Longer recess and cafeteria microwaves top issues in northern Ontario elementary school election

Jonathan Migneault · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 25, 2025 4:40 PM EDT | Last Updated: 41 minutes ago

At Levack Public School successful Greater Sudbury, the Liberal run includes a committedness to bring backmost microwaves to the cafeteria.

"The Conservatives privation to marque an intermediate playground. That'll beryllium $20,000," said Liberal person Lucas Dane.

"We'd person to springiness up our Toronto travel adjacent year."

Dane is simply a pupil successful the school's Grade 5 and 6 class, which is successful the midst of a mock election, to coincide with Canada's national election.

His teacher, Rachel Russell, said the predetermination presented a large accidental to link existent events to the curriculum, wherever students are learning astir the antithetic levels of authorities successful Canada.

Her students are moving for parties that align with their values, but campaigning connected promises that would impact regular beingness astatine the school. 

Conservative candidates Hunter Park and Sebastian Nelson promised they would amended the school's playground.

New Democrat campaigner Zander Rouleau said recess and luncheon should beryllium longer, and promised helium would bring much extracurricular activities to the schoolhouse arsenic well.

Green Party campaigner Noah Carrier said it was clip to extremity racism astatine the school.

Russell said her classroom's candidates volition springiness their speeches to the full schoolhouse up of a mock predetermination connected Monday.

Discussions successful people haven't conscionable been astir ways to amended the school, she said. Her students person besides been discussing galore of the issues that are top-of-mind for big voters successful the national election.

"The conversations successful people close present are really revolving astir tariffs, Donald Trump, immoderate of the limitations that are gonna beryllium acceptable connected Canada," Russell said.

She said those conversations volition hole the students for erstwhile they crook 18 and tin workout their ballot successful a federal, provincial oregon municipal election.