There is an activist streak in me. I love politics. I am an immigrant to Canada, and as an immigrant there were times when I wanted to be more involved in Canadian political decisions.

I am glad I was not able to vote until I took out citizenship. I waited to become a citizen until I found that I was starting to think more like a Canadian than like a person in my old country. That was when I knew I was ready to vote. Not being able to vote did not keep me from doing things to support causes I felt were very important, but I did not feel frustrated by not being able to vote, because I wanted to wait until I felt I was ready.

I am used to church systems more than political systems. In churches, the general policy is that only those who have taken the formal step to join the church, and to show formal support through membership are allowed to have a formal role (voting) in the decision-making process.

Becoming a Canadian, becoming a part of Canada takes time. I found it took me about ten years to really have learned enough about Canada, to have been in Canada long enough to start to think and act more like a person with a Canadian world perspective. I am glad I waited to vote until I could do so feeling like Canada was really my home, that I had a strong investment in Canada, and that I wanted to spend the rest of my life in Canada.

Gary

I am also going through immigration. I shall also not be allowed to vote until those years have pased when I can actually apply to become a citizen, not just a permanent resident.

I'm not particularly one sided about the issue at all. I dont mind that I won't be able to vote until I'm a citizen because my partner and I discuss our voting anyway and we count his vote as "ours" for now. Though when I am a citizen it will be nice to add another vote for the particular party we are going for.

The main problem with permanent residents voting though is probably because of the number of people that decide not to permanently reside in Canada after a couple of years, for whatever reason. Then you'd wonder why they were allowed to help determine the next prime minister, when they're not even part of the country. Then again, seeing the length of time that the prime ministers tend to stay prime minister here, that person's vote would probably not even count by the time that they left the country because there would be a new one appointed as they leave!

Very good point. I guess I should realize that a lot of immigrant stories don't end succesfully and people might return to their home country.
I like the idea of sharing the vote with my partner even though she doesn't like to talk about politics.

No.

I think people should vote on whether your allowed to vote or not. People who live in the area your voting who know you. People who can vote already.

Your title is misleading. Of course new immigrants should be allowed to vote, but what country allows non-citizens and non-permanent residents to vote? It just doesn't happen, and there's nothing wrong with that at all.

"Your title is misleading. Of course new immigrants should be allowed to vote, but what country allows non-citizens and non-permanent residents to vote? It just doesn't happen, and there's nothing wrong with that at all."

We're talking about being a permanent resident and not being allowed to vote. Voting is purely for after you've waited those few years of being a permanent resident and you become a citizen - then you can vote. You can only vote in Canada if you are a citizen.

So what?

Thanks maryb86. With new immigrants I don't mean refugees or illegal aliens.
With new immigrants I mean people that went through the trouble of obtaining Permanent Residency the legal way and choose Canada to be their new home.
So the title should say: Should new Canadian residents awaiting citizenship be allowed to vote?
And Blah: Some countries do allow voting for Permanent Residents. Some countries feel it is their human right to vote for LOCAL municipal elections. Not nationwide elections. The Netherlands does that. My Canadian wife was allowed to vote in the local elections when she lived with me in the Netherlands and her vote was very appreciated and not seen as a 'threat' to the national security.
My wife's a Canadian citizen; my son's a Canadian citizen. How things are run in our 'Ward' have a big influence on our lives, but I'm not allowed to have a say in it? That makes me a victim of my own environment, Resident or Citizen.

ANYONE WHO HAS LIVED IN CANADA FOR MORE THAN 12 MONTHS SHOULD BE ALOWED TO VOTE

I think they should be able to but it'd be nice to call up and check whether they need a ride to the polling station.

The 3-year waiting period before getting one's citizenship seems fair to me. My parents got through it just fine. Seriously, how do you expect permanent residents who were in Canada for just 12 months to have a good grasp on Canadian issues? A lot of them come here without even speaking the language very well, let alone knowing the nuances of the culture. This makes them vulnerable to ethno-politics, especially in Toronto. 3 years is a good filtering time. If you're that eager to be a Canadian, you'll wait through those 3 years patiently.

I think rdj makes a good point. there was talk in Toronto in the last municipal election to allow all residents to vote.

I am embarrassed to say , I don't know what the outcome was.

In a club, it is clear and obvious that only members of the club have a vote - that is, only people who have made a commitment to the club.

If you decide simply to go to meetings and not to join, then there is no club that would give you a vote. No commitment, no vote.

You, for whatever reason, have decided not to make a commitment ot Canada and not to join the club. I don't know your reason, and I don't criticize it. It's simply a decision you have made. I know you intend to stay permanently - and that may or may not happen. The fact remains you have not made the commitment. Until you do, no vote.

The Toronto vote sounds like something that goes back to the old days when the municipal vote went to property owners - rather like shareholders in a corporation. That graduallty merged into a sort of democracy. But living in city does not require a commitment to that city. You are officially a Canadian - and that has implications in law and international affairs.. You are not officially a Torontonian. And being one has no implications except in the minds of Torontonians.

graeme

Well said graeme. I'd actually go even further and argue that the citizenship requirements for Canada are pretty lenient. Adult immigrants have to pass a simple test that doesn't ask questions more difficult than what the capital of Canada is. I assume you'd need to know that if you're intending on participating as a citizen.

I admire the value placed on citizenship in some of the European countries. In Holland, new immigrants who don't know the language are now required to go through several hundred hours of language class and also classes on Dutch values. There, they're likely to be exposed to things such as homosexual couples...the kind of thing they'll have to accept as Dutch citizens. Citizenship to a country like Canada is an incredible privilege. One should at least attempt to understand and uphold the values that underwrite it. As an immigrant and as a proud Canadian there is nothing that upsets me more than certain immigrants who view Canadian citizenship as nothing more than a tool to scrounge benefits.

I add my voice to Graeme and Richard's comments. Not a citizen no vote. The vote is very important and only citizens should be able to vote.

I also agree that citizenship should not be a given. I too like some of what I'm seeing from the Netherlands, cultural and language requirements make sense to me. I believe it was the Author Yann Martel who once referred to Canada as the Best Hotel in the World. The country should not become a Citizenship of Convenience stop, otherwise it diminishes us all.

Holden

Just got my Canadian passport in the mail. Words cannot describe just how elated and proud I am.

RDJ,

You are a wonderful example of a young person this country is lucky to have as a citizen. You amaze me thatyou are in highschool. you are articulate, thoughtful, exuerberant and I suspect quite charming.

congrats on the passport.