Ottawa to fight court ruling giving ex-pats a vote
2014/06/21 2 Comments
“Is there a substantial change in the ex-pat Canadian citizen that takes place after five years and one day?” O’Brien asked in court.
Well, not for one day after, but the longer one lives outside Canada, the less the direct connection to Canadian issues and debates, not to mention expatriates do not pay Canadian taxes. Government is right on this one.
Ottawa to fight court ruling giving ex-pats a vote – Politics – CBC News.
About Andrew
Multicultural Meanderings 
Andrew, I feel the Ex-Pats should continue to have the right to vote as part of their Canadian citizenship.
I don’t think that one necessarily loses touch or concern with Canadian issues and debates by living out of the country. I know people who are not Canadians but have a lot of understanding and interest in these, just as many Canadians may not hold citizenship of their ancestral country but are always interested in understanding issues arising there. And many people who have lived here all their lives vote with really no knowledge or concern about issues and debates. Then there are those like myself who no longer have citizenship so cannot vote(at risk of being charged with a Federal offence) but continue to be interested and learning about current issues and debates. Therefore, connection to Canadian issues and debates is not necessarily associated with residency or with citizenship.
As far as paying taxes goes, there are many people who work out of the country for a Canadian employer and pay Canadian taxes. Some Canadians live here but due to various circumstances do not pay any taxes. And some of us have been paying taxes to Canada all our lives(in my case, 50 years of full time work and still paying) and cannot vote so therefore voting is not associated with paying taxes or with residency.
There are many Canadians, I believe, who will continue to reside out of the country for reasons of their work, while regarding Canada as their home. Some leave very early in their career and do not return until retirement, often to involve themselves to the great benefit of their community and bring new knowledge from their lives abroad to share. I think we would be doing them, and Canada, a great disservice by assuming they don’t care about Canada after five years and denying them the right to vote.
I disagree. Having lived abroad, albeit in a connected way (foreign service) and interacting with many expatriates, their country of residence becomes more influential over time in their lives and their views. They simply are not as connected to the public debates and the practicalities of day-to-day life in Canada. They can be interested, some may even be engaged, and yes, many in Canada may not be engaged but in their day-to-day existence, they have a direct connection to the daily issues that affect them.
The government has no way to gauge degree of interest and connection apart from the crude proxy of time. 5 years seems reasonable, when people come back, they can resume their voting rights.