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Extend voting rights to non-citizens

The next municipal election will be held Oct. 24. Despite the growing numbers of newcomers, only Canadian citizens may vote under current laws.

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Many non-citizen residents pay taxes and own property where they live. Decisions at the municipal level impact them daily, but they still cannot vote for their representatives.

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Forty-five democracies worldwide have granted voting rights to foreigners to varying degrees, mostly at local levels. In Canada, some initiatives have been proposed in Toronto, Vancouver and other municipalities to extend voting rights in municipal elections, but without success.

The City of Brantford has shown its commitment to diversity and inclusion through the Brantford Immigration Partnership. As Mayor Kevin Davis said: “The future of the city is reliant on immigration.”

This might be the opportunity for Brantford to lead by example and push with other municipalities for a reform that allows permanent residents (future citizens) to vote in the upcoming municipal elections.

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Bringing the government closer to their community also means giving them the means to deliver their opinion in elections. I really would like to have my say.

Diego Aguilar Vildoso
Brantford

Discriminatory decision

Re: Closing residences for blind and deaf children unacceptable: Advocates (Jan. 15)

I was distressed when I read the above article in The Expositor.

Students who are blind, visually impaired, deafblind, deaf from many parts of Ontario need lodging in order to attend school. Denying them that option is discriminatory. The message to those students who are blind, deafblind and deaf implies they are not as important as their fully sighted and hearing peers.

The decision-makers in the Ministry of Education obviously do not understand the unique educational needs of these student, who require hands-on demonstrations and intervention for learning to take place. The students require a specialized curriculum, which includes braille, socialization, independent life skills, orientation and mobility (learning to safely travel using a cane). Online learning does not support these needs.

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We have been constantly told by health authorities how important it is for students to get back to school for in-class learning, especially for their mental health. Recent research, noted in the American Medical Journal, shows new evidence that there is an increase in depression, anxiety and decreased physical activity when schools are not open. Due to the nature of blindness, these issues are exacerbated for those with vision loss.

Health authorities have declared W.Ross Macdonald School one of the safest school environments according to COVID-19 protocols. Both day and residential students attended the school during the two years of COVID when Ontario schools were open. The school environment was considered safe then, and as well, many students were not vaccinated due to ineligibility. Now, with vaccinations available for all students, attending WRMS school is much safer. The provincial schools must be open for all students.

Susan Howe
Brantford

Testing imperfect

To me, as a physician, requiring a negative PCR test to re-enter Canada after a same-day visit to the U.S. has no scientific basis.

PCR tests can remain positive for up to three months after exposure. If the PCR test is positive, the exposure is likely to have happened in Canada before travel, but one might have to remain the U.S. for three months until the test comes back negative.

Testing should be based on vaccination status.

Andrew Nashed,
Camlachie, Ont.

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