September 24, 2021
New Canadian Citizens Cast Their Federal Ballots for the First Time
On September 20, 2021, Canada held a federal election. For many new Canadians, this election marked their first time participating in Canada’s electoral process. With immigration on the rise and newcomers constituting increasingly larger segments of the electorate, their importance to the electoral process cannot be underestimated.
An article posted by CBC News recounts the words of Tareq Hadhad, who came to Canada as a refugee in 2015 and became a citizen in 2020, in which he exclaims, “I am so honoured. I cherish this memory forever and I will tell my grandkids that the 2021 election mattered, and I am proud to know that my vote makes a difference”.[1]
Stories similar to that of Tareq’s have been echoed by many new Canadian citizens this election.
For more information on Canada’s electoral process, please visit here.