Kheon Clarke
A Vancouver woman has started a petition on change.org urging Drake to make a PSA encouraging young Canadians to participate in the upcoming federal election.
Karilynn Ming Ho has over 7,000 names on her petition now and wants another 2,000 people to sign up.
Ming Ho said Drakes influence would drastically improve the traditionally low turnout of voters between the ages of 18 and 34.
“It wasn’t inspiration so much as it was frustrations that lead me to reach out to Drake,” Ming Ho said. “In this election, I was frustrated that politicians weren’t addressing issues that affected my age demographic 18 to 34: student debt, lack of jobs, lack of housing, climate change, etc.”
Ming Ho said sometimes young people need to hear a message from someone they identify with.
“It dawned on me when I was at Footlocker in Toronto, Drake was blasting on the radio I had a eureka moment, and I put the two together, and came up with this idea,” Ming Ho said.
Humber Students’ Federation President Ahmed Tahir said this is a great initiative to improve voter turnout. He said it’s important for students to understand how political promises and policies can affect their lives.
“If Drake did this PSA I would like it to come from the heart and I hope he would make this PSA because he believes in the importance of voting,” he said.
Tahir added everyone loves Drake for his music and charisma. If someone like him were to stand up for the youth it would be a beautiful thing, he said.
Ming Ho said Drake and his star power would have a huge influence on young voters.
“It’s proven that celebrity endorsements work, like the Rock the Vote campaign in the U.S. endorsed by celebs like Lil John, Whoopie Goldberg and Lena Dunham which drew out an additional 4 million voters,” Ming Ho said.