A group of students in Moose Jaw have been on a mission to learn about the Canadian elections process. 

Mr. Grady Lamontagne's group of grade eight students at Palliser Heights not only learned about all the Canadian Federal Parties, they also conducted their very own mock election and campaigned throughout the school.

"We started off looking at our current MP's and all of our candidates that are running in our federal election," Lamontagne explained. "Then we spent probably four or five classes setting up our own government. We split the class into two parties, and they took some time to elect their leaders. I sent them out to the different classrooms, and they campaigned on those ideas, and kind of got the whole school involved in our election in that way."

We spoke to four of Lamontagne's students about their experience. 

"I've learned that it's a very big process, a lot of work too," said Raine Johnson, age 13. "They have to do a lot of work to become Prime Minister, even be the head of each party."

Carys Mowery, age 12, agreed with her classmate. 

"I think that it's a lot more difficult than we originally thought it would be," Mowery said. "The leaders aren't just the only people that do work, everyone in the pary has to do something." 

The students also discussed the advantages and disadvantages of casting a vote. 

"Voting helps us in a ton of ways," said Lincoln Angus, age 13, "because there is a lot of different parties that you can choose from. If you vote for lets say Conservatives, and someone else votes for Liberals, it equals it out, it makes it have a fair match when you're voting, especially when more of the country is voting."

"I think everyone should have a right to vote or to not vote," said Mowery. "I think that you should have your research done before you vote for someone. I also think that you're part of this country, so you should do your research and help vote." 

When asked who they would vote for if they could cast a ballot in this election, the students gave mixed responses. 

"I would either vote for Green Party or Conservatives," said Angus. "Green Party because they are more environmental based, they want to help with climate change and stuff like that. Conservatives because they are helping with gun control, they're helping with the carbon tax." 

"I'd vote for Conservatives," said Colby Clark, age 13, "because they have the best promises for the carbon tax. I live in a family that works in the oil industry and it seems like with the carbon tax, it's not helping the oil industry. I understand it's helping out global warming and climate change for us to try to stop all that, but at the end of the day, realizing that families in the oil industry could be losing jobs and money." 

"I'd vote for NDP," said Mowery, "because I feel like they promised the most. I think when we read over everything that they promised, theirs seems most like they're going to stick to it." 

While the students brought up several important issues going into this year’s election, they all agreed that climate change is at the top of the list. 

"The thing that everybody should be focussing on right now is climate change," said Mowery. "I think that's one of the most important things."

"I agree with Carys, I think climate change is one of the bigger ones," said Angus. "All of the problems are very important, but climate change I think is one of the bigger ones because of the suns rays, the atmosphere, the greenhouse gases, it's all collapsing our earth basically, the polar ice caps are melting, everything wrong is happening with the environment."

"I agree with Lincoln and Carys,” said Clark. “The biggest issue I think that every country needs to work on and try to stop is climate change and global warming. We know that scientists predict there's only this many years left, we need to just keep working on that to try and fix it, and if we don't then what will our earth become?"

To vote today, you will be required to prove your identity. Any government-issued photo I.D. that includes your name and address will work, such as a driver's license.

If you don't have any government photo I.D. you will be required to bring two pieces of I.D. that include your name and address. A utility bill and bank statement will work.

Polls will be open today from 7:30 am to 7:30 pm.