Excluding expats from voting process is wrong. We’re global citizens: Loat and McArthur
2015/09/25 1 Comment
One of the clearest, if most inadvertent, identification of the segment most interested in having indefinite expatriate voting: internationally mobile professionals, or in popular parlance, the “elites”:
Our nation’s challenge is to develop a new conception of citizenship, one that celebrates professionals aspiring to work around the world while maintaining ties to their home country. We cannot afford to be the old “General Motors” of citizenship, presuming a single life-long job in a single location. Many people still have that benefit, but in the increasing Uber-ization of the world economy, a growing share of Canadians will juggle many professional roles over a lifetime of mixed geographies.
There could be countless creative ways to engage Canadians living abroad, ranging from an expatriate voting tax, to professional councils targeting specific communities and skills, to parliamentary representation for citizens abroad. At the deepest level, we need to find every way we can to tell these Canadians that their homeland wants their contributions, rather than pushing them away.
It’s an old trope to say the “the world needs more Canada.” This may well be true. But as a colleague of ours recently put it, “Canada needs more world.” A new conception of global citizenship is a pivotal building block for getting there.
I still don’t see how long-term expatriates, whatever their substantial contribution to Canada, are connected enough to the day-to-day issues that our elections are about. Self-interest – nothing wrong with that – leads them to pursue opportunities abroad.
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Multicultural Meanderings 
I still find that I think the right to vote should still be in place for expatriates. I do know that there may be some who do not stay connected to current issues but I think most would still maintain that, particularly if they have homes, families and colleagues back in Canada. This would apply to “professional elites”, certainly, but also to “mere mortals” who may work just as hard in other jobs, such as, for instance, trades.
Many companies who get contracts in other countries take equipment and staff with them for the work in the other country. For instance, some of the equipment (i.e. heavy equipment used in industry and construction) requires mechanics who are trained and specialize in those vehicles. They would be expected to live in the country for the duration of the contract which could be years.
Although not physically present, those tradesmen would certainly be aware of and have a vested interest in issues at home in Canada. I cannot agree that work abroad should come with the penalty of loss of the right to vote.
I would also point out that, while such tax paying citizens are not allowed to vote in Canada, we do allow persons incarcerated to have that obligation of voting.