Alberta Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver said only Canadian citizens will be able to vote in future municipal elections.

McIver sent the response Wednesday afternoon, a day after Calgary city council approved a motion to advocate for permanent residents’ right to vote. His statement was directly in response to that approval.

Though the provincial release stated that Calgary voted to extend the right to vote to permanent citizens, that’s false. That’s not what was approved.

The motion, which was approved 9-6, would see a joint submission with the Town of Penhold to appear as a resolution at an upcoming Alberta Municipalities general meeting. It asks for the body to advocate for permanent residents to have the right to vote.

“Yesterday, Calgary city council passed a motion advocating for permanent residents to be extended the right to vote in civic elections,” Minister McIver wrote in a prepared statement.

“Alberta’s government has been clear since the beginning: only Canadian citizens are able to vote in civic elections. That will not be changing.”

Ward 8 Coun. Courtney Walcot said that the province has shown that it’s willing to crack open the Local Authorities Election Act. Recently, the province introduced Bill 20, legislation that would allow municipal parties in local elections, along with the elimination of electronic tabulators to count votes, allowing union and corporate donations back into local elections, and changes to third-party advertiser rules.

Walcott said people who are contributing to the community should be able to participate in local decision-making.

“These are members that are part of our community, business owners in our community, your friends, your neighbours, and of course, the fact that they are taxpayers who don’t actually have the opportunity to simply just participate at the local politics,” he said.

He said that by giving them a voice at the local level, you create a different incentive for them to become citizens.

Protecting democracy: Minister McIver

McIver said that the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms affirms the right of every Canadian citizen to vote and to run as a candidate. He said that right extends to voter in municipal, provincial and federal elections.

The Charter states: “Every citizen of Canada has the right to vote in an election of members of the House of Commons or of a legislative assembly and to be qualified for membership therein.”

It does not directly contemplate eligibility for municipal voting rights.

McIver said that provincial election legislation has been clear since its inception that voting is a right of Canadian citizens. He also said they’re ensuring voting is accessible for more Albertans.

“The Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act proposes to enable special ballot access for any voter who requests it, without having to provide any specific reason such as physical disability, absence from the municipality or working for the municipal election. The ministries of Seniors, Community and Social Services and Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction are also making it easier for individuals to obtain the identification Albertans need for a variety of services, including the ability to cast a ballot,” he said.

“Our government will continue to protect the integrity of our elections and make sure voting is accessible for all Albertans who are Canadian citizens.”

Walcott, speaking to media Wednesday afternoon, said it’s ironic that a party that allows permanent residents to obtain a party membership and therefore vote for a party leader, won’t entertain permanent residents’ right to vote on local issues that matter to them.

According to UCP membership rules, Albertans aged 14 and over who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents are eligible to gain a membership. A party membership is a prerequisite to vote for the party leader.

“What I think is most fascinating about what we’re seeing in this last week, is that it’s possible that our minister of municipalities is outright saying that it doesn’t really matter what municipalities say, because they’re going to do whatever they want,” Walcott said.

“Isn’t that supposed to be the backwards way of direction of democracy? Isn’t that what they tell us, is that we’re supposed to listen?”

Walcott said that over the past 100 years there have been changing voting rights, including Indigenous rights, or based on one’s ability to marry, or property ownership.

“We just spent the last week hearing people saying you need to listen to me because I own a home. That was specifically removed from our Constitution and yet it is still a part of what we do every single day,” he said.  

“So, this is not a conversation around if this happens – this will happen.”