There is no such thing as an
“immigrant vote”.
Published by Paragon Legal Services on October 11th, 2021.
When Canada held elections in 2021
the parties were vigorously campaigning to win as many votes as possible,
especially from persons deemed ‘immigrant voters’. Canada’s
immigrants are as diverse as Canada itself. Since migrants come for different reasons from varying countries,
cultures, political persuasions, and socio-economic backgrounds, they rarely
favour a particular party.
Most new settlers reside in the provinces of Quebec, Ontario, Alberta,
and British Columbia; which makes them the focus of various political parties seeking
to promote their pro-immigration agenda. Integration into the Canadian
lifestyle and system is key to immigrants living a successful life. This can be
difficult if they do not attempt to become part of society. You have rights as a new settler in Canada, let our certified legal consultant can help you acquire the
information you need to know.
It is imperative to know what thrusts immigrants to the polls so we can determine
how to encourage their participation in Canada’s democracy. Statistics
Canada revealed ‘immigrant voter’ turnout
rises the more time they spend in Canada; partly due to their needing time to
become civically involved and learn about Canada’s political system and parties
and their political rights.
That same research also expressed that
immigrant voter turnout matches the democratic tradition in their country of
origin while persons from stronger democratic traditions tend to be more inclined
to vote. Did you want to vote in the last election? Contact our experienced legal professional to find out more
about your voting rights in Canada.
Females from certain regions of the world are more likely to vote than
men, while the opposite occurs for other parts of the world. By and large, the
overall voting rate among immigrant men and women is similar, leaving one to
assume gender voting patterns among migrants has more to do with culture than
gender.
Older Canadian-born citizens who are more educated and have higher
incomes are more likely to vote which does not seem to be the circumstance for
immigrant voters of the same persuasion. There are other socio-economic factors
that may impact immigrant voter participation in Canada but not much research
is available. Elections Canada has cited linguistic
aptitude as an obstacle for those who do not speak any of the official
languages probably hindering their decision to vote.
Immigrants need time to adjust to life in Canada permitting them more
time to fathom how Canada’s political environment functions. When migrants
initially arrive in Canada, the political scenario may not be of significant
importance to them. In due course however, they do play a very dynamic role in
Canadian politics not long after attaining citizenship. If you are a permanent resident or recently received Canadian citizen contact Paragon Legal Services to
find out more about your basic human and Canadian rights.