Non-Residents now allowed to vote on Canadian Elections

[Praxius]

Sorry Praxius, but no from someone in a similar boat.

I left Canada when I was 40 and came to be with my pregnant fiance, outside Pittsburgh. My wife is an American. My almost 5 yr old son is an American. I am applying for citizenship in the US, and will soon (hopefully) be a dual citizen of both the United States and Canada.

However, for whatever reason, I made a choice to move to and live in a different country. So did you. I am no longer paying taxes in Canada. I no longer maintain a permanent residence in Canada. I'm not saying I will never move back, because who knows what the future holds? I never thought I'd be in this position to begin with.

All that being said, I cannot think of a reason that legitimizes me being given a vote in Canadian elections. Me being born in Edmonton and my willingness to stay informed of issues back home doesn't mean I contribute to Canadian society. What riding do we vote in? Do we vote in provincial or municipal elections? Where does it end and why?

If one day, my family and I return (while I'll be returning, they'll be living there for the first time), then we will establish a residence, pay taxes and I will expect to resume my voting privileges.

Well as we are still on the fence regarding where we will settle down perm. You applied for US Citizenship, I'm still not sure if I want to do that here in Australia. I have no interest in voting here in Australia, yet I still have interest in voting in Canada.

I don't see myself as hating living here, nor do I see myself loving living here, which is why I'm still on the fence. But at the same time, I see myself as Canadian, not Australian. I'm a Canadians living and working in Australia and for the most part I'm sort of representing Canadians here.

Not on purpose though, but every time someone hears me talk, they want to know about Canada, what it's like, where I came from, how things are here compared to there, etc.

I'm sure you get similar experiences in the US from time to time.

But beyond all of that, if and when I do return back to Canada, I would like to still be involved in the politics so I am not just aware of what's happening in the country while I'm away..... not just to be involved too.... but I would also like to know what the hell I'll be coming back to and at least cast a vote or two towards what I think are the best interests for the nation.

Right now Canada already has a p*ss poor voter turnout and people are complaining that the lack of voter turnout is contributing to a crap election system and that people need to get more involved / engaged.

Now they are allowing more Canadians to be able to vote if they so freely choose so, and yet here we have people opposing the idea over trivial matters about "Not Paying Taxes" rather than being a right as a "Canadian Citizen."

How many actual Canadians living inside Canada avoid their taxes or simply don't work and yet still vote?

Should they have their democratic right revoked as well?

The difference is that while I'm outside of the country and not paying taxes to Canada, I'm not using Canadian Resources, but Australia where I am using their services, I pay their taxes. These people who are not working or simply avoiding taxes are not contributing much at all and still directly milk services when they need to or want to..... and can still vote..... simply because they have two feet on the ground inside the Canadian Borders.

Sorry, but this isn't about paying taxes because if that was the case, then all of these people would have their right to vote revoked. They're worse than people like me, yet nothing is spoken about it because there are two frames of mind being used.

These people aren't liked, but they're allowed to vote because they live in Canada and are Canadian Citizens.

I'm not liked because now I'm allowed to vote again and I decided to live outside of the country for personal reasons, yet still a Canadian Citizen.

 

[Durry]

It seems to me that if your a non-resident Canadian but you maintain your Canadian Passport, then there should be a price to be paid to Canada for keeping your Canadian benefits on hold while your away.

I'm just getting a little tired of all these people that are getting our passports as passports of Convenience.

 

[Sal]

By comparison, in the U.S. you can vote by absentee ballot from the district (riding) you last lived in. It's perfectly routine. No restrictions on how long you're gone or if you intend to return.

NOT saying we're right or you're right. Just a comparison.

do Americans living abroad still pay income tax?

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

do Americans living abroad still pay income tax?

If your income is foreign-earned, the first $98,000 or so is exempt from U.S. income tax.

 

[Sal]

If your income is foreign-earned, the first $98,000 or so is exempt from U.S. income tax.

okay thanks I wondered why one of my American friends whines while another doesn't...one is exempt the other isn't

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

okay thanks I wondered why one of my American friends whines while another doesn't...one is exempt the other isn't

It's a nice dodge. Most years about 15% of my income is foreign earned. Nice to not have to hide it from the taxman, like I do with the rest.

 

[damngrumpy]

We are really talking about two issues, One is where Canadians working abroad or living
away from home after having paid their fair share over the years and circumstances or
family relations changed.
The second in not an electoral problem its an immigration problem. This is one where
people come here establish a legal connection and leave planning to return for social
benefits later in life. I am speaking of those who get free passage without contributing a
bloody dime.
These are two different issues we have to ensure we have people coming here to be part
of the family for the right reasons If that was done properly I would have no problem just
having all Canadians vote. The way it is now anyone born here should have the right to
vote regardless of where they are. Immigrants who are working abroad in professional
jobs that take them overseas no problem they applied for the right reasons.
Then there is the crowd that has passports of convenience and they should be under
serious scrutiny

 

[Sal]

It's a nice dodge. Most years about 15% of my income is foreign earned. Nice to not have to hide it from the taxman, like I do with the rest.

very nice

 

[Praxius]

It seems to me that if your a non-resident Canadian but you maintain your Canadian Passport, then there should be a price to be paid to Canada for keeping your Canadian benefits on hold while your away.

I'm just getting a little tired of all these people that are getting our passports as passports of Convenience.

What convenience?

There is a price to be paid and I paid for the processing of my Passport. They don't hand them out like candy.

Eventually it will expire and I will have to pay for another one.

Keeping my Canadian Benefits on hold while I'm away?

Tell you what then:

I'll back track all the tax I have paid for all the years I worked, deduct the cost of taxpayer's services I actually used during that time and send in a request to the Canadian Government to refund me the remainder of MY MONEY.

Then I won't have an issue with not being able to vote.

As it stands now & if we're only going to focus with "Money" mentality, I invested in the nation for a number of years and in my view, I should also have interest accumulated on that investment due to rarely using any public services my money paid for.

Maybe they should refund every Canadian who's living abroad..... then Canada would lose a bunch of money and at the same time, keep a low voter turnout. Sounds like a good idea to me.

 

[Durry]

That's just plain stupid!!

Your hanging on to a Canadian Passport because it has value. You should pay for this value.

Maybe we should have a law that once your out of the country for 5 or more years, you lose your citizenship. You can reapply like any other immigrant!!

How you like them apples!!

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

That's just plain stupid!!

Your hanging on to a Canadian Passport because it has value. You should pay for this value.

Maybe we should have a law that once your out of the country for 5 or more years, you lose your citizenship. You can reapply like any other immigrant!!

How you like them apples!!

Make it five hours, and you got a deal. Damn traitors!

 

[Praxius]

That's just plain stupid!!

Of course it is, and so is your claim that I need to pay taxes before I can cast a vote to the NDP, Liberals or Conservatives & contribute to the Democratic Process of the nation.

Your hanging on to a Canadian Passport because it has value. You should pay for this value.

I did.

Fees - Passport Canada

5 Year Adult Passport = $120.00
10 Year Adult Passport = $160.00
Child Passport = $57.00

+ Additional Fees noted in the above link if one requires additional services.

+ The cost for getting a passport photo

Again.... they're not handing them out like candy.

If I decided to never leave Canada or visit any other nation, I don't need a passport ever in my life and thus, don't have to pay the above, but I needed to leave and visit another nation and I paid "For this Value."

Maybe we should have a law that once your out of the country for 5 or more years, you lose your citizenship. You can reapply like any other immigrant!!

How you like them apples!!

How about you go and rewrite the Canadian Charter of Rights then? Sounds like you don't like the country in which you live in and want to change how things are done.

You can't just pick and choose what in the Charter you like and what you don't.

Just because you want to remain ignorant about the things other Canadians have to deal with in their lives and they don't mesh with how you would like to live, doesn't mean you get to decide their fate because you have some isolationist mentality.

Typical.... you always get people who complain about immigrants "Taken Der Jobs!" whom want to contribute to society, and you get the same people complaining about Canadian Citizens leaving the country for whatever reason and wanting to still somehow contribute to society.

They don't want immigrants to take their jobs, but they should pay taxes in Canada, and they want Canadians abroad to pay taxes but not be able to vote..... or they will permit them to vote so long as they pay taxes for services they will never use while outside of the nation so they can transfer that money to pay for services of other Canadians who most likely don't vote and probably avoid their own taxes while living inside the country.

Tell me something Durry.... how does allowing me to cast a vote for the Liberals, Conservatives or NDP drastically affect your life in such a negative manner that makes you oppose the idea so badly?