Local Youth Runner-Up for Citizenship Award

And they say young people are too apathetic/don't care about politics. Pshaw! Tia Carey blows all those theories away, and she can't even vote for another six years. The local office of the Green Party of Ontario, also known as the home base of GPO leader Mike Schreiner, sent out accolades today for young Ms. Carey, who was an active volunteer for Schreiner in this past spring's Provincial Election and has now been recognized for that volunteerism with a silver medal in Samara Canada's Everyday Political Citizen Youth Award. The finalists were announced the other night on Rick Mercer Reports.

Here's the press release from the local Greens:

Twelve year old Tia Carey won First Runner-up in Samara Canada’s Everyday Political Citizen Youth Award last night at a ceremony in Toronto.

You can watch Rick Mercer announce Tia’s name on the Samara Canada web site. She was selected for the award among hundreds of nominees from across Canada.

“It was exciting when my name was announced with a lot of people clapping,” said Tia. “I received a cool silver bear statue, though I was a bit nervous speaking in front of so many people.”

Carey, a student at École Arbour Vista Public School, was nominated for the award because of her work on Green Party of Ontario leader Mike Schreiner’s provincial campaign and her efforts to engage other youth in politics.

“I’m so proud of Tia. She deserves an award for inspiring people to get involved in politics with her big smile, hard work and charismatic personality,” said Mike Schreiner. “People ask me all the time how to get youth more involved in politics. Tia is a shining example for other young people.”

Samara Canada is a charitable organization dedicated to reconnecting citizens to politics. Established in 2009, the organization has become Canada’s most trusted, non-partisan champion of increased civic engagement and a more positive public life.

“I think I was more excited than Tia when Rick Mercer announced her name,” said her mother Susan Carey. “Tia wanted to get involved in Mike’s campaign, and his team embraced her, letting her run with her own ideas.”

Temara Brown, the campaign’s volunteer coordinator, nominated Tia for the award. She described Tia: “It will be another six years before she can even vote, yet she is the definition of an Everyday Political Citizen and one of the most awesome people you’ll meet!”