I Thouht The Current Issue Was Muniipal Elections?

Premier opposed to non-citizen vote By ANTONELLA ARTUSO Call him "old fashioned," but Premier Dalton McGuinty says only Canadian citizens should be allowed to vote in elections.

Monday, June 15, 2009
Non-Citizens Should Have Voting Rights

Contrary to rather overexcited commentary from a few of my Tory friends, I support David Millar's proposal to give voting rights to non-citizen residents of Toronto. If they are good enough to pay taxes then they are good enough to vote. After all all local government does is spend taxpayers' money, so it's only fair if payees get to decide who does the spending.

Conversely those that don't pay taxes should not be able to decide how local government gets to spend other peoples' money.

at 6:50 PM
12 comments:

Anonymous said...
How precisely would you decide who pays taxes. Even a 10-year old kid pays taxes in Toronto with his paper delivery money when s/he buys candy at the grocery store. Especially if s/he needs a plastic bag. Should they be given the vote? Not a citizen. No vote. Good God, isn't citizenship worth something in this country?
15/6/09 19:09

Anonymous said...
And I suppose if I visit the UK and buy something I should be able to vote in their election since I'm paying taxes too. What a retarded argument you have going for yourself. Do you not care for the value of citizenship?
15/6/09 19:13

Bec said...
I would assume that taxes are assessed in TO, the same or a similar way they are in Calgary. Only property owners pay taxes so to suggest that they pay taxes at a municipal level would be incorrect, I believe.
The rest of your position seems to have been based on that and so I thought that I would clarify that one aspect if it does indeed apply.
15/6/09 19:30

shlemazl said...
@Bec:
Good point. Municipal taxes are raised either through property tax (including on business) or as a contribution from the province. In the case of Toronto national government also provides funding for various projects. And a small proportion comes from various user-fees, such as parking charges.
Ultimately you don't contribute very much net tax if you don't have a job. As far as I am concerned that means you shouldn't have much say on how other peoples' tax should be spend. Then we'd get rid of David Millar in no time.
15/6/09 19:57

kursk said...
If you allow tens of thousands of non-citizens to vote in Toronto, you will never get rid of David Miller and his band of merry socialists.
With an ever increasing stream of voting enabled people coming into Toronto every year, it would be his ace in the hole, a ready made voting bloc..
As others have stated, do not give rights of citizenship out so cheaply.I served in the armed forces and earned my right to vote through civic duty.I firmly believe that is something that must be demanded of all new citizens, X number of hours of community service, to be done in an area of the govts choosing.
15/6/09 20:30

Anonymous said...
Are you mental? What other gifts would you like to heap onto non-citizens - Hell, why even bother getting citizenship. You are aware of who these people would vote for aren't you? I really wonder who you would vote for.
15/6/09 21:11

shlemazl said...
"These people"? Is it like the notorious "this woman" comment by Clinton?
Anon, your comment stinks. And yes, I am aware who "these people" would vote for:
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/617028
15/6/09 21:23

Hoarfrost said...
If David Miller is for it then there is a hidden agenda. I will be against it if only for that reason.
15/6/09 22:36

Hoarfrost said...
Furthermore! Citizenship should take ten years not a few. Revocable for treasonous acts.
15/6/09 22:39

shlemazl said...
Millar's agenda is quite obvious. He thinks the new immigrants, most of whom come on family reunification programmes and don't have any income, would vote for commies like him who like to spend other people's taxes in large quantities.
His campaign is using "no taxation without representation" slogan. Which is why I am proposing to only give voting rights to people who have income and pay taxes.
15/6/09 22:47

Anonymous said...
David Miller proposes this voting for all residents of TO for one reason alone - ethnic voting blocs. The good citizens of Toronto should be really fair and civic minded and impose term limits on the mayor's office. According to Miller's reasoning all voices should be heard. Perhaps having a new mayor on a regular basis would be a good thing for governance. Cheers Fern StAlbert
16/6/09 00:47

Anonymous said...
I don't see that as practical, what would the resident non-citizen do, bring his pay stub to the polling booth. It would open up Charter suits of economic discrimination if resident non-citizens with discernible income were allowed to vote and others weren't.
Best to have uniform voting lists based on citizenship for municipal, provincial, federal elections.
16/6/09 06:25