THIS MONTH, North Vancouver teens are being asked to participate in a referendum on- the Young Offenders Act. The results could help mould changes to the act. How do you feel about having 4 chance to participate in the democratic process? Will you vole? Why?

Telephone referendum gives teens their first chance to vote ©

EVER SINCE it was origi- nally passed in 1984, the Young Offenders Act has sparked controversy and debate throughout Canada. It seems that everyone has an | opinion regarding the act, from: “it’s far too lenient on young offenders,” to “It’s our job to teach

Beret Lo youth right and wrong and they. “Shouldn't t be punished harshly | ifw we “Fail i in thatjob.”,;. “But no matter which side is ~ - taken ¢ or opinion voiced; almost’ ; everyone feels that there should be - some changes made to the act... ’ For those of you who have been . living in a cave for the past 10... “years, the Young Offenders Actis a set of rules for the sentencing of” “offenders between the ages of 12. “and 1

PINISHED..WONDERS WHAT A.SLCK CK OF BRSHT. “RED PAINT WILL .. DO FOR A GARDEN SEAT!

, LEADBELLIES

Under the act, a young offender cunnot receive a sentence of more than two years imprisonment for

‘any crime except murder.

Youths convicted of murder can

be sentenced to five years imprison- -

ment or they can be tried as an adult

and face a possible life sentence. All youths are tried by a judge

rather than a jury, and the identities

‘ of young offenders are kept strictly

private.

The Young Of fenders Act also has provisions that guarantee a youth's right to legal counsel and the non-disclosure of the name of.

-any youth called to testify at a crim-

inal trial.

Now, the residents of North Vancouver will'get a chance to vote on proposed changes to

the. Young Offenders. Act. Ted White, mem- _~ber of parliament for

. North Vancouver has

announced the coun- try’s first electronic

-referendum where we “vote via a touch tone

phone. .

Each registered. voter will receive a personal identification

number (PIN) in the mail.

- Voters simply dial a 1-900 num- ber and enter their PIN using a “touch tone phone. They will then be : asked three questions to which they will give YES or NO answers.

There. will, however, be an aver-,

OH RELAX, WALTER... HES JUST REBELLING!

age charge of $1.95 for each vote to cover the costs of this technology.

Personally, | like the idea of being able to use my democratic right from the comforts of my own home, but having to pay for that right is another story entirely.

I know two bucks isn’t very much in the grand scheme of things, but I find the principle of paying to vote quite abhorrent.

But every cloud has a silver lin ing. Teens are to be given the chance to vote on this important issue. High school students will be able to vote using a different set of PINs in their own poll.”

J was overjoyed when I first learned this. { feel it is only right to

ask the opinion of teens, as they will ~-

&@ How do you feel about this new, vote by phone system?

> Sara: “Tt think it's a lot easier, ‘especially for people that can’t get out and around as much as they used too. You know, like older peo- ple.”

> Chris: “I don’t know how it's going to work. I don't know if there are ways for people to end up voting twice by taking other people's PIN which would be easy to do. There might be a lot of double voting. I

don’t know, [ think the phone thing .

is lazy. I think going down there and voting gets you more involved in politics. But, I Buess that’s what the 20th century is — the lazy cen- tury.”

> Oliver: “I think it’s a goad idea, *

66 [feel it is only right to ask the opinion of teens, as they will be greatly affected by any changes’ to the Young Offenders Act:99 _:

be greatly cflected by any changes ¢ to the Young Offenders Act.

But how do ny fellow teens feel about this new way of voting and

_ their first opportunity to vote, |

wondered.

© O.K. Elkins

Toman ews Comtss

, because everything's secret, right. °

There's no one to coerce you when you go up to vote, When you walk _ into a normal place, most of the time there’s someone there. saying . “vote for me, vote for this, vote for « that." Well, now there’s not going: to be anybody telling you what to do, you just vote the way your opin-' ion tells you to.”

>, Tim: “Well, it’s certainly a new; °°

innovative type of idea, but 1 think ~ there could be some problems with it. Trying to get people to call is dif- ficult; but it’s also difficult trying't - get people into'a certain area just to -vote or to write on a ballot. I think it - might be-a bit more successful than walking into.a certain place in your city and trying to fill out the ballot, * because you’ve got the people at: “home and they don’ t have to Bo out: anywhere.” ; ;

Gf What do you think about being «:... charged $1.95 for each call f in vote? : > Sara: “| think i iv s ridiculous because we could stil] go out and vote at our school like we would:: normally and it would be just the same. But; having to pay to vote, they’re not going to get any teenagers to do it: Like, in my

_ socials class they asked us if we would and nobody said, ‘yes’. > Chris: “I know because of thal, a lot of people won’t vote which is really sad. It sort of makes it sound -

- like one of those entertainment call lines where you pay your 50 cents a minute and g get your horoscope or

. something.” z > Oliver: “Well I really don't mind because in any normal election you have to pay to vote through your taxes anyway. We're just paying $1.95, it’s not going to kill us. A whole two dollars, | mean this could

. make the difference between gangs

members getting out in six months

to getting out in 10 years,”

> Tim: “This is where I think they're going to have troubles because basically people vote

because they feel they want to make °": .

.a change and it’s easy to do, it’s free * to do, But, now they're going to

have to pay for it and a lot of people... are going to get turned off.on the | idea. It’s like one of those party: lines, 50 cents a minute o¢ whatever, people don’t call it up becatise they. don’t want to Spend | the money, ;

&3 How do you fect about students ~ __ getting the opportunity to ote on _ this issue? 0» “> Chris: “For the Young. Offenders Act, think it "s needed. I “you listen to newscasts where they interview teens, they-ail say the. same thing. I mean if teens ‘are ‘thinking that the Young Offenders _-Act should be tougher, I think that

~ should tell the general public a lo .> Oliver: “On one hand it's a teal-

“ay good idea because.a lot, of people like the ones‘who'don't get int ‘trouble; are going tc'vote to’ m ‘the act tougher! On the other harid everybody who gets in trouble are

= going to vote against changes to the

think’p - ple don’t give, students the credit *, that’s due; because I knew studen _who walk around the school at the :. time of- elections and that’s ali that’s on their mind.. They have such int _ esting views and it comes out 'in® _ classrooms | during discussions b + they don’t'get the opportunity to make a difference.‘It’s great th

“we're ‘finally able to speak ¢ our’

minds i in something as im rtant

three questions which. be asked i in Referendum 794" are:

_,court allows proceedings to be ma

“ public and-longer. sentences imposed. Should there bé‘dutomatic tansfer to adult court for young.

*\ offenders charged with serious

offenses suchas murder? (3) Should there be a special ca cat- -egory in the Young Offenders’ Act

- which would provide harsher penal--

ties for dangerous, violent, and tepeat offenders?. .

Once all the given res ponses are _ tabulated into both’a majority poll " and student poll; the results will be - used as a guidelines for a new bill ©: which will be taken before parlia- °° =, ment. If you want for more informa-. ‘tion or help regarding Referendum:

“04, call the Help Linc at 666-8378

; Craig Hashimoto is 18 years old, and a Grade 1} student at Argyle secondary school. He's into’: Skiing, writing and loud music. -; . Hashimoto has politician, writer or engineer. among his possible career goals,

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