Democracy Must Be Protected: How the History of Tamil-Canadians Has Shaped Our Views on the Right to Vote

The 1983 riots left my parents and other minority Tamils with feelings of fear after thousands of Tamil lives were hurt, murdered and raped, and distrust of a government that expressed no sympathy for the hurt caused to the Tamil minorities but instead made an announcement to strip civic rights. But they waited with hope for 7 years - hope that their civic rights would be restored, hope that they would be given equal rights and opportunities, and hope that they could feel safe again. That hope never came so they found refuge in Canada.

Society & Culture

Oct 18, 2019

Niroja Arulananthan

Ghostwriter

Canada

Almost 30 years ago, my parents relocated our family to Canada. They wanted to leave behind Sri Lanka and its many social and political problems. We moved in the Fall of 1990, 7 years after the 1983 riots that triggered the country into a civil war that would go on to last 26 years. The 1983 riots left my parents and other minority Tamils with feelings of fear after thousands of Tamil lives were hurt, murdered and raped, and distrust of a government that expressed no sympathy for the hurt caused to the Tamil minorities but instead made an announcement to strip civic rights. But they waited with hope for 7 years - hope that their civic rights would be restored, hope that they would be given equal rights and opportunities, and hope that they could feel safe again. That hope never came so they found refuge in Canada.

Some of my earliest memories of Canada are the sub-zero temperatures during winter, spending a lot of time together as a family at the public library, and the 1991 municipal and provincial elections. Having left Sri Lanka as a baby and the youngest of six children, I knew very little about what life was like living under a government mandated curfew, hiding from bombs, and being denied the opportunity to fully engage in a country’s civic and political life. All I knew was that the 1991 elections were important to my family. They were significant enough that we walked long distances to local candidates’ offices and spent long hours volunteering for their campaign. Even as a young child, it was clear that was important work.

Like many other Tamil-Canadians, I understand the importance of ensuring we have a strong democracy in Canada because I know what the absence of it results in. Government elections are about more than just a chance to set a new vision for a population, it is an opportunity to hold elected officials accountable for their actions. The ability to cast a ballot is a privilege that isn’t a guaranteed right in all countries. Our past has shown us the importance of a strong democracy, something that we have a duty to protect and help strengthen in Canada.

As the political maturity of the Tamil-Canadian population grows, so have our efforts. The 2019 federal election season has showcased this more than ever before with the emergence of #TamilVote2019 - a massive, unified, non-partisan effort to get out the vote within the Tamil-Canadian community. It is a concerted effort to increase voter knowledge about the electoral process and engage all voters. The collective voice of a community matters and it will create a stronger Canada for all of us.

Elections are not just about hearing from politicians, it is also a time to let those yearning your vote to hear from you. Let them know what your concerns are and the vision you have for Canada. We are privileged to live in a country that maintains our civic rights and with that comes great responsibility. On October 21, 2019 speak up and make your vote count.

Niroja is a volunteer with Tamils in Public Service is the official, non-partisan network of Canadian Tamils working in government and politics. Tamils in Public Service, along with The Tamil Canadian Centre for Civic Action, works towards the success of all Tamil Canadians in the social, political, economic and cultural spheres of Canada. To learn more about #TamilVote2019, please visit www.mytamilvote.ca.

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