Geoff Regan

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, March 19th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, if Question No. 105 could be made an order for return, the return would be tabled immediately.

[Questions on the Order Paper, March 19th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, Question No. 108 will be answered today.

[Government Response to Petitions, March 19th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's responses to two petitions.

[Order in Council Appointments, March 19th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table, in both official languages, a number of order in council appointments made recently by the government.

[Questions on the Order Paper, March 18th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand.

[Questions on the Order Paper, March 14th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand.

[Government Response to Petitions, March 14th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to one petition.

[Canada Elections Act, March 13th, 2002]

Madam Speaker, I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak to the motion that would grant the right to vote to those residing in Canada with landedimmigrant status.

I am thrilled because this debate touches on two special issues that I hold very dear, the sustainable contribution of immigrants to Canada and the fundamental role of elections and the right to vote in our democracy.

To begin with, I am sure all of us in the House recognize the tremendous contribution that has been made to the development of this country by immigrants. This is seen in every area of Canadian life: business, government, academia, culture and the arts. All of us recognize that our country has been enriched by their accomplishments and by their descendents who are now playing their own part in our national saga.

Indeed, it is no exaggeration to say that all of us in Canada are either immigrants or descendents of immigrants. For whether it was tens of thousands of years ago in the case of aboriginal Canadians or more recently as with other Canadians, all of us or our ancestors came from somewhere else. As a result, Canadians cherish their immigrant heritage and offer a warm welcome to newcomers to our country.

Unlike our neighbours to the south who take a melting pot approach, we in Canada view diversity as a valuable asset to be treasured and nurtured rather than a potential source of conflict that must be eliminated at all cost. Not surprisingly, we have been quick to accord many rights to landed immigrants or permanent residents as they are more properly known in Canadian law. These include the right to receive Canada student loans and vote in municipal elections, to name just a few. The Canada Elections Act extends to permanent residents the right to encourage electors to vote for or against a particular candidate and to make electoral contributions.

We are also aware that the first few years in Canada can often be a destabilizing factor for many new immigrants, who have to get to know a new country and a new people and to take major decisions concerning their families, their financial situation and their work.

Besides granting new immigrants a number of rights, we also impose a few restrictions on them.

For instance, should they need help, permanent residents have to rely on their sponsors and they also have to wait to benefit from medicare, at least three months in Ontario.

We also prevent them from voting in federal and provincial elections, a right they will, however, be able to exercise fully once they have taken Canadian citizenship. The reason for this is that over the years Canadians of all political persuasions have agreed that the right to determine the future of this country is so important that it should be reserved for those who have made a permanent commitment to it by taking Canadian citizenship.

This was underlined in the 1991 Royal Commission on Electoral Reform and Party Financing, or the Lortie commission as it is popularly known. It recommended that we continue to require that people be Canadian citizens before they can vote in federal elections. It stated that:

Those who wish to participate in Canada's political life must commit themselves to a permanent stake in our government and share in its risks; they have an obligation to seek Canadian citizenship. The right conduct of politics in representative governance implies that the vote is significant to citizens. This demands that only citizens possess the franchise.

In its report the commission laid out a number of criteria for deciding who should have the right to vote. These criteria included: holding a stake in the governance of society; the ability to cast a rational and informed vote; and conforming to the norms of responsible citizenships.

It does not take long to realize that these criteria are totally reasonable. It is quite normal that only the people directly concerned by the future of a country should have a say in the governance of that country. The best way to show their dedication to this country is to become a Canadian citizen.

Then, too, if voters are to make a rational and informed decision about the issues of the day they must be familiar with the history, values and character of the country and have a good knowledge of its laws and the operation of our institutions of government. This is clearly not something that can be learned in a few days, weeks or months. Rather, it can only be done by living in Canada for an extended period of time and sharing in the life of the nation, as occurs when people are permanent residents for a few years prior to applying for citizenship.

I might add that requiring people to be citizens before they can vote is not something that is peculiar to Canada. Rather, it is the standard for most if not all of the major democracies, including the United States, Great Britain and France for example. Nor do any of the provinces allow non-citizens to vote in their elections. For these reasons, it seems wise to retain the current restrictions in the right to vote to just Canadian citizens.

Therefore I will not be supporting this motion and would urge other members to do likewise.

Having said that, I want to thank the hon. member for his interest and deep commitment to making citizenship meaningful and to urging Canadians to participate as much as possible in our political institutions. This is also what our government and I are aiming for.

I would urge all members to work with the government in this area so that we can share our insights, ideas and dreams, for it is only then that our country and its people will be able to realize their full potential.

[Motions for Papers, March 13th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I ask that the other Notices of Motions for the Production of Papers be allowed to stand.

[Motions for Papers, March 13th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, insofar as requested, no such documents exist. Therefore I ask the hon. member to withdraw his motion.