A committee studying the Municipal Elections Modernization Act voted against an amendment that would have given permanent residents the right to vote in municipal elections.

The amendment came from NDP MPP Percy Hatfield, who spoke on its behalf, citing resolutions by city councils in Toronto and North Bay, asking the province to amend legislation to give permanent residents the vote.

MPPs on the standing committee on finance and economic affairs debated the amendment Thursday morning, but the meeting was called to a close before the vote, when time ran out prior to question period. The committee reconvened at 2 p.m., and voted down the amendment.

Hatfield urged the MPPs to vote for his amendment. He quoted a Toronto Star article that argued giving permanent residents the right to vote was a matter of fairness and a “way of bridging the urban divide,” that could help more visible minority candidates win election office.

Hatfield argued that politicians tend to listen most — or only — to those who vote. Often, new immigrants will settle in communities, and denying them the vote lessens their neighbourhood’s voice with their local councillor, he said.

He argued that permanent residents pay taxes, use city services, send their children to school and should have a say with the elected official closest to their day-to-day lives.

Liberal MPP Lou Rinaldi said the government has no appetite for the change at this time, but said he respects Hatfield’s “rightful” passion on the issue.

Rinaldi told the committee he came to Canada at age 12, and was a citizen by the time he reached legal voting age, and how important the right to vote was for his family.

“My father said it’s been a long time since we voted. This will give an opportunity to vote. I remember that just as plain as it happened a minute ago,” he said.

Rinaldi said he believes it is time for a broader discussion on the issue, beyond the committee.

“I’m not sure with a swipe of a pen here we should make these decisions,” he said.

PC MPP Ernie Hardeman said he agreed with Hatfield’s argument that permanent residents should vote, as they pay taxes, but said he also believes the decisions should be left to municipalities.

He also told the committee he is “old enough” to recall the days when permanent residents could vote.

(It wasn’t until the Municipal Elections Act of 1972, that the right to vote in municipal elections across Ontario was based on citizenship. At that time, it meant Canadian Citizens and British subjects. Prior to that, the right to vote in municipal elections differed in different communities, but it was generally based on property ownership.)

Minister of Municipal Affairs Ted McMeekin does not support giving permanent residents the vote, he told QP Briefing after question period.

“I think citizens should vote. That’s the way it’s always been. That’s the way the feds do it and we do it here,” said McMeekin. “If you get into who in addition to that should vote, you get into a real schmozzle on your hands with respect to the voting list. How would you do that?

“Citizenship has its privileges and that’s the way it’s been since Confederation. And we’ve not heard from hardly anybody — we’ve heard from a few people — that they’d like see it expanded to permanent residents, landed immigrants, refugees, you know. It’s too precious a thing for us to be deviating from when the traditions, federally, provincially and municipally have always been, and I suspect will continue to be, that citizens vote.”

However, McMeekin said he’s all for a broader discussion on the issue.

“I think we should have broader discussions on everything,” he said.

To contact the reporter on this story:
jsmithcross@qpbriefing.com
416-212-5816
Twitter: @jessiecatherine

Committee rejects granting permanent residents right to vote in municipal elections

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