Calgary City Council took a step towards exploring the expansion of voting rights in civic elections to include permanent residents on Tuesday. Councilor Courtney Walcott initiated a notice of motion requesting Alberta Municipalities to work towards allowing permanent residents to participate in civic elections. The motion was approved by a 9-6 vote, with some councilors, including Dan McLean, Jennifer Wyness, Sean Chu, Sonya Sharp, Andre Chabot, and Peter Demong, expressing their opposition.
Walcott emphasized the importance of engaging permanent residents in their communities, stating, “For a long time people have said the ability to vote is an incentive for citizenship, but I would argue that being engaged in the community is the incentive for citizenship.” He clarified that the motion did not immediately grant non-citizens the right to vote but rather initiated a provincial-level discussion.
Walcott highlighted the contribution of permanent residents to the community and the need for them to have a say in local decision-making. He stated, “There are taxpayers who aren’t able to participate in the local elections … When you can get someone to engage in democracy at an early age or the earliest point possible, they end up becoming more civically engaged for the rest of their lives.”
Councilor Kourtney Penner supported the motion, citing the protection of permanent residents under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the need to challenge the status quo. She said, “There was a time when women couldn’t vote, and it took someone challenging the status quo.”
However, Councilor Andre Chabot expressed reservations, stating, “I don’t know if we should go that far when the Canadian government actually doesn’t support that through the Canadian Charter.” He indicated that he would support the move if the Canadian government amended the Charter to allow permanent residents to vote.
Alberta’s Municipal Affairs Minister, Ric McIver, promptly dismissed Walcott’s proposal, stating that only Canadian citizens have the right to vote in civic elections and that Alberta will not be changing this requirement. He emphasized the importance of protecting democracy and the clarity of the Local Authorities Elections Act, which has always restricted voting rights to Canadian citizens.
Premier Danielle Smith also weighed in on the issue through a social media post, stating that only Canadian citizens should be eligible to vote in federal, provincial, and municipal elections. She expressed, “In my mind, only Canadian citizens should be able to vote in federal, provincial and municipal elections. Although we welcome people from around the world to work and live in Alberta, in order to vote, one must commit to Canadian citizenship. That’s how it works.”
The Calgary City Council’s motion initiates a provincial-level conversation on the issue of voting rights for permanent residents. While the immediate impact on civic elections is limited, the move has sparked a broader debate on the representation and civic engagement of permanent residents in Alberta.
