Expat Canadians deserve the right to vote in Federal Elections

As a Canadian citizen who was born to expat parents and who has lived abroad for most of my life, I have never held the right to vote in any election. In my opinion, laws such as these distort the notion of citizenry to a residency based definition. In today's globalized world, opportunity is everywhere, so why do we "punish" those who decide to take advantage of this system? Laws such as these disenfranchise citizens and are symbolic, implying that those who leave are no longer welcome in our country, at least as far as decision making goes. In a key example, if the government were to decide to implement a global tax-regime, akin to the American one, those undeniably most affected would have next to no say in the decision process. This risk, symbol and disfranchisement must change.

I support this petition.

As a Canadian who has lived abroad for an extended period (but since repatriated), I know first hand that expats are often some of the most politically engaged individuals. The decisions of our government makes still have an immense impact; from the effects on our families, the use of our tax dollars, and sometimes our safety while living abroad.

I have been out of the country for 8 years in october. All totaled, I spend a month on average in Canada each year on vacation and visiting family. My children who have been born abroad are canadian citizens and recent laws effected by the conservative government has made significant impact to the rights of their children. I am a proud Canadian, I always will be, regardless of how long I am away.

....please change this current injustice!! I spend three months a year in Canada, have real estate, have a daughter in a Canadian university, follow Canadian politics daily and am upset that I can't vote in my own country!!!!!!

My name is Catherine and I am Canadian. Yes, I left Canada at the age of five. Yes, I have grown up in the USA, China, and Switzerland. Yes, I am currently attending university in the USA. However, that doesn’t change the fact that I am, and always will be, a proud Canadian. I sport my Canadian Olympic mittens, I go home to our cottage north of Toronto at least twice a year, I follow Canadian politics, I always have a Canadian flag on my wall, will do anything for a Timbit, and am easily identifiable by my Canadian accent. I have always considered myself a lucky third culture kid: I’ve grown up around the world, but I have an amazing country that feels like home. However, because I have lived outside the country for more than five years, I am denied the right to vote. I cannot tell you how frustrated and disappointed I was when, excited to vote for the very first time, I tried to apply for a ballot in absentia and was denied. I felt let down. After years of pushing friends and family to vote, I found myself in a strange sort of limbo: voiceless in my native country and powerless in the countries I live in temporarily. For years, I’ve chosen not to apply for American citizenship because I am proud of my Canadian heritage. I am proud of our diplomacy. Of our recent efforts to welcome Syrian refugees. Of our national health care. Of our stereotypical politeness. I love walking onto an Air Canada plane and listening to the bilingual announcements. However, I don’t want to live without a vote forever, without a way to influence the society in which I live. One might argue that, because I haven’t lived in Canada for fifteen years, I don’t have a vested interest in Canadian legislation and am not representative of the Canadian population. To me, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Aside from the fact that I am fortunate enough to spend three months of every year at our cottage, in identifying as Canadian I am also identifying with the programs and

Stripping away Charter rights from citizens is obscene. Many of us even still file taxes in Canada while living abroad. There is no excuse or justification for this that could possibly hold water.

"Permitting all non-resident citizens to vote would allow them to participate in making laws that affect Canadian residents on a daily basis but have little to no practical consequence for their own daily lives. This would erode the social contract and undermine the legitimacy of the laws." -Justice George Strathy That is a very subjective view. With my aging parents living in Ontario and my siblings hard pressed to care for them, the consequences of the laws in both Ontario and in Canada on my daily life are considerable. I may live abroad, but I have never been nor will ever be the citizen of another country. My ideas and identity are Canadian, second only to Human; an identity that should be more clearly defined across the globe than is at present. In fact, I cannot vote in my country of residence because the "social contract" to which I adhere is Canadian.

Canadians working and living abroad should have the right to vote. There are many reasons here is one of them: Many of them are and will be responsible for their aging parents and family members. They are born Canadians who took an opportunity (when one wasn't available in Canada) to not be a burden on our economy. They still visit they still pay taxes, they should be able to vote. Period. Seriously! This is A Charter of Rights! How dare you take that away!

5 years is far to short. Moving the date up to 15 years is more appropriate.

I am a Canadian citizen living abroad and paying taxes (on a small pension) which is taxed at source. I am very much affected by laws made by Canadian politicians such as those affecting pensions, senior citizens, the economy (exchange rate), and any other laws affecting my family living in Canada. I was an educator for 35 years and also became involved with political issues when 400 + women from all walks of life and all political parties came together in Ottawa to make amendments to the Charter of Rights concerning women and children. Proud to say the amendments went into effect on the following day and I am a "Mother of the Charter of Rights"!

Constitutional right denied.

The Canadian government should cherish the fact that it has Canadians living all over the world, representing in one way or another, our country and our views. I live abroad for my research work, and I do not have any other form of political standing or representation in the country I live in (I'm not a permanent resident, I can't vote, nor can I access public services) . Politically I am nothing other than Canadian and voting for the government that drives the policies that govern me at home, and abroad, is my human right.

As many others, I consider that living outside of the country should not take away your citizen's rights ! So the 4th year 11 months you still can vote, but the following month you lost your rights and can't vote. What kind of law is this? A discriminating law was re-established by Ontario court prohibiting to vote after 5 years living outside of the country... unbelievable decision by a biased court. The fact that one has strong permanent ties in Canada, family, children, businesses ... nothing matter to this backward looking court.

I am completely disagree with this regulation. It's a nonsense.

I am a canadian citizen, I fell in love with a girl from austria, so we live here, I love my country and care about its future , I want to vote ! I should be allowed to vote .

Canada seems filled with fear of the 'other' and now it seems that we are the 'others' as well. I have lived abroad and in Canada. There are not various tiers of Canadians!

I would like to know why this was ever made an issue? Why are many of my relatives and friends all Canadian born being refused the right to vote. We have a large amounts of economic and intellectual wealth already invested with them as do they with us, this is just not just!

Being an expat does not make me less of a Canadian. I have a stake in my country's leadership and policy choices. Depriving expats like me of our right to vote is UNCANADIAN and undemocratic.

Have lived in the US for almost 20 years. Even have US citizenship. Still consider myself and identify myself as a Canadian. I'd vote if I could.