The Toronto Star, Opinions and Letters
A solution to expat dilemma
Re: Judge reserves decision on expats’ voting right, June 21
Canadian citizenship comes with great benefits — universal health care, Old Age Security and Canada Pension to name a few. Therefore with these benefits we as citizens have certain responsibilities. One of the responsibilities is to file and submit income tax to cover these lovely benefits.
Thus the problem of expats voting rights have a simple solution. If an expat has filed income tax in the past and currently, then the franchise of voting rights is retained and available. If any expat has not filed, sorry, no right to vote because basic requirement of Canadian citizenship has been abrogated.
Simple and effective solution, no fuss, no mess.
Dez Miklós, Hamilton