Ontario Liberals opt to allow temporary residents to vote in leadership race even though federal counterpart barred them

Sigh… Canada has relatively accessible citizenship. Voting rights are an essential aspect and this measure, as in the case when the federal liberals allowed this, further diminish citizenship:

Over the weekend, the Ontario Liberals released the long-awaited rules for the party’s leadership race such as fundraising targets and the deadline to register as a member to vote.

But unlike the federal Liberals’ leadership election, no changes were made to who could cast a ballot, meaning non-citizens and people in Canada on student or work visas are all eligible, per the party’s constitution.

The 2024 public inquiry into foreign election interference said China, one of three countries flagged for attempting to interfere in Canada elections, uses international students, as well as diplomatic missions, community organizations and private individuals, to “carry out its transnational repression activities.”

The inquiry said China targets members of Chinese Canadian diaspora communities for the “purposes of repression, influence and forced return of targeted individuals” to its territory.

Michelle Tessier, who served as Deputy Director of Operations at the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) from 2018 to 2023, said candidate selection and leadership contests were identified during the inquiry as particularly vulnerable points in the political system.

“I do think it’s concerning,” Tessier said of parties continuing to allow non-citizens to vote in internal leadership races.

She pointed to the inquiry’s findings around the difficulty of verifying residency and the increased risks associated with transnational repression, where foreign nationals may face coercion or threats from hostile state actors.

“In terms of the vulnerability around being able to confirm somebody’s residence, the risk of foreign nationals being subject to transnational repression, which is, you know, the coercion or threats, to have them to vote a certain way. Now, granted that can happen to Canadians citizens as well who may have family overseas. (…) but it does increase the vulnerability,” she said.

“Given that it was indicated in the recommendations of the commission, it would certainly be encouraging to see steps being taken to follow those recommendations,” she added….

Source: Ontario Liberals opt to allow temporary residents to vote in leadership race even though federal counterpart barred them