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?