole area is being taken for granted, and it has been for a couple of decades.”
Up next for the Liberal Candidates is their names out there, as supporters left the office with red signs in hand.
Prince George-Peace River-Nothern Rockies candidate Matt Shaw is preparing to travel north to Dawson Creek, Fort. St. John, and Fort Nelson, while noting that he wants to see more money going back to people making less than $200,000 yearly.
“We’d be cutting the middle class tax rate from 21% to 18%, which is actually a fairly big thing,” explains Shaw, “It’s for people raising kids. We want to put in a Canada Child Benefit, which will put hundreds of dollars per month in the pockets of people raising families.”
While young-voter apathy has been a hot topic nationally as of late, the candidates don’t believe that is the case.
Earlier this week, a report by Samara Canada, a non-partisan charity devoted to increasing civic engagement, debunks misconceptions that youth are more politically apathetic than other generations.
Cariboo-Prince George Candidate Tracy Calogheros spoke about her interactions with young people throughout the campaign, and says the way people get involved is changing.
“Sitting back and claiming that youth are apathetic… I don’t think that’s true,” says Calogheros, “I just don’t think that my parent’s generation has spent much time trying to figure out how today’s world communicates. So they translate that as apathy.”
Calogheros says one of the easiest ways for her to stay in touch with supporters is through social media.
Supporter turnout showcased a variety of demographics, from young teens, to 91-year-old Mary Baehr, who joined in the ribbon cutting ceremony.