I agree that a politician should live in the area they aspire to represent but our federal electoral system doesn't require it. Candidates are often parachuted into ridings during elections and by-elections. In some cases, candidates chosen by local riding associations have stepped aside to allow, say, newly elected party leaders to run for a seat in the House of Commons. Even though there are no residency requirements, competing candidates are usually quick to bring it to public attention when an opponent doesn't live in the area they are seeking to represent.
Back in the 90's, a former mayor of our city returned after an absence of some years to run in a federal election. She'd been working as a lawyer and consultant in Washington, D.C. (so not only in a different city but in a different country) for some years by that point and much was made of her expedient claim of residency in the city at the time. Might even have cost her the election. A month after losing the election she announced--to absolutely no one's surprise--that she was returning to Washington to rejoin her family.
I agree that a politician should live in the area they aspire to represent but our federal electoral system doesn't require it. Candidates are often parachuted into ridings during elections and by-elections. In some cases, candidates chosen by local riding associations have stepped aside to allow, say, newly elected party leaders to run for a seat in the House of Commons. Even though there are no residency requirements, competing candidates are usually quick to bring it to public attention when an opponent doesn't live in the area they are seeking to represent.
ReplyDeleteBack in the 90's, a former mayor of our city returned after an absence of some years to run in a federal election. She'd been working as a lawyer and consultant in Washington, D.C. (so not only in a different city but in a different country) for some years by that point and much was made of her expedient claim of residency in the city at the time. Might even have cost her the election. A month after losing the election she announced--to absolutely no one's surprise--that she was returning to Washington to rejoin her family.