Sarah Thomson Youth Platform

Mayoral Candidate: Sarah Thomson

Question 1:
Toronto’s Youth Priority Symposium brings together youth 16-29 years old to create a youth dialogue with the mayoral candidates. How does your platform affect Toronto’s youth? Please elaborate.
 
My youth platform enhances the lives of young people in Toronto, as well as those who will one day live in Toronto. A complete transit system will provide great benefit to younger people, starting their families and careers, who are not able to own and maintain cars, but who need flexible, reliable travel across our great city.
 
My collaborative network approach to solving the major issues in challenged neighbourhoods will unite our non-profits and city services to push gangs, drugs, and criminals out of our city’s neighbourhoods. Young people will have real options and will be able to invest in themselves or take chances without worrying about falling into the pitfalls of bad neighbourhoods.
 
My long-term plan for the city’s future growth and fiscal management means that Toronto will be a place where today’s youth can live their entire lives and where their contributions will be recognized and valued.
 
Question 2:
According to the article “Youth feel Political Disconnect” (Toronto Star 06/22/09), youth “don’t feel like they are informed enough about how to vote and also they don’t feel like their vote is going to change anything.” How would you address this and include youth in the electoral process?
 
My first step would be to make my administration more inclusive. I would ensure Public Consultations occur and give the citizens enough time to participate in the democratic process in our city. By operating under a more inclusive city government we hope to encourage young people to get involved.
 
Ultimately, I believe we have to discuss issues of importance to youth: jobs, transit, crime, and the future of the city’s employment base. Like any other citizen and voter, the answer to youth political apathy is to address the concerns of the youth so that they get engaged while still young and remain engaged going forward.
 
I would also introduce co-op and internship programs at city hall to engage youth in politics and become more involved in their community.
 
Question 3:
There is a growing interest amongst young people to start their own businesses. What supports will you make available for young entrepreneurs?
 
I am an independent businesswoman. I want to roll out the red carpet and not the red tape.
In addition to providing tax incentives to businesses willing to invest in our challenged neighbourhoods, I want to ensure that small businesses have the chance to thrive in all of our city’s communities.
 
I want to literally unlock city hall. I believe councillors should be available for businesspeople to meet them and propose their business ideas. Their responsibility should include navigating the often complex by-law/permit arena that they moderate.
 
The processes for obtaining permits and permission needs to be streamlined and more transparent. If an applicant is denied, they should be given reasons for their denial as well as a suggestion of future steps they could take to correct any errors or omissions in their application.
 
Those candidates who are granted their permits should be shown the next steps they’ll need to take. Councillors could take a much stronger role of mentorship in this process.

To learn more about Sarah Thomson’s platform, please visit her website at :http://sarahthomson.ca/. If you have a question or concern for Sarah Thomson, please email typsinfo@gmail.com for more information about how you can participate in the Toronto Youth Priority Symposium on September 2nd, 2010.