The Alberta government has been busy lately, making all sorts of moves to “improve” the lives of Albertans.
You might hope that the government is working on housing affordability and homelessness, access to family doctors, funding rural infrastructure projects, or tackling Alberta’s highest inflation rate in Canada.
But they are not addressing those issues.
Instead, the Alberta government is contemplating adding citizenship status to provincial driver’s licenses.
Why?
The government is presenting this proposal, still in its early stages, as a way to bolster election security.
Enhanced Election Integrity
Premier Danielle Smith and Dale Nally, the Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, suggest that including citizenship status on driver’s licenses could deter election fraud and foreign interference.
Nally emphasized the need for measures ensuring that “when people come to vote, we can make sure they are a Canadian citizen.” Smith cited concerns about foreign interference, particularly from countries like China, as justification for stricter election protocols.
The government pointed out that this move could streamline voting processes and any other services requiring proof of citizenship.
Unnecessary Given Existing Safeguards
Critics, including Opposition immigration and multiculturalism critic Lizette Tejada, argue that Alberta already has robust measures to ensure voter eligibility. These include requiring a government-issued photo ID or two pieces of identification, being vouched for by a registered elector, or completing an attestation form.
According to Elections Alberta, 98% of voters in 2019 successfully verified their identity using these methods. Tejada asserts that the proposal addresses a non-issue, stating, “We already have several checks and balances.”
The historical record undermines claims of rampant voter fraud. Since 2013, only nine instances of ineligible voting have been identified, including cases of U.S. citizens voting in Alberta elections. While fraud is concerning, the small scale does not seem to justify overhauling the driver’s license system.
Implementing this change would entail significant costs for updating systems, reissuing licenses, and training staff. Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, and B.C. previously had enhanced driver’s licenses that included citizenship but have since discontinued them, citing high costs and limited utility.
Critics worry that including citizenship on driver’s licenses could stigmatize non-citizen residents, who already face challenges navigating governmental systems. Alberta’s diverse population includes permanent residents and other non-citizens who contribute to the economy and community but might feel targeted by such policies.
Public Sentiment for the Idea
According to Tejada, this issue is not a public priority. She identifies that many Albertans are more concerned with healthcare, education, and economic recovery.
Tejada’s assertion seems borne out by discussions on Reddit, where of the hundreds of comments posted, TheRockies.Life could only find support for the idea by three commenters. Everyone else on the platform was against the initiative, with comments citing expense, unnecessary bureaucracy, racism, and more pressing matters that should be dealt with first.
“YES THIS WILL DEFINITELY HELP ME WITH COST OF LIVING.”
“I’d like a family doctor, please.”
“Fix healthcare and education. Don’t steal our cpp. Don’t refuse federal dollars that come with use case stipulations. Pay your taxes, make businesses pay theirs. Diversify our energy sector by encouraging green projects. Don’t lobby on behalf of oil.”
“Do something of substance for a change. The fact that you’re doing nothing of value but distractions is quite apparent as we now sit at the highest unemployment outside of the Maritimes as our public services tank and homelessness is skyrocketing.”
“Kinda pointless given that immigration is in all respects a federal matter, and you can’t apply for an operator’s license in this province unless you’re either a citizen, a permanent resident, or a refugee claimant with a work or study permit.”
“And what happens when someone gets citizenship but their driver’s license isn’t due for renewal?”
“What’s next, sex at birth plus sexual orientation?”
And so, is this latest initiative really about the safety of our election system or something else entirely?
What do you think, a necessary change or a diversion from bigger issues?
