Just Act Youth Conference

Thoughts

Words

On Saturday evening of March the 8th 2003, the kids of the Just Act Youth Conference gave a group interview. They expressed their views on world issues including war, the ICC, and Canada's role on a global issue. Their thoughts are considered very important as the youth have come from all parts across Canada and, therefore, their thoughts on these issues are representative of Canadian youths as a whole.

Here are some memorable quotes from the youth at that interview:

Alisha from Surrey, BC:
"I think that most youth are concerned about war and other issues. A big problem is that it doesn't seem that there is a whole lot that we can do. That is one of the main reasons why I am here because I know that there is something that can be done; we can take action. And I'm here because I want to learn more ways to take more action and more ways of involving youth."

Vinton from Toronto, ON:
"I want to say that as Canadian people-compared to other people-is that Canada is a mini version as to what the world should be. Different people from different cultures, speak different languages, but they still understand each other and understand what the world is going through. ...We [Canadians] understand the fact that, if everyone is feeling happy, and there's no one who's suffering, then that's the ideal. …We have come to realize that if everyone's happy, we're all happier."

Miles from Toronto, ON:
"As soon as I think of Canada as a peacekeeping nation, it just invokes so much pride in me. Its one of the things that I am most proud of our country. Its like, we are able to be influential, yet at the same time…we don't have to be the bullies. We don't instigate the conflicts, we are the ones that go in and solve the conflicts."

Rex from St. Johns, NL: "There's a lot of things that Canadian youth have...and perhaps sometimes take it for granted. Certainly not all of us. ...But there are so many freedoms and things that youth have here and possibilities and advantages that many youth [in other countries] do not have.

Krista from Toronto, ON:
"I also think that being Canadian does instill a lot of pride. I don't like to say pride because its not like I actually did anything to be born in this country-it just sort of happened. I just feel really, really lucky to live here and really happy that my country is like that. I meet people from different countries who's dream it is to travel to Canada and I'm thinking Wow, I live there every day! You do feel that pride but you have to look at it critically also because, well, Canada is known mostly as a peacekeeping nation, its not like we don't have ships out there, or its not like we don't sell any weapons. So while we can be proud of most of the things our country has done, we still have to maintain a critical eye on the things our country has done that we are not so proud of. We can't just accept that Canada is one of the best countries to live in; we have to keep making it better and better and better.

Shaq from Calgary, AB:
"I think Canada has a great chance to show that it can be a leader. We have to show that we are not just going to sit back and watch other countries be invaded and become deprived. We're so privileged to live in this country and other people of those other countries are lacking privileges, and lacking rights, and lacking freedoms. So we [Canadians] have a great chance to show them that we can help them and bring them up to the same level."

Andrew from Toronto, ON:
"I still believe that the pen is mightier than the sword. Call me naïve, or whatever. But I believe that there are so many other methods of being able to show that you can be just as persuasive without holding a gun to someone's head; you can be just as powerful by being persuasive through logic and through rationalizing and through using effective and persuasive words that will affect people not just logically but emotionally. …I would really like to see Canada continue in a role as a country [that] commits themselves to peace and using armed conflict as a last-really last-resort."

Spencer-White Rock, BC:
"I think an issue that that question brings up is the Anti-Americanism that I see a lot…especially when I have been dealing with peace protests and things like that. A lot of people-I don't want to generalize-but I hear a lot of people criticizing, just blatantly criticizing Americans in general. My opinion Canada should play a role as a peacekeeper, a leader in peacekeeping, and keeping peace in all countries, whether it be in the US or Iraq or wherever. And not saying that we need to bring to peace in Iraq but we don't have to worry about the US and that the US is bad. We [Canadians] have all these things to share and we want to share them with you whether you are American or Palestinian or Iraqi or whatever. I think that's important."

Katie from Montreal, PQ:
"Especially in Quebec, there is a lot of anti-Americanism. …I just think it's a little hypocritical because we are a lot more similar than we think and we have a lot more in common than we think. …And there are a lot of things we do exactly like them. And I just think that at some point we can't just claim to be open-minded wonderful nation that we are if we can't accept that our neighbours are flawed and that it's not all of them…"

Luke from Edmonton, AB:
"Meeting you all...it seems that everyone has a unique skill. ...Everyone has one really good skill. And if you can synthesize that with an issue--like child soldiers or genocide--then I think that is the main thing of this conference.

Chantal from Ottawa, ON: "I think you can't look at it as one big issue. You have to boil it down to who am I and what can I do for what other person. And we are all capable of doing something.