No Votes For Long-term Non-residents

SkyRider

Banned
Mar 31, 2009
17,572
2
0
You cannot receive what cannot be taken away. That's why it's called a right. Only death can robe you of the right to vote. Leaving and returning is also a fundamental right. It's right there in the Charter as well.
Wow! That means a Canadian who leaves Canada to join ISIS in Syria and vows to attack Canada can still vote in a federal election. Amazing!
 

SkyRider

Banned
Mar 31, 2009
17,572
2
0
So...people want to vote...just because they can.
Regardless of if they chose to leave the very country they want to vote in?
Some Canadians intentionally leave Canada to avoid paying Canadian income taxes. Nice, eh. Two famous examples were K.C. Irving and E.P Taylor. There is also a more recent example of a Diamond Field executive who tried to avoid Canadian taxes by claiming he was a non-resident of Canada (will try to find a link).
 

SkyRider

Banned
Mar 31, 2009
17,572
2
0
I'm a non resident Canadian citizen at the moment. I own property in Canada on which I pay tax, I have retirement savings on which I will pay tax when I retire someday, and I have no other citizenship besides Canadian.
Did you pay the "departure tax" when you left Canada? Pretty expensive, eh.
 

WinterHawk

Member
Jan 18, 2004
706
1
18
Cyberspace
Why should someone who has left Canada for 5 or more years have any say in what's going on? Unless your in the Foreign Service or the Military, there's no proof that you haven't left for good. Remember as few years back we had thousands of so called "Canadians" stranded in Lebanon who demanded that the Canadian government get them the hell out of their when the shit had it the fan? They weren't their for a holiday, they had gone HOME.

At some point in their life, they made a decision to come to Canada and get our passport to be used as a get out jail free card. In some cases people only stay in Canada just long enough to qualify for provincial medical care, and they finally decided to come "home" to Canada after years abroad to take advantage of an Old Age Pension and related services.

Some here seem to think that paying some form of reduced Income Tax should qualify you as a "Canadian". If you were lucky enough to be born in Canada, then you are a Canadian and your citizenship can not be stripped from you unless you have pledge allegiance to another country or taken up arms for that country. If your willing to fight for some country or terrorist group then your rights and privileges as a Canadian have been stripped by your own actions.

My Canadian Citizenship shouldn't be for sale at any price. Citizenship should be seen as a privilege not something like a coat you can strip on and off as you like.

Too many young men and women have died in Canada's wars to make this country a great place to live and to enable us to hold our heads up high.

You made your choice by voting with your feet by leaving this country to "go home" to the "old country" with that get out of jail card called an Canadian Passport. I'll say it again, you already VOTED by leaving. So I'm glad the government has smartened up and said that unless you are residing in Canada, partaking in Canadian society, supporting your neighbours by buying goods and services here, employing fellow Canadians and yes, paying both sales and income taxes; you're taking advantage of the rest of us.

How does someone living abroad, not contributing to Canadian society, have a right to vote, let alone come back and some future date and enjoy the infrastructure, social services, housing and old age benefits to the same degree that someone who has CONTRIBUTED to Canada all of their life does?
 

red

you must be fk'n kid'g me
Nov 13, 2001
17,572
8
38
Voting is a right and not a privilege.

Being a Canadian citizen means you have certain rights, including voting, no matter where you are.

If a Canadian served in the armed forces, fought for this country, worked and lived in canada for 65 years and then retired to a warmer climate- you would take that veterans vote away from him? Shame on you
 

zefroggy

Member
Dec 5, 2012
580
3
18
Toronto
:confused:
I don't think anyone has lost their right to vote. There is just nothing to vote on if you do not reside in an eligible riding. The Canadian election system is based on municipal, provincial and federal representation architectured around geographical ridings of residency. Create international seats at the provincial or federal level and then you can have MPs and MPPs representing you.

This would have been simply solved by creating international ridings.

Unfortunately, I do not think the the same government who pushed C-24 will do anything for non-resident. The Canadian Citizenship is being undermined, laws after rulings. So you'd better be born here, leaving without a passport and toeing the party line.

about C-24:
http://www.straight.com/news/645271...itizenship-will-be-harder-get-and-easier-lose
 

WinterHawk

Member
Jan 18, 2004
706
1
18
Cyberspace
Voting is a right and not a privilege.

Being a Canadian citizen means you have certain rights, including voting, no matter where you are.

If a Canadian served in the armed forces, fought for this country, worked and lived in canada for 65 years and then retired to a warmer climate- you would take that veterans vote away from him? Shame on you

If he or she has moved away and has been gone for 5+ years, then they have in all likelihood left Canada for good. So yes, I would. They move back after 5 years, notify Elections Canada and or have proof of residency then they can vote again. Simple.

If voting is that important to you, then you should be here to have a voice and to share in the outcome of your decision. I don't want someone who is "Canadian" part-time, or became a citizen as an exit strategy for when things got a little hot "AT HOME", to have a say in the future of this country by letting them vote.

Hell, to many Canadian citizens today do not get out and vote. I really don't think stopping someone who has left the country for 5+ plus years from voting is a bad idea.

The government could have been sneaky and said that unless you are a registered voter and on the voting list your out of luck. Not filing your income tax and ticking off the box to tell Elections Canada of where you live in Canada, would pretty much make it impossible for you to vote as you have to have a home here to get registered.
 

destillat

Well-known member
Aug 29, 2001
2,802
55
48
mississauga
If I decide to leave my country for 6 or 10 years, I still want a say in how it is governed... because when I return, I will have to live with the decisions (good and bad) that were made in my absence.
My temporary absence does not delete my right as a citizen to have input into how my country is run.
What is so hard about that simple concept for people to understand?
 

twizz

Banned
Mar 8, 2014
1,974
0
0
I agree with the ruling but The Cons pushed for this because most ex-pats don't vote for them.
 

red

you must be fk'n kid'g me
Nov 13, 2001
17,572
8
38
:confused:
I don't think anyone has lost their right to vote. There is just nothing to vote on if you do not reside in an eligible riding. The Canadian election system is based on municipal, provincial and federal representation architectured around geographical ridings of residency. Create international seats at the provincial or federal level and then you can have MPs and MPPs representing you.

This would have been simply solved by creating international ridings.

Unfortunately, I do not think the the same government who pushed C-24 will do anything for non-resident. The Canadian Citizenship is being undermined, laws after rulings. So you'd better be born here, leaving without a passport and toeing the party line.

about C-24:
http://www.straight.com/news/645271...itizenship-will-be-harder-get-and-easier-lose
Canadians living abroad vote based on their last address in canada
 

red

you must be fk'n kid'g me
Nov 13, 2001
17,572
8
38
I agree with the ruling but The Cons pushed for this because most ex-pats don't vote for them.
People who travel are less likely to vote conservative by a two to one margin according to voting studies
 

SkyRider

Banned
Mar 31, 2009
17,572
2
0
If a Canadian served in the armed forces, fought for this country, worked and lived in canada for 65 years and then retired to a warmer climate- you would take that veterans vote away from him? Shame on you
Yup, same right as an "anchor baby".
 

red

you must be fk'n kid'g me
Nov 13, 2001
17,572
8
38
If I decide to leave my country for 6 or 10 years, I still want a say in how it is governed... because when I return, I will have to live with the decisions (good and bad) that were made in my absence.
My temporary absence does not delete my right as a citizen to have input into how my country is run.
What is so hard about that simple concept for people to understand?
If you keep chipping away at the rights of canadians we will end up with no rights at all
 

jcpro

Well-known member
Jan 31, 2014
24,673
6,840
113
If I decide to leave my country for 6 or 10 years, I still want a say in how it is governed... because when I return, I will have to live with the decisions (good and bad) that were made in my absence.
My temporary absence does not delete my right as a citizen to have input into how my country is run.
What is so hard about that simple concept for people to understand?
It's called ignorance.
 

oldjones

CanBarelyRe Member
Aug 18, 2001
24,489
11
38
"No taxation without representation!"
It would certainly seem fair to make the residency requirements for being taxed the same as the requirements for voting. But when did Our Dear Leader have anything to do with fairness?
 

oldjones

CanBarelyRe Member
Aug 18, 2001
24,489
11
38
It's called ignorance.
A great answer IF we required voters at the polls to prove they weren't ignorant before handing them their ballot. Comparing the guy who only showed up at the poll because he saw the yellow pennant and the expat who sent off to Elections Canada for a voter's package and special ballot, my money's on the homebody for superior ignorance.
 

oldjones

CanBarelyRe Member
Aug 18, 2001
24,489
11
38
Canadians living abroad vote based on their last address in canada
Students living away from their home ridings face similar problems. And the rules have similar common-sense solutions that do not deprive them of their vote.
 

SkyRider

Banned
Mar 31, 2009
17,572
2
0
Students living away from their home ridings face similar problems. And the rules have similar common-sense solutions that do not deprive them of their vote.
How long does these rules apply? 5 years, 10 years, etc. Some students remain students into their 30's.
 
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