Submission WALDMAN-0883 (Online)

People without the capacity to vote, such as infants, young children, and people with mental disabilities should be able to have their interests represented throgh a proxy.  [1 page]

The electoral laws must not violate the Charter of Rights. Under Section 3 "Every citizen of Canada has the right to vote in an election of members of the House of Commons or of a legislative assembly and to be qualified for membership therein."

It should be noted that this right is not to be limited in any manner, either with age restrictions, or ability restrictions.

Accordingly, at a minimum, the elction act of B.C. should be modified to remove all age restrictions.

Ideally, people without the capacity to vote, such as infants, young children, and people with mental  disabilities should be able to have their interests represented throgh a proxy. For example, the natural gaurdian of children would exercise the right on behalf of the infant child.

Similarly, the person with power of attorny over an elderly person would vote on their behalf.

While on the face of it this may sound strange, it is how it would work if an infant or any other person without mental capacity owned shares in a corporation. In a corporation all shareholders get a vote. Surely, the rights of children and the mentally disabled should have at least the same rights in our democracy.