Good afternoon Minister Allain,
I am writing today to follow up on the attached letters [note: links below] regarding the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce’s call for municipal voting rights to be given to permanent residents in New Brunswick. We were pleased to see the issue included in the initial local governance reform green paper in 2020.
Our chamber has a dedicated Immigration Advocacy Committee that is interested in an update on this file and is happy to provide any support needed to make this change a reality. This change to provincial legislation is also supported by the Union of Municipalities of New Brunswick, the New Brunswick Multicultural Council and other business associations across the province.
As indicated in our previous letters, many of our permanent residents are anxious to participate in all facets of life – including political life – and would deeply appreciate their adopted province being the first in Canada to show this sign of respect and welcome. It is also important to note that they add tremendous value to our communities by creating jobs, paying taxes and enhancing cultural life. I have no doubt that extending this right would further enhance New Brunswick’s reputation as a highly desirable location to immigrants.
Please advise on the progress of this file and the government’s plans moving forward.
Letter dated 16 December 2020: https://www.frederictonchamber.ca/letters/2020/12/16/2020-12-16-municipal-voting-rights-for-permanent-residents/
Joint letter (Chamber, Ignite Fredericton, Downtown Fredericton Inc., Business Fredericton North) dated 15 January 2021: https://www.frederictonchamber.ca/letters/2021/01/15/2021-01-15-fredericton-business-community-support-of-pr-municipal-voting-privileges/
