I don't really have a problem with this other than the fact that it is inconsistent. If 5 years abroad are enough for me to lose my right to vote, than shouldn't a foreign resident of Canada gain the right to vote if they have lived there for 5 years? Especially if the whole idea is because of taxes paid.
Agreed. "No taxation without representation", right?
What I object to, are the low lifes that take advantage of Canada's subsidized education system, then go abroad to work, not paying taxes to support Canada's social programs
But then they do pay taxes to support foreign social programmes while foreigners in Canada pay to support Canada's social programmes after having benefitted from subsidized education in their countries. You forgot about little bit, eh? So are you proposing each country ban their people from working abroad, and that anyone who dares think the earth is God's and that man is one should just suck it up when they pay taxes to various governments and then all reject them? Suit yourself.
and then come back to Canada in later years to take advantage of those social programs they never helped support.
Then anyone with any intelligence would simply scrap such programmes to let us do what we want with our money. Pretty radical idea, eh?
And what about the one moving from Ontario to Alberta? Same sentiment?
Canadian Government are not jailers.. they do not control our/your life outside Canada.. we are actually freer than the United States in this respect and as Canadians should be extremely proud of this..
U.S. Citizens are taxed on their worldly income (why so many go to great efforts to hide their offshore income)
Canadians are only taxed on what you earn while you are resident in Canada or have economic ties to Canada.
Canadian's while outside Canada for an extended period can file with Revenue Canada to be tax exempt while residing outside of Canada..
Non-residents of Canada
I have enclosed an copy of my document and removed my name & social insurance for security..
btw, if I lose my passport while abroad, I pay for a new one.. it's not free..
As far as security, as a dual citizen.. I guess the country in which I am living has the responsibility for my safety..?? In this case, the USA.
You do bring up a few good points here: 1. you pay your own passport.
2. you don't pay Canadian taxes as a non-resident.
personally, I'd say voting rights and taxation ought to be based on residency. If you reside in Canada, you pay taxes on all your worldly assets and get the right to vote as long as you reside here. If you live abroad, you pay no taxes to Canada and forfeit your right to vote in Canada.
As for social programmes, make them more flexible either by simply allowing us to deduct taxes from charity or requiring us to save X% of our income for a rainy day, that way even if he lives abroad he gets to keep his own money and forfeits his rights to services from any government.
And of course people like Gerryh shoyuld not be allowed to drive on foreign roads 'cause they didn't pay for them, right?
What I object to, are the low lifes that take advantage of Canada's subsidized education system, then go abroad to work, not paying taxes to support Canada's social programs, and then come back to Canada in later years to take advantage of those social programs they never helped support.
Another question. If a person can't find work in Canada but gets an offer from abroad, do you propose:
1. He stay in Canada and live in poverty on social assistance or go abroad and earn his living? You can't have it both ways. If you way he should fend for himself, then remove barriers and leave him alone. If you say he can't go abroad, then take better care of your unemployed whom you don't want to go out to find work. Decide.