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Legislation specifically excludes Inuit from voting in federal elections. 1948: All Asian Canadians gain the vote: The federal vote is now open to Canadians regardless of provincial exclusions. Japanese, Chinese and other Asian Canadians can vote federally, no matter which province they live in. 1950: Inuit are able to vote
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As the colonies that came to form Canada in 1867 became self-governing, they eventually gained control of defining who could vote. (See Representative Government.) As a result, the rules differed substantially between the colonies. All were heavily influenced by English law; the franchise was restricted to men with property assets of a certain valu...
With Confederation in 1867, the definition of the franchise was left to the provinces. This meant that eligibility to vote in a federal electioncould vary from one province to another. All provinces, however, restricted the franchise to male British subjects who were at least 21 years old who met a property qualification. For the first 50 years aft...
Some instances were recorded of women voting in Canada until 1849. Despite this, Canadian women were systematically and universally disenfranchised. Apart from the temporary and selective right to vote granted to women under the Wartime Elections Actin 1917, women were first granted the right to vote federally in 1918. In 1916, Manitoba became the ...
During the period of Black enslavement in Canada, from the early 1600s until its abolition on 1 August 1834, Black persons were legally deemed to be chattel property (personal possessions). As such, Black people were not considered to be persons; they therefore did not possess the rights or freedoms enjoyed by full citizens. These included protecti...
Asian peoples first began arriving in Canada in the 19th century. From that point through much of the first half of the 20th century, most Canadians of Asian heritage were denied the right to vote in federal and provincial elections. Federally, the Electoral Franchise Act (1885) explicitly denied Chinese Canadiansthe right to vote. In 1898, new leg...
Indigenous peoples in Canada consist of First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities. Each has a different history of voting rights. (See also Indigenous Suffrage; Indigenous Women and the Franchise.)
Through a process called enfranchisement, First Nations people could give up their Indian status and vote in federal elections as early as 1867. (A status Indian is an individual who is registered under the Indian Act. It is a legal recognition of a person’s First Nations heritage. It affords certain rights, such as the right to live on reserve lan...
TheDominion Franchise Act (1934) disqualified Inuit, along with status Indians, from voting in federal elections. Most Inuit were enfranchised in 1950. But they were unable to vote for various reasons. Inuit were rarely enumerated (added to official lists of people entitled to vote) and ballot boxes were not brought to Inuit communities in the Arct...
The Métis have never experienced restrictions on their right to vote. Métis have by and large not been covered by treaties or statutes such as the Indian Act. Therefore, no legal means have existed by which to disenfranchise them.
Canada now has a virtually universal franchise at both the provincial and federal levels. Section 3 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms states that, “every citizen of Canada has the right to vote in an election of members of the House of Commons or of a legislative assembly and to be qualified for membership therein.” This provision pave...
- Guarantee of rights and freedoms – section 1 1. Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees the rights and freedoms set out in it subject only to such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society.
- Fundamental freedoms – section 2 2. Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms: a) freedom of conscience and religion; b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication;
- Democratic rights – sections 3 to 5. Democratic rights of citizens – section 3. Maximum duration of legislative bodies – section 4. Annual sitting of legislative bodies – section 5.
- Mobility rights – section 6. Mobility of citizens 6. (1) Every citizen of Canada has the right to enter, remain in and leave Canada. Rights to move and gain livelihood.
Even where the right to vote or eligibility to be a candidate is not directly denied, there may be a restriction of section 3 where the impugned law or government action interferes with the conditions under which these rights are exercised.
- Fundamental freedoms. Everyone in Canada is free to practise any religion or no religion at all. We are free to think our own thoughts, speak our minds, to gather peacefully into groups and to associate with whomever we wish, as long as we do not infringe valid laws which protect the rights and interests of others.
- Democratic rights. Every Canadian citizen has the right to vote in elections for Members of Parliament and representatives in provincial and territorial legislatures, and to seek election themselves, subject to certain limited exceptions (for example, minimum voting age), which have been found to be reasonable and justifiable.
- Mobility rights. Canadian citizens have the right to enter, remain in, or leave the country. Canadian citizens and permanent residents have the right to live or seek work anywhere in Canada.
- Legal rights. Everyone, regardless of race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age, or mental or physical disability, is equal before the law.
Under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms all Canadian citizens have the basic right to vote in federal and provincial elections. Attempts by the government to limit the right to vote undermine our participatory democratic system and the legitimacy of our government
People also ask
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Parliament passes legislation lowering the federal voting age from 21 to 18. This adds two million Canadians to the electoral rolls. Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms affirms the right of every Canadian citizen 18 and older to vote and to stand as a candidate.
