4/5/2022

What Is The Legal Age In Canada

  1. What Is The Legal Age In Canada
  2. What Is The Legal Consent Age In Canada

A voting age is the minimum legal age set by the law at which persons are allowed to engage in casting their vote on a public election day. This age is usually stated in a country’s constitution as the legal voting age. In as much as voting is compulsory in some countries, for most nations it is optional to vote.The voting ages vary from 16 to 25 in different countries of the world.

The legal voting ages

Stuart has legal status in Canada and has lived in Canada for more than 10 years since the age of 18. Sonia determines that Stuart may be eligible for the Allowance. She reminds Stuart that once he is in receipt of the Allowance, if he or Maggie leave Canada for more than six months, his Allowance payment and her Guaranteed Income Supplement. A voting age is the minimum legal age set by the law at which persons are allowed to engage in casting their vote on a public election day. This age is usually stated in a country’s constitution as the legal voting age.

Countries Whose Legal Voting Age is 16

The legal voting age for Nicaragua, Scotland, Isle of Man, Guernsey, Ethiopia, Ecuador, Cuba, Brazil, and Austria is 16 years. However, this age has been criticized by most people due to the fact that youths of this age have not yet gotten into the world of employment, tax remission, and home ownership. Many election decisions are believed to revolve around these three issues. As such it is assumed that those at the age of 16 are not able to vote knowledgeably based on the leaders’ policies. However, other critics have observed low voter turn out for persons aged 18 and above due to the apparent lack of interest in politics. As such they suggest that youths of age 16 are able to turn up for elections in large numbers. During the independent referendum in Scotland in 2014, the inclusion of the youths aged 16 and 17 produced positive results. Most of them who felt inadequate to vote resolved to actively seeking information that enabled them to make informed decisions on the voting day. This informed the decision of Scotland to lower its legal voting age to 16 from 18. However, Austria was the first European nation to lower its voting age in 2011.

Countries Whose Legal Voting Age is 17

Countries whose legal voting age is 17 are Sudan, South Sudan, North Korea, Indonesia, Greece, and East Timor. Even though the voting age in Indonesia is 17 years old, married persons are required to vote regardless of their age.

Countries Whose Legal Voting Age is 18

The legal voting age for most countries is 18. Over one hundred nations are in this category including Afghanistan, China, Australia, Bahamas, Belgium, Botswana, Canada, Comoros, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Guatemala, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Lebanon, Marshall Islands, Macedonia, Mauritania, Kenya, Mongolia, Philippines, Saint Helena, Tanzania, United States, Yemen, Zimbabwe, Japan, and Italy among many others. The voting age for residents of Boznia and Herzegovania is also 18. However, employed persons aged 16 can vote. On the other hand, in Argentina the voting age is 18 but those aged between 16 and 18 may also vote. In addition to this, voting is optional for citizens aged 70 and above.

Countries Whose Legal Voting Age is 19

South Korea is the only nation in which the legal voting age for the citizens is 19 years.

Countries With Legal Voting Ages of 20 or Above

The countries whose legal voting age is 20 include Nauru, Taiwan, and Bahrain. On the other hand, those states who can vote when 21 years or older are Oman, Samoa, Tokelau, Tonga, Singapore, Malaysia, Kuwait, Jersey, and Cameroon. The United Arab Emirates has the oldest legal voting age in the world. Citizens can only vote when they attain the age of 25 or older. Notwithstanding the legal voting age, voting is a constitutional right that needs to be exercised by all citizens of a country.

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Note to Researchers

Informed consent is an ongoing process that starts with the researcher's first contact with the individual and continues until the study is complete or the participant withdraws. Any discussion of informed consent with the participant, the written informed consent form and any other written information given to participants should provide adequate information for the participant to make an informed decision about his/her participation.

There are three types of consent form templates: 1) assent form for children under the age of 16 in Canada (18 in Quebec); 2) parent/guardian's consent for the recruitment of children under the age of 16 in Canada (18 in Quebec); 3) consent form for adults (over the age of 16-18) and mature minors.

The child should provide his/her assent and may refuse to participate even if the parent has provided their consent. The age of consent to participate in research in the Province of Quebec is 18 years of age. Section 21 of the Quebec Civil Code should be referenced for additional information as to the involvement of children in research. The assent form for the involvement of minors in research should be used for any individuals under the age of 18.

Consent forms should be translated where it is relevant to particular communities that you wish to recruit.

General Points

  • Information letters and consent forms must be presented on institutional / departmental letterhead.
  • The level of language used should be appropriate to the age and comprehension / reading level of the participant population, generally at approximately a grade 6 - 8 reading level:
    • Avoid the use of legalistic phrases.
    • Volumes, weights, etc. should be expressed in meaningful scales as well as scientific measurements (for example, blood draws in numbers of teaspoons or proportion of the Canadian Blood Services standard volume for donation).
  • Where a parent's or guardian's consent is necessary for a minor participant, the form should include the minor's name and the guardian's capacity. If a minor's unwritten concurrence (assent) is sought, the form should reflect this fact, and a place should be given for the investigator to indicate whether it was obtained. If the minor is assenting in writing, the assent form should be drafted in age-appropriate language.
  • A child under 16 years of age should provide his/her assent and may refuse to participate even if the parent has provided their consent. The age of consent to participate in research in Quebec is 18. The assent form for the involvement of minors in research should be used for any individuals in Quebec under the age of 18.
  • If blood is taken, indicate total volume (for example, teaspoons and ml equivalent). Include a statement noting the possibility of bruising or swelling while giving blood, or other possible discomforts at the site where blood is drawn. Indicate that there may be minimal chance of infection and that discomforts experienced will be brief and transient.
  • The consent form should be dated, signed and the participant should receive a copy of the consent form for his or her own reference.

The consent process will vary according to the project, however, the items listed below should generally be included.

Introductory Information

  • Title of research project.
  • The identity of the researcher(s).
  • The Purpose of the research - Why do the study? Provide a brief description of the purpose of the study.
  • That the individual is invited to participate in research.
  • The basis for inviting the individual to take part. (Include information on any criteria under which prospective participants would be excluded from participation).
  • That the individual's participation in the research is voluntary and that the individual may refuse to participate or may withdraw from the study, at any time, without penalty or loss of benefits to which he/she is otherwise entitled.
  • If a questionnaire is being administered, participants have the option of not answering any of the questions should they not feel comfortable.
  • The purpose of the research. Be sure that the description of the purpose provided in the consent documents is consistent with the purpose as described in the protocol.
  • The approximate number of anticipated participants involved in the study.

What Will the Participant Be Asked To Do?

  • Describe the research procedures that the participant will be involved in.
  • State the expected duration of the participant's participation in the research.
  • Where relevant, provide information regarding audio or video taping.

Access to Research Information

  • Information regarding who will have access to the data.
  • Information regarding retention of data (including audio and video tapes) and schedules for their disposal.
  • How, if at all, participants will be informed of the results of the research.
  • That the participant or the participant's legally acceptable representative will be informed in a timely manner should new information become available that may affect the participant's willingness to continue participation in the study.
  • A statement indicating the sources of financial support for the study (if any).
  • Where relevant, information regarding the possibility of commercialization of research findings and the presence of any apparent, actual, or potential conflict of interest on the part of the researcher, the researcher's institution, or sponsors.

Risks / Benefits

  • The reasonably foreseeable risks, harms, or inconveniences to the participant.
  • The reasonably expected benefits. When there is no direct benefit to the participant, the participant should be made aware of this.
  • If blood is taken, a statement noting the possibility of bruising or swelling while giving blood, or other possible discomforts at the site where blood is drawn. Indicate that there may be minimal chance of infection and that discomforts experienced will be brief and transient.

Compensation / Expenses

What Is The Legal Age In Canada
  • The anticipated payment (including any prorations) or reimbursements, if any, to the participant for participating in the research.
  • The anticipated expenses, if any, to the individual for participating in the research.

Confidentiality / Publication of Results

  • The degree of confidentiality and/or anonymity that will be provided. Include information on the extent to which and the manner in which records identifying the participant will be kept confidential, including any limits on confidentiality (for example, legal reporting requirements).
  • A statement indicating that the researchers intend to publish the research (for example, in scholarly publications), or that the researchers intend to make public presentations based on the research. If the results of the study are published, indicate whether the participant's identity will remain confidential.
  • In rare instances where it is not be possible to assure complete confidentiality, the limits on this obligation should be carefully explained (for example, Focus Groups, suspected child abuse).
  • For Focus Groups, the Principal Investigator should consider adding a statement of the potential harm that could exist if confidentiality is violated by another participant. The researchers are required to explain the two types of confidentiality that may apply in this situation: 1) the researchers are capable of assuring their own confidentiality of information, but 2) cannot guarantee that privacy will be maintained by the other participants.

Contact Information

If you have any questions about this study, please contact:
Name, area code and phone number of Investigator
Collect calls will be accepted.

If you have questions about your rights as a research participant, you may contact:
Research Ethics Board Secretariat
70 Colombine Driveway,
Brooke Claxton Building, Tunney's Pasture
Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9
Telephone: 613-941-5199 (Collect calls will be accepted)
Fax: 613-941-9093
hc.reb-cer.sc@canada.ca

Consent Form 'don'ts'

  • It should not be stated to the participant that a Research Ethics Board has approved the study, since this may appear to offer a guarantee of safety. In fact, approval means only that the Committee considers the risks to fall within a reasonable scale of risk to the participant, and that the risk-to-benefit (or risk-to-knowledge) ratio of the study appears favourable.
  • No clause or language should be used to excuse or appear to excuse investigators or other persons or institutions involved from liability for their negligence or other faults.

Consent forms

What Is The Legal Age In Canada

Sample consent forms are available from the REB Secretariat upon request: hc.reb-cer.sc@canada.ca.

The

Age of Majority by Province or Territory

Provinces where the age of majority is 18:

  • Alberta
  • Manitoba
  • Ontario
  • Prince Edward Island
  • Quebec
  • Saskatchewan

Provinces and territories where the age of majority is 19:

  • British Columbia
  • New Brunswick
  • Newfoundland and Labrador
  • Northwest Territories
  • Nova Scotia
  • Nunavut
  • Yukon