Ethical Suffrage: Canadian Offenders and the Right to Vote
Ethical Suffrage: Canadian Offenders and the Right to Vote Political Science 2200 – 001 Douglas College Dayna Wilson 300113188 19 November 2021 Word Count: 1425 When the Supreme Court of Canada decided in 2002 that barring prisoners from voting violated their constitutional right to democratic participation, the news was met with much opposition. Victims’ rights advocates were vocal about their outrage, including Gary Rosenfeldt who told CBC news “These are people who flagrantly disobeyed the laws of this country, who don't care about the laws of this country” (CBC 2004). The 2004 federal election saw Conservatives running on a platform that included a vow to “forbid prisoners in federal institutions from voting in elections” (Conservative Party of Canada 2004). Despite such opposition, it remains the case that not only is universal suffrage enshrined in the Charter of Canadian Rights and Freedoms , but it empirica