Essay Contest 2022

Youth in Brantford-Brant are bright, motivated and eager to have a say in the future of the country. It’s essential that elected officials at all levels hear their voices and involve them in the decision-making process.

Larry Brock, MP for Brantford-Brant, is launching an essay-writing contest for high school students in the riding. This opportunity will be a great way for young people to share their thoughts and ideas directly with their Member of Parliament.

Participants should submit a 500-word essay outlining a workable solution to address rising crime levels in Brantford-Brant, to make our community a safer and better place to live, work and play.

The winner will receive a prize, as well as a special role as Youth Advisor to MP Brock.

“After many meetings with local and Canadian student associations, I know that young people provide an invaluable level of knowledge, expertise and passion. Their perspective must be heard and implemented as widely as possible. I’m really excited to hear what students in my riding have to say” said Brock.

The contest is open to all high school students in Brantford, Brant County, Six Nations and Mississaugas of the Credit. Essays should be submitted to larry.brock@parl.gc.ca no later than 4:00 pm on Monday, May 9th, 2022. The winner will be announced Friday, May 27, 2022.

“This is an important first step to increase youth engagement across the riding, and it’s my hope that it will generate excitement for my upcoming Youth Advisory Council” Brock explained.

The Youth Advisory Council, which is expected to kick off in September, will enable high school and postsecondary students, regardless of their political views, to share opinions on important matters and policy issues at the federal level. Students will come away with an increased knowledge-base for civics, along with a chance to discuss issues that matter to them in a non-partisan and productive environment. The selection process will begin this summer and will be open to all Brantford-Brant residents aged 14- 21.

For more information, please contact: 519-754-4300, larry.brock@parl.gc.ca.

ESSAY DESCRIPTION

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ESSAY DESCRIPTION

Task:

Students should write a 500-word essay regarding crime in Brantford-Brant. It is an opinion-essay. Students should read the following summary of the topic, followed by suggestion questions, and provide solutions in their own words about how we can best reduce and prevent crime in our community. Students can write in the first-person using, terms like “I would”, “My plan would be”, etc. No additional research is required.

Summary:

Crime is a serious issue for politicians and young people alike. In Brantford-Brant, crimes such as assault, theft, vandalism, gun and drug-related offenses persist. Students and their parents are impacted by perceptions that Brantford’s downtown core plays host to criminal activity. Statistics indicate that crime in our riding is higher than the national average. We all have an important role to play to ensure our community remains safe. Students and youth can get together and share ideas to help politicians and community leaders improve public policy.

Suggestion questions:

Drawing from personal experience, how do you think criminal activity in our community has changed over time?
What social and economic factors do you think have influenced crime in our community?
What strategies would work to reduce criminal activity in Brantford-Brant (e.g., tougher laws and sentencing, raising bail standards, crime reporting programs, higher police wages, hiring more police officers, health and rehabilitation services, etc)?
How could support-services (i.e., half-way houses, rehabilitation clinics, etc) help address some of the underlying issues related to crime (i.e., poverty, addiction)?
What reforms could be implemented to change the criminal justice system, and reduce recidivism (repeat offenders in the community)?