A Made in Canada Strategy for Non-citizen Voting

Abstract

Integration of new immigrants into their new democratic homes is a major issue in a now globalised world. The degree to which non-citizens integrate, or not, has become an issue of concern for democratic countries. To enhance integration, some countries have adopted the strategy of giving voting rights to non-citizens. This research paper will examine whether Canada could or should adopt a similar strategy of extending voting rights to non-citizens at different electoral levels. Since Canada continues to accept high numbers of immigrants, an exploration of extending voting rights to non-citizens who are residing in this country could be useful. The paper discusses the arguments for and against, as well as examines the outcomes in other countries which have extended voting rights to non-citizens.