Non-citizen Residents Should Have Voting Rights

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The right to vote for non-citizens has become an increasingly controversial topic due to the strong and often divisive opinions of permanent Canadian residents. The capacity to vote is one of the most important and valued freedoms granted to individuals. Although the acceptance of non-citizen resident voting is frequently encouraged in order to propel self-governing justice and immigrant inclusion, opponents claim that it is in a nation’s best interest to delay voting rights to non-citizens. According to this claim, by preserving voting rights to citizens, non-citizens would have the social responsibility to actively learn the essential community services and self-ruled obligations necessary to earn their citizenship. In spite of this claim, non-citizens should be allowed to vote because the right to vote offers immigrants a more welcomed chance to contribute in the decision-making processes that take place in Canadian legislature. Seeing that this legislature administrates the rights and freedoms of the immigrant populations, it would only be just if immigrants had the right to elect candidates who spoke on behalf of their best interests.
Additionally, non-citizens should not be denied the freedom of speech and by denying them of their right to vote, non-citizens are inclined to feel both oppressed, silenced and ostracized. Most countries such as the US allow non-citizen to vote, and given that Canada publically embraces mottos of equality and multiculturalism, it would be in the nation’s best interest to allow non-citizens the right to vote. The non-citizens living in Toronto own thirty percent of the residences. When a large portion of the city own houses, pay taxes, and follow the laws passed by boards and governments, they s...

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2. Irene Bloemraad. The North American Naturalization Gap: AN Institutional Approach to Citizenship Acquisition in the United States and Canada. Retrieved from https://courses.ryerson.ca/@@/CF12EBC688315C67DED46723CFC1F310/courses/1/pog100_w14_01/content/_2488288_1/Bloemraad2002.pdf
3. Rachel Mendleson. (June 12 2013). Giving non-citizens the right to vote in city elections: Your question answered. Retrieved from http://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2013/06/12/giving_noncitizens_the_right_to_vote_in_city_elections_your_questions_answered.html
4. Debra Black. (May 19 2013). Should permanent residents be allowed to vote in municipal elections? Retrieved from http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/05/19/should_permanent_residents_be_allowed_to_vote_in_municipal_elections.html

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