Home > Politics and Economy > Voting in Canada: How a Privilege Became a Right

Voting in Canada: How a Privilege Became a Right
In Canada's early days, only a select group of privileged men could vote. Now it's a fundamental right for all Canadians over 18. Women, Asians, native people and prisoners were among those who gained the right to vote in Canadian elections over the past century — often amid controversy. CBC Archives explores the evolution of voting rights in Canada.		Educational activities about Voting in Canada: How a Privilege Became a Right

Women Get the Vote				Asian-Canadians

	McClung's 'mock parliament'		Quebec women and the vote		Correcting a racial injustice
	Recalling a key moment in Nellie McClung's fight for Canadian women's suffrage. (TV; runs 4:22)		Thérèse Casgrain describes how Quebec women finally got the provincial vote, many years after other provinces. (Radio; runs 3:57)		Chinese-, Japanese- and Indo-Canadians gain a right once denied them. (TV; runs 1:19)

Aboriginals		The Age Debate

	Diefenbaker and the native vote		Should 18-year-olds vote?		How low should it go?
	In 1960, Canada's Aboriginal Peoples are finally granted a 'no-strings-attached' right to vote. (TV; runs 0:49)		Agnes MacPhail and John Diefenbaker on dropping the voting age from 21 to 18. (Radio; runs 4:32)		At the height of the youth rights movement, Take 30 asks whether children should be allowed to vote. (TV; runs 6:02)

The Mentally Disabled		Prisoner Voting Rights

	Lifting restrictions on mental patients		Have they forfeited their right?		All inmates can vote
	Mentally disabled Canadians get the right to vote in 1988. (TV; runs 1:43)		A 1995 debate on whether prison inmates deserve the right to vote in Canada. (TV; runs 5:28)		In 2002, the Supreme Court has decided it's unconstitutional to deny Canadian inmates the federal vote. (Radio; runs 5:18)

The Homeless		New Canadians

	Voters without addresses		'A moral obligation'
	Thanks to recent regulation changes, it's now possible for homeless people to cast their ballots. (TV; runs 3:19)		CBC talks to several new Canadians who take their right to vote very seriously. (TV; runs 5:33)

LINKS Topic from Les Archives de Radio-Canada on the same subject Le vote au Canada, droit ou privilège? Related Topics from CBC's Archives Campaigning for Canada Canadian Culture Online Program partner sites A History of the vote in Canada External sites Elections Canada Human Rights in Canada: History of Voting Rights The CBC assumes no responsibility for the content of external links.

8 Additional Clips about Voting in Canada: How a Privilege Became a Right Printer-friendly topic page Send this page to a friend Add this topic to your personal bookmarks Cite this page

Copyright © CBC 2006 All Rights Reserved Privacy