'We're trying something new': Elections Quebec makes 'corny' appeal to young voters
Elections Quebec is appealing to its youngest voting-age citizens using a unique approach:
Corn.
Earlier this week, Elections Quebec made a post to its Tik Tok account referencing the viral "Corn Kid" video, in which a young boy professes his love for the starchy vegetable.
In homage to this widely-shared and widely-parodied clip, the Elections Quebec video features a cob of corn being buttered, salted and dropped into a ballot box.
Meanwhile, a song-ified remix of the original Corn Kid video plays on in the background.
Elections Quebec says the video is part of a series in which unorthodox objects -- like a cob of corn, a slice of cheese or a tea bag -- are slipped inside a ballot box.
The idea is to encourage Quebecers ages 18 to 24, the group with the lowest voter turnout in the province, to do their part in the upcoming election.
"Until October 3, we'll put everything but the ballot paper in the ballot box," said Julie St-Arnaud Drolet, a spokesperson for the organization.
While the concept has garnered mixed reviews, Drolet said the idea is to make voting more approachable.
"A big speech about democracy won't be effective to reach them. So that's why we're trying something new here," Drolet explained. "They told us that they feel that voting is for experts or educated people."
"We think it's really important that people understand that voting is for everyone."
With weeks to go until voting day on Oct. 3, only time will tell if the strategy works.
'IT'S CORN!'
The video that started it all, in which young Tariq describes his feelings about corn, was posted to the YouTube channel Recess Therapy in August, after which it quickly blew up across the internet.
The channel's concept is simple: the host, 22-year-old Julian Shapiro-Barnum, interviews kids about life's big questions and asks for their advice.
Tariq's words were particularly resonant. Shortly after it was posted, his interview blew up across the internet's various platforms and received millions of views.
"Look at this thing -- I can't imagine a more beautiful thing,"he says in the video, a cob of corn in hand. "It's corn!"
But Tariq's fame reached new heights when the group The Gregory Brothers turned the video into a song.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Man convicted of involuntary manslaughter in father's drowning, told police he was baptizing him
A Massachusetts man who told police he was exorcising a demon and performing a baptism when he shoved his father's head under water multiple times has been convicted of involuntary manslaughter in his death.
New Norad commander calls Canada's defence policy update 'very encouraging'
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.