Do citizens who
are living and working abroad, particularly for an extended period of time,
still have the same voting rights as the citizens who choose to stay in their
home country? Should these expatriates be granted the same level of access to
exercising their right to franchise, even if they haven't lived in their home
country for several years?
This is surely a
very controversial subject and it will continue to be a hotly debated issue as
the global economy continues to grow and expand. A growing number of people are
now working remotely or seeking new career opportunities in countries other
than their own, all while retaining citizenship in their homeland rather than
seeking citizenship where they currently reside. And what about students
attending school abroad?
Most recently, a very significant
change was made in Canada in regards to the voting rights of expatriates.
The current Canadian government has stated that expatriates who have lived
abroad for a period of more than five years are no longer be able to cast
ballots and participate in the country's elections.
The rationale,
according to Chief Justice George Strathy, is that non-residents should not be
able to vote on laws that “have little to no practical consequence for their
own daily lives.” Indeed, if legislators are passing laws related to the
infrastructure of a country, like schools and roads, but the expatriate never
accesses these schools and roads, should they still have a say in how these
issues are resolved?
Unsurprisingly,
this ruling has consequently resulted in a significant backlash from the
expatriate community, including celebrated actor and octogenarian Donald
Sutherland. He stated that he only has one passport – a Canadian one – and
he deserves the right to vote, even if he doesn't live in Canada. He has
refused American citizenship and has no interest in pursuing dual citizenship.
He was made an Officer of the Order of Canada nearly 40 years ago. He feels
Canadian, through and through, but he cannot vote.
Questions have
been raised as to how such laws should be applied and whether they require significant
revision. Should and do the circumstances matter in determining whether a
person living abroad can vote? What if it's a student taking a five-year
program at a university abroad? What if it is a professional, like Sutherland,
who hasn't lived in Canada for years? What if it's someone who works abroad
most of the time, but comes “home” on a periodic basis where his family
continues to reside?
Voting rights as
related to non-residents and expatriates is not unique to Canadian politics.
A major movement
is taking place among the community
of Swiss citizens living and working abroad, for example, calling for the
implementation of electronic voting technology. Remote e-voting was recently
mandated for non-resident Indians so they can vote in elections without
having to make the physical journey back home. But what does “home” really mean
in this context?
