The Manitoba government has formally selected members for its Youth Advisory Council on Climate — but some youth are feeling left out.

Members from the Manitoba Youth for Climate Action are disheartened to learn that no one under the age of 18 was chosen for the government's youth council on climate change.

"Over the age of 18 it's people in university, it's people in the work force and our voices as high schoolers, as middle schoolers are not heard. I think it was a deliberate action to silence younger youth," said Madeline Laurendeau, co-organizer.

As the organizers of last fall's historic climate strike that drew 12,000 people to rally for climate change, the youth-led group was disappointed that none of their five members who applied were selected, including Laurendeau.

The group is discouraged that young people devoted to making change have been shut out.

"They announced this council on the day that we organized, as their only show of support, and then none of us were selected."

The province's youth council on climate was announced the day of the global climate strike by the conservative government as an opportunity to "harness the energy, passion and forward-thinking perspective of young Manitobans," according to a press release issued Sept. 27, 2019.

Madeline Laurendeau says she disappointed no youth under the age of 18 were selected for the Youth Advisory Council on Climate. (Tyson Koschik/CBC)

The council, which was open to youth between the ages of 15 and 25, will make recommendations to Manitoba's conservation and climate minister.

The selection committee chose nine members from the 85 applicants submitted.

Youth selected to council

The youth selected for the committee range in age from 18 to 25, and are involved in their respective communities.

Hunter Beardy from Thompson, Man., was one of the chosen applicants. He wants to advocate for renewable energies and discuss the impacts of climate change on his community as well as in First Nations communities in the north.

"With global warming and climate change issues we face on this planet, it does affect the communities in the north and that's something that piqued my interest in joining the council itself to help out the northern part of the region of the province where I'm from," Beardy said.

Other youth council members include Amy Spearman, a recipient of the prestigious Vimy Pilgrimage Award, and Jayden Kyryluk, who was the executive assistant to Marty Morantz's federal Conservative election campaign last year.

The province announced on Tuesday that it selected the nine youth council members, but did not name them until media inquired on Thursday. Other members declined an interview, but directed inquiries to the minister's office.

Youth leaders of today

Conservation and Climate Minister Sarah Guillemard said choosing youth from the 85 applicants was challenging for the arm's length selection committee. She hopes that by having youth involved it will open up a dialogue between generations.

Conservation and Climate Minister Sarah Guillemard said choosing youth from the 85 applicants was challenging for the arm's length selection committee. (Gary Solilak/CBC)

"I know how youth like to say 'we're not leaders of tomorrow, we are the leaders of today,' and I absolutely understand that statement and I agree with it," Guillemard said. "This is part of including them."

"All of [the applicants] would have been absolutely welcomed into this realm, but we could only select nine for now to see how it goes."

Guillemard said the youth council will start meeting early this year.