.png)
.png)
Voter Organization for Indo-Caribbean Engagement (VOICE)
VOICE is the Voter Organization for Indo-Caribbean Engagement, and was established to inform Indo-Caribbean people in Canada about how government works, why its important to understand how decisions are made, and important to get involved. Further, VOICE will share and activate relevant information to encourage Indo-Caribbean Canadians go out and vote!
Since VOICE was established, we have operated a number of campaigns to engage Canada's Indo - Caribbean community.
Our focus has been to provide educational tools to the community with information on the complex world of government, including which levels of government provide services and deliver policy areas. Further, we aim to ensure that the community is aware of how government is suppose to work for them and where they can access services and support.
Another central pillar in the work by VOICE is our advocacy campaigns on issues central to the community. We work to ensure that the interest of community are amplified and heard by the appropriate policy decision makers.
Bringing the community to push on issues important to us is at the core of what we do.
.png)
Despite over one million Canadians from or with family origins in the Caribbean, the community remains underrepresented, unappreciated, and unrecognized. Many other ethnocultural and religious communities in Canada have been recognized by the federal government with a awareness month designation. Canada’s Caribbean community deserves to have its distinct culture and contributions to the nation recognized and celebrated.
We have proposed that the federal government should introduce and pass legislation to declare the month of July each year as Caribbean Heritage Month in Canada. And opportunity to demonstrate recognition, celebrate, amplify, and support Canada’s growing and dynamic Caribbean community.
July was proposed as Caribbean Heritage Month. After extensive research, July was determined for several reasons. A fully month by month analysis demonstrated the pros and cons of each month. The determination on July was mostly because of the high level of pros and minimal cons. A significant factor was the at the federal level, no other cultural group has a heritage month declared in July – this would be our very own month.
WHY JULY?
-
No other heritage or national community is commemorated in July - our own month!
-
Many Caribbean cultural and community events occur across the country, including Toronto Caribbean Carnival, the largest Caribbean event outside of the Caribbean.
-
In 2022 the Government of Manitoba officially proclaimed the month of July as Caribbean Heritage Month in Manitoba.
-
On July 4, 1973, the Treaty of Chaguaramas, signed established to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
Previous Campaigns and Programs by VOICE
Parliamentary Testimony on Bill C-65
Representatives of Indo-Caribbean Canadian Association appeared at the Federal Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs to provide commentary on Bill C-65, An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act.
A proposed measure of interest part of Bill C-65 was ensuring that the fixed date election in 2025 does not conflict with Diwali by moving it to the following Monday. The Indo-Caribbean Canadian Association endorsed this amendment to the Canada Elections Act proposed by the Federal Government.
We believe that voting is a fundamental right, and as our community is composed of many newcomers, new citizens, and first- or second-generation citizens, we should all leverage the right to vote if eligible. Participating in the democratic process is important, and that process should be fair and have equal access.
With the early snap election in 2025, Bill C-65 did not complete the legislative process, however, the issue of shifting the election date to not conflict with Diwali became irrelevant. Regardless, we were proud to give voice to our community and stand up for fair and equitable access to vote on election day.
2023 Toronto Mayoral By-Election Go Vote Campaign
In 2023, when there was a snap mayoral by-election in the City of Toronto, our team launched the Go Vote campaign. We understood this was a significant election for the city, as we would elect a new mayor for the first time in nine years.
We launched a program to highlight key municipal policy areas so that the community became aware of the impact of the mayor on the affairs of aspects of our lives on a daily basis.
With the 2022 Municipal Elections in Ontario on the same day as
Diwali, the Vote Early campaign encouraged members of the community to get out and vote in advance polls.
Anticipating that the unaddressed conflict with the election and Diwali, many would naturally be unaware of this until closer to the date. We embarked on sharing advance voting information with the community through a variety of means.
Volunteers distributed information posters and directed interest to the ICCA website that provided advance voting options in a number of municipalities.
2022 Ontario Municipal Vote Early Campaign
Respect Diwali Campaign
Our Respect Diwali campaign was launched to encourage the Ontario Government to amend the 2022 Municipal Elections in Ontario as it conflicted with Diwali. We knew that this would establish a barrier for many Ontarians to casting ballots on Election Day.
Voters typically go to polling stations in their communities after work, but the evening is when many observe Diwali. From family gatherings, puja, attending Mandir, or simply lighting diyas, many would need the time for this and not necessarily prioritize voting. This is why we recommended the government change the date.
In our letter to the Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs, we noted that: "[o]n previous occasions, the Government has sought to avoid conflicts with other religious observances. In 2007, the Ontario Government moved the election date from October 4 to October 10 because of a conflict with the Jewish holiday of Shemini Atzeret, on which some members of the Orthodox Jewish community would be unable to vote. When that change was made, the former chief election officer, John Hollins, was concerned Oct. 11 might infringe on that week's Eid al-Fitr holiday, which marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, and that date was avoided as well.
There is precedent in Ontario for moving an election date to ensure that the diversity of the province is respected and that all citizens can participate and practice their democratic right to vote. Diwali is one of the most significant observances in the calendars for Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Jains in the province."
Voters deserve the complete election period to contemplate and decide who they are voting for, and in a municipal campaign, we are deciding on our choices for mayor, councilor, trustee, sometimes regional councilor as well and potentially other positions. Therefore no one should be subjected to voting early only because the election date conflicted with a major religious and cultural observance.
Our work received national and was featured by several print and tv news media. We pushed to raise awareness about the unfairness of the municipal election conflicting with an very significant observance.