Originally posted by elFreak
I do not think prisoners should be allowed to vote in Canada either while incarcerated. Abuse your rights and lose your rights.
+1
It's a dumb thought to think that prisoners could be voting for the guy who wants to lower maximum sentences for certain crimes.
It shouldn't be up to them at all.
Nov-05-2008 05:39
julien2
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Registered: Jun 2005
Location: Montreal
Re: Re: Re: election question
quote:
Originally posted by Alex
+1
It's a dumb thought to think that prisoners could be voting for the guy who wants to lower maximum sentences for certain crimes.
It shouldn't be up to them at all.
The Supreme Court of Canada's judgement on the question is a wonderfully crafted piece of destruction of the argument you just stated
Not allowing prisonners to vote is more dangerous than letting them vote.
Participating in the social/political life is the first step towards reintegrating society.
It's funny because most people would think that the punition would be a good thing on that point, but most studies show otherwise.
It was not a study, it is a judgment of the SCC. It is a brilliant expose of constitutional rights and philosophical questions studied by the highest judicial court of canada.
Basically, no reason (1st statute of the Charter allows the governments to deny a fondamental right if it can prove that it is justified and reasonsable)justifies denying vote to convicts
quote:
With respect to the second objective of imposing appropriate punishment, the government offered no credible theory about why it should be allowed to deny a fundamental democratic right as a form of state punishment.
It serves no purpose, simple and clear.
Nov-06-2008 21:23
elFreak
Blood Diamonds and Salsa
Registered: Feb 2008
Location: With Juan Pachanga Eating Tacos. Ah Ha Si Mi Gusta.
Well, it's basically the same debate as capital punishment.
capital punishment serves no purpose. 99.99999% of studies show it has no effect on homicide rates.
Nov-06-2008 21:39
elFreak
Blood Diamonds and Salsa
Registered: Feb 2008
Location: With Juan Pachanga Eating Tacos. Ah Ha Si Mi Gusta.
I am not for capital punishment Julien, I believe that is the easy way out. Real punishment is serving life. I just have an opinion that Canadian law is too liberal towards offenders. We can agree to disagree here
I'm not studying law like you are, therefore my interpretations are based less on studies and actual cases in the past that have left me feeling very unsatisfied at the way our legal system handles certain offenders. It is by all means an end all to an argument.
Oh, by all means, don't think I find the system perfect.
I too feel that laws are too leniant with serious offenders.
I am just making the point that it has been pretty much proven that allowing voting serves a purpose towards reintegrating some convincts, and is no punishment towards the recidivists.
With that fact in mind, it is easier to reject a denying of that fondamental right
