Right to Vote
Do Canadians have the right to vote?
Under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Canadian citizens have the right to vote in federal and provincial or territorial elections. Under the Local Authorities Election Act, people who are at least 18 years of age, Canadian citizens, and have resided in Alberta for the 6 months immediately preceding election day, and their place of residence is located in the area on election day, are eligible to vote.
We believe that voting is a right, at all levels of government.
We are committed to working with The City to model its voting requirements after the federal and provincial requirements, neither of which mandates, for example, that voters must produce identification – a requirement that creates a barrier to democratic participation for many people living on low income, including our city’s growing homeless population.
“To discriminate against one who has ‘no fixed address’ is abhorrent. Life has kicked many of these people hard. They have come through significant abuse; many have tried to avoid our world by seeking solace in drugs and alcohol; predators pimp them with no regard for their feelings and certainly with no regard for their personhood. Let us ensure that, at a minimum, they have a legitimate and effective means to voice their opinion on election day.” – Dr. John Rook, CEO of The Salvation Army Community Services, Calgary.
