When the advance polls open later this week in Perth County, Sisay Legesse Megasi will vote in Canada for the first time, and he’s excited about it.
“Of course. Absolutely I am excited. Yes, yes,” said the native of Ethiopia.
Megasi is one of many new Canadians who will be taking advantage of the Multicultural Association of Perth-Huron’s “voting van” to get to the polling station. It’s a new venture to try and help newcomers experience democracy, some for the first time.
“We love our country, we love Canada, that’s why we’re very excited to vote. That’s why most of our newcomer people are ready to vote,” said Geza Wordofa, founder and executive director of the Multicultural Association Perth-Huron.
Wordofa said their voting van is available to anyone who needs a ride to the polls, but they are focusing on new Canadians who may find the election, and voting itself, confusing.
“Especially those who are living outside the city, since there is no bus, there is no transportation. Because of that, they have a reason not to come to vote. We are giving them that opportunity,” said Wordofa.
“As you see in this area, there is no transportation service. So, we are trying to help people who don’t have this access to a car to get to the voter station,” said Michael Benti, who moved to Canada 20 years ago from Ethiopia and is now a volunteer driver for the Multicultural Association.
Voting is something most Canadians take for granted, but if you grew up in places like Syria or Ethiopia, where democracy doesn’t really exist, voting for the first time feels like an honour.
“I think it’s really important to go and vote and show up. The nation is very democratic and everything. It has a lot of democracy,” said Megasi, who moved to Canada from Ethiopia five years ago.
“When I [came] to Canada in 2017, it’s so much better, safer for my family. They have pjobs] now. Yeah, I love Canada,” said Mohammad Zaouva, who is originally from Syria.
“If you go to some countries, you have to vote for one party. But here, you have the right to vote for any party you wish. We are lucky, we have that freedom,” said Wordofa, who immigrated to Canada from Ethiopia more than a two decades ago.
If you’d like to get a ride to the polls from the Multicultural Association’s voting van, you can visit their website.
