In last year’s federal election, exit polling conducted by IPSOS found that more young Canadians voted Conservative than Liberal. While Canadians as a whole made a clear choice on who they trusted to lead this country, it’s necessary to address the clear shortcomings in the Liberal Party’s ability to win over young voters.

As young Canadians, we feel anxious about our future. We are coming of age in a moment defined by affordability pressures, global instability, and a growing sense that Canada’s unity is negotiable. Most young Canadians don’t think they will ever own a home. In response, many young voters are turning to increasingly dangerous politics, as they struggle to see themselves and their interests reflected in the halls of power. If young Canadians feel unheard by our party, the fault is not generational apathy—it is organizational failure.

This April, Liberal Party of Canada delegates will gather in Montréal for a convention that will help shape our party’s future. They will decide not only our policy direction, but also on the future leadership of the Young Liberals of Canada (YLC). We face a clear choice: we can either settle for the status quo or spark a renaissance.

Team Renaissance is a national slate of Young Liberals from British Columbia to Newfoundland and Labrador who believe the YLC must once again be a year-round grassroots movement in every region of this country. It should not be an organization that only comes alive at a convention or if you live in a ‘major’ city. This is a hinge moment for our country and party, and it is imperative that we make the right decision.

In Quebec and Alberta, more and more young people are turning toward separatism as a catch-all solution to the real hardships they face. A country as diverse as Canada does not hold together by accident. National unity is not just a slogan, it is something we need to actively work for. For us, that means building a YLC that engages with those who feel alienated, rather than allowing resentment and disengagement to harden. It means being vocal voices who see a strong federation as part of the solution for getting young Canadians ahead, rather than a barrier.

As the official youth wing of the Liberal Party of Canada, our role must go beyond social events or résumé-building. We need to be the connective tissue of the party for young Canadians, across provinces and territories, in both official languages, and across the urban-rural divide.

The hard truth is that we have too often taken youth support for granted and underinvested in the places and platforms where young people form their views. Right now, the youth wing of the provincial Parti Québécois has more followers than the national YLC. That did not happen overnight. It reflects years of underinvestment in digital organizing and national coordination.

Team Renaissance is built with real experience in digital engagement, from social media creators to digital strategists, we understand how political conversations are won today and want to bring that vision to the YLC. But no movement is built from the top down. If elected, we will revive the YLC Communications Committee and bring in young Liberals from across the country to help shape our digital strategy.

YLC must be responsive and useful to members on the ground, with real support for campus and riding clubs, organizer toolkits, and training that helps young Liberals recruit, fundraise, and communicate. Success should be measured by local growth, not internal titles.

Young Canadians are worried about affordability, finding meaningful work, the climate crisis and Canada’s place in the world. At home, there are those who would reopen debates about whether Canada itself is worth defending.

Now is the moment for young Liberals to answer clearly: Canada is worth it, and we are ready to do the work for our future.

In Montréal this April, delegates have a choice. If you believe the YLC should once again be a serious national force, grounded in every region, fluent in the digital world, and committed to unity, I invite you to join us.

It is time for a Renaissance. Let’s build it together.

Nicholas Aboagye is a candidate for National Chair of the Young Liberals of Canada on Team Renaissance.

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