CBC News London was at Forwell Hall on Thursday, interacting with students to gauge their awareness about the municipal elections and the issues that matter to them.
“We’re doing this for a lot of CBC newsrooms across Ontario,” said Hala Ghonaim, the community engagement producer for Ontario.
CBC reporter Kendra Seguin speaking with a student at the ‘Speaker’s Corner’ in Forwell Hall. The CBC hoped to learn what issues in the municipal elections matter most to students.
Photo by: Curtis Stokman
Beside the kiosk was a ‘Speaker’s Corner’, where students could be filmed answering questions about issues in the city election. If they declined that option, students could instead fill out a survey, and no matter what they chose they could grab a CBC-themed tote bag, pens, and other items as souvenirs.
“We decided to also go the extra mile,” Ghonaim said.
Lya Skinner and Eve Brandael-McKay, both students in Fanshawe’s Fine Art Foundations program, said that the giveaway items were what attracted them to the kiosk.
“I saw a spork on the [kiosk],” said Skinner. “It really catches your eye.”
The free items were simply the first step, though. Before long, both Skinner and Brandael-McKay were speaking with CBC reporter Kendra Seguin on the issues that mattered the most to them in the city. Both cited the affordability crisis and London’s unemployment rate, which currently sits at 8.7 per cent according to Statistics Canada, as being important.
Ghonaim said that affordability and cost of living were the major issue for most students.
“Another issue that’s been raised is also transit… getting from Point A to Point B is taking a really long time, so they’d like their elected officials to do something about that,” she said.
Ghonaim also said that while students seemed to know what issues were important to them, awareness of the city elections was mixed.
“This could look like… they know there’s a municipal election coming up,” she said. “But they’re unsure when voting day is or where to go to vote.”
Skinner and Brandael-McKay said this was their first time hearing about the elections, which speaks to the trend in London of a lack of youth voter engagement.
Even so, after stepping in front of the camera for the CBC and receiving their free pens and disposable cutlery, Skinner and Brandael-McKay
Tote bags at the CBC kiosk. Items such as these were offered to Fanshawe students who spoke to the reporters.
Photo by: Curtis Stokman
both believed the kiosk was raising awareness of the elections.
“There’s still so much local stuff you could actually get into,” said Brandael-McKay. “Just spread the word.”
Ghonaim added that while spreading awareness wasn’t CBC’s specific goal, students at Fanshawe were receptive to her and Seguin.
“They really have a lot to say,” she explained. “We’re happy to be talking to students.”
