Elizabeth Andrea never had the chance to vote in her home country due to conflict in Sudan. But after becoming a Canadian citizen in 2002, she embraced her right to vote—and now she’s passing that passion on to her grandchildren. On Saturday, Andrea brought them to an educational session in Winnipeg aimed at helping new Canadians understand the country’s electoral system.
The event, held at the South Sudanese Canadian Community Centre, drew around 60 attendees and featured candidates from the NDP, Liberal, and Green parties running in the Winnipeg-Centre federal riding. Dubbed “Got Citizenship? Go Vote!”, the session outlined how voting works in Canada and offered insight into why every ballot matters.
Amy Wang, a long-time Winnipeg resident originally from China, shared that language barriers initially made voting a daunting task. She says sessions like these are vital for immigrants unfamiliar with Canadian politics. “Every vote is very important,” she emphasized.
Reuben Garang of Immigration Partnership Winnipeg, the group behind the event, said many newcomers don’t have voting embedded in their civic habits. “Elections or voting sometimes is not a priority,” he explained, particularly for those coming from places where elections weren’t free or fair. His team is also working online, providing multilingual videos to expand voter education.
The session not only offered practical information, but also empowered newcomers with the knowledge that their voices matter. As Andrea told her grandchildren, “The person you vote for is your voice.”
Source: Swifteradio.com.
