'Community isn’t just shaped by the adults': Oakville teen running for mayor
For 19-year-old Jack Kukolic, Monday will be the first municipal election in which he's able to cast a ballot.
It will also be the first time the Oakville teen has ever voted for himself.
Kukolic is running for mayor of Oakville, and if elected, he would be the youngest mayor in the province – but notoriety isn’t what inspired him to run.
“I ran because I saw that in the last municipal election only 37 per cent of eligible Oakville voters voted,” Kukolic told CTV News, “and 82 per cent of those [eligible voters] 18-25 did not vote.”
Along with the issues, Kukolic’s campaign has attempted to draw attention to the election itself, through a series of TikTok videos. In them, the teen explains everything from how to run to how to vote.
“I think having a younger candidate running lets them see that politics is not just this big scary thing that you see on the news – it’s an important process that you can get involved in.”
Kukolic is one of three candidates running to be mayor in Oakville. For the other two, it’s a rematch of the 2018 campaign with business leader Julia Hanna running against the incumbent Rob Burton.
Speaking to voters in Oakville’s downtown, Kukolic is offered best wishes by a number of voters, some of whom have already cast their ballot.
“It’s been really surprising,” Kukolic said, “I’ve had a lot of adults come and tell me that they are in involved in politics but are interested in the federal and provincial level – they vote in the federal and provincial levels but up until this point they’ve kind of just ignored the municipal level.”
The Sheridan College student, who runs his own photography/videography company, says he hopes voter turnout will be higher on Monday than it was in the last municipal election.
He also says, win or lose, this is just the beginning of his involvement with the city he calls home.
“This community isn’t just shaped by the adults, it's shaped by everyone and as I always say elections are for everyone, so I want everyone to go out and make an informed choice and just have a voice in their community.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deadly six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 sparked by road rage incident
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
'Of course, yes': Poland latest European country with interest in Canadian LNG
The President of Poland says his country would 'of course' be interested in purchasing Canadian liquefied natural gas if it were available, while the Canadian federal government has said it is 'not interested' in subsidizing future projects.
Dozens in Italy give a fascist salute on the anniversary of Mussolini's execution
Dozens of people raised their arms in the fascist salute and shouted a fascist chant during ceremonies Sunday to honor Italian dictator Benito Mussolini on the 79th anniversary of his execution.
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
Britney Spears settles long-running legal dispute with estranged father, finally bringing ultimate end to conservatorship
Britney Spears has reached a settlement with her estranged father more than two years after the court-ordered termination of a conservatorship that had given him control of her life, their attorneys said.
Here's where Canadians are living abroad: report
A recent report sheds light on Canadians living abroad--estimated at around four million people in 2016—and the public policies that impact them.
What is a 'halal mortgage'? Does it make housing more accessible?
The 2024 federal budget announced on April 16 included plans to introduce “halal mortgages” as a way to increase access to home ownership.
Chants of 'shame on you' greet guests arriving for the annual White House correspondents' dinner
An election-year roast of U.S. President Joe Biden before journalists, celebrities and politicians at the annual White House correspondents' dinner Saturday.
Health minister 'deeply appreciative' of doctors but capital gains changes here to stay
Health Minister Mark Holland says while he is 'deeply appreciative' of the work doctors in Canada do, the federal government has no plans to scrap the proposed capital gains tax changes outlined in the latest budget, despite opposition from the Canadian Medical Association.