As young people, we view the world in a unique way and provide creative insights that are often overlooked by adults. This report shares our ideas in an accessible way and showcases our recommendations concerning issues affecting all Canadians, especially youth.

Through this report, members of the Young Canadians’ Parliament (YCP) are exercising our right to be heard as per Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. According to the Convention, children and youth have the right to participate and freely express their views “in all matters” affecting them.

The issues at the heart of this report – mental health, climate change, poverty, housing and food insecurity, systemic racism and discrimination, and violence against children – heavily affect us. From our right to be heard stems an obligation of adults and institutions like our government to listen.

Our concerns and suggestions on how to best respond to the issues should be considered and acted upon. Only then can our government claim to uphold the Convention on the Rights of the Child.