The New Democrats hope that a renewed idea to lower the legal voting age in Canada to 16 years will gain more support in the House of Commons this time due to new and emerging threats to global democracy.

New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh said that while he recognizes the failures of previous bills, he believes this private member's bill, sponsored by MP Taylor Bachrach, is unique.

Singh said on Tuesday, "I think there is a feeling around the world that democracy is at risk, and we are witnessing the rise of fascism in some cases, and the rise or erosion of democracy. I think there is a stronger conviction about how we support democracy, how we ensure that our democratic systems work well, have good participation, and remain vibrant." The New Democratic Party leader pointed to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine as an example of this.

Bachrach said about the bill, which will be discussed on Wednesday in the House of Commons, "In conversations with MPs from other parties over the past weeks, I have been really encouraged by the interest and support. Of course, we will see what happens at the second reading, but this is an idea I believe transcends parties." Along with enhancing Canadian democracy.

Bachrach said this move highlights a range of voting issues that have a significant impact on the future of youth: "Whether we are talking about housing, affordability, the sustainability of our health care system, or most importantly, the climate crisis, which is worsening every year, these are the issues youth care about and issues that deeply affect youth in profound ways and they deserve to have a voice in the conversation about those issues."

According to data from Statistics Canada, voter turnout among those aged 18 to 24 in the 2021 election was 66 percent, down from 68 percent in 2019 and 67 percent in 2015.