Dont forget who was elected as mayor twice …
Mind you last time we never had much choice
But I feel clue less after what we ended up with from him…
I think the people who don’t have a clue about the issues are still voting in this system anyways (I might say that’s how the conservatives won this election TIC 
). And who’s to say what is important anyway? If some one wants to vote for a party that will make us all wear lavender suspenders who are we to tell them that’s not an issue intelligent enough to vote for. Maybe they work for the lavender suspenders factory or something?
As I recall we actually had a pretty good voter turnout for the last municiple election–so I don’t think people in Rupert ended up with Pond two times in a row because they were clueless.
As for enforced voting–no. We have a right to vote, and just like most other rights we have the option of waiving our right to vote.
we’re screwed, the con’s won
Like driving, it is a privilage, not a right. How quickly we take things for granted.
Well, you’re arguing semantics, I guess.
It most definitely is a right, in my opinion. If you’re a Canadian citizen, you have the right to vote, and that can’t be taken from you, unlike a privilege.
Well lets hope the voter turnout does not get so low we end up losing that right.
Update: As of 11:14 p.m., 234 of 236 polls in the riding have reported and voter turnout is 56.9 per cent (34,135 of 60,041)
58% Nationwide, I guess 9 million + people have a really good reason not to vote.
Voting is a right guaranteed under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
LAWL!
Right under your “Fundamental Rights,” (right to assemble, right to freedom of expression, religion, etc.) are your “Democratic Rights.”
The very first sentence of your Democratic Rights reads:
This can be found in the “Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms”–you must be confusing this with the “Canadian Charter of Privileges and Favours.”
Correct, I can not agree with you more.
However can you not see that of all the countries in the world we are one of the privilaged to have a right to vote. This in itself is reason enough to not squander the ability to vote. To not have to worry about being shot on the way to the polls, or have some maniac drive thier car laden with TNT into the doors. There are two groups in our country who only recently had the right to vote.
Sure you can argue with me about rights vs. privileged. The fact is, 9 million people decided to throw away that right.
Nah, we’re not priviledged to have the right to vote. We may sometimes take things for granted in Canada, like clean water, safe cities, and different freedoms–but that doesn’t mean that by not voting we are taking the right to vote for granted, as well.
However, the flip side of having a right is also being allowed to waive that right. Imagine if everyone was legislated into blogging because only 50% of Canadians do it? Does that make sense?
This is our right to vote.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
"Article 21
(1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.
(2) Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country.
(3) The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures."
This is our dutie and moral obligation to exersise that right.
“Article 29
(1) Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible.
(2) In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society.”
In an unfair system an abstention can be a way of protesting , in which case there is both a right and obligation to abstain. Or you may want to express a “none of the above” vote. In some cases, then, non-voting may be the most accurate expression of a voter’s wishes.
This is not an unfair system, and if you are not happy with the choices say so on your Ballet. But for goodness sake let them know by saying something. People should not take the easy way out by staying home.
Actually, any pollster or politian will tell you that by writing your name or any comment on a ballot, you make that ballot null and void, and the ballot is not counted.
What you suggest is absolutely no different than not voting, except that you waste paper by (I can’t remember the correct word for this) ‘ruining’ your ballot.
As for whether or not we have an unfair system, is that not for the individual voter to decide? If they feel that no candidate will fairly represent their interests, doesn’t that mean they think we have an unfair system?
The bottom line is: Yes, I’d love better voter turnout. However, I think it’s a dangerous thing to amend our Constitution to include required voting. As I said before, we have the ability to invoke our rights, we should have the equal ability to waive those rights.
It is much different, were you not there yesterday, they take your ID, count you as showing up. “Stand up and be counted” Not “sit on you arse and watch the world go by” By even casting a ballot you are making a statement, even if it is a “Donkey Vote” I think is the term.
Cast a ballot, show you are unhappy with the choice, what you are saying has nothing to do with the system. If you want to get down to it, if one feels that thier country is not being properly represented, they have an equally strong obligation to run for office themselves and fix things.
Too late,
parl.gc.ca/Infoparl/english/ … 7&art=1265
well, this one lost out, maybe next time.
(edit) corrected link
Bring in proportional representation.
Spoiled Ballot I believe the term is. 
“Voided” Ballot sounds more professional.
If you voided on your ballot, you’d probably get arrested! 