Fixing Democracy
The (un)Fair Elections Act
The local riding association of the New Democratic Party is very concerned that the Harper Government’s new Fair Elections Act will prevent some Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound voters from casting a ballot in the 2015 election.
Photo Identification will be required at polling stations—voter registration cards or vouching for your neighbour will no longer be accepted. People who are familiar with voting procedures, including Canada’s Chief Electoral Officer, Marc Mayrand say this will be effectively disenfranchise some voters: those who turn up without the proper photo ID and cannot get home to retrieve it; elderly people; students whose photo ID shows their home address, not their university address; young voters; the homeless; First Nations people; those struggling with poverty.
As it happens, the latter groups do not usually vote Conservative, but we suspect the government knows this and that adds to our concern.
Witold Walczak, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union for Pennsylvania battled state Republicans’ attempts to suppress the vote of certain groups in the US. He recognizes the Fair Elections Act as the thin edge of the wedge in Canada.
As in the US, there is no evidence of voter fraud in Canada. The Minister for Democratic Reform, Pierre Poilievre, quoted a report by Harry Neufeld, former Chief Electoral Officer for BC as proof of widespread voter fraud and therefore the need for restrictions on voter ID. Mr. Neufeld’s report does not say that; in fact, Mr Neufeld is now on record as saying the Government misrepresented his report.
Another member of the Government, MP Brad Butt said, in Parliament, that he witnessed people scooping up voter registration cards from an apartment building. Then, a few days later, he admitted he didn’t see it.
Misleading Parliament is the same as misleading Canadians and you could be found in contempt of Parliament for doing it. When the Speaker ruled Mr Butt had misled the House and that Mr Butt’s “mispeak” should be examined in Committee, our MP, Larry Miller voted against it.
It’s not voter fraud we need to worry about—Canadians are generally an honest bunch. It’s electoral fraud.
People can register their displeasure at http://saveyourvote.ca/.
Photo Identification will be required at polling stations—voter registration cards or vouching for your neighbour will no longer be accepted. People who are familiar with voting procedures, including Canada’s Chief Electoral Officer, Marc Mayrand say this will be effectively disenfranchise some voters: those who turn up without the proper photo ID and cannot get home to retrieve it; elderly people; students whose photo ID shows their home address, not their university address; young voters; the homeless; First Nations people; those struggling with poverty.
As it happens, the latter groups do not usually vote Conservative, but we suspect the government knows this and that adds to our concern.
Witold Walczak, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union for Pennsylvania battled state Republicans’ attempts to suppress the vote of certain groups in the US. He recognizes the Fair Elections Act as the thin edge of the wedge in Canada.
As in the US, there is no evidence of voter fraud in Canada. The Minister for Democratic Reform, Pierre Poilievre, quoted a report by Harry Neufeld, former Chief Electoral Officer for BC as proof of widespread voter fraud and therefore the need for restrictions on voter ID. Mr. Neufeld’s report does not say that; in fact, Mr Neufeld is now on record as saying the Government misrepresented his report.
Another member of the Government, MP Brad Butt said, in Parliament, that he witnessed people scooping up voter registration cards from an apartment building. Then, a few days later, he admitted he didn’t see it.
Misleading Parliament is the same as misleading Canadians and you could be found in contempt of Parliament for doing it. When the Speaker ruled Mr Butt had misled the House and that Mr Butt’s “mispeak” should be examined in Committee, our MP, Larry Miller voted against it.
It’s not voter fraud we need to worry about—Canadians are generally an honest bunch. It’s electoral fraud.
People can register their displeasure at http://saveyourvote.ca/.
Democratic Reform
Parliamentary Reform—The Reform Act 2013
In January 2014, a group of citizens in the Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound riding challenged the four Riding Associations (Conservative, Green, Liberal and NDP) to publicly express support for MP Michael Chong’s Reform Act 2013.
This draft legislation would help return political control to MPs in caucus and to grass-roots members at the riding level. More specifically, the Act would, if passed, amend the Canada Elections Act and the Parliament of Canada Act to:
More information and a link to the Act itself is at: http://www.reformact2013.ca/.
Media commentary is here: http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2013/11/29/andrew-coyne-reform-act-bill-would-change-canadas-parliament-forever/.
In January 2014, a group of citizens in the Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound riding challenged the four Riding Associations (Conservative, Green, Liberal and NDP) to publicly express support for MP Michael Chong’s Reform Act 2013.
This draft legislation would help return political control to MPs in caucus and to grass-roots members at the riding level. More specifically, the Act would, if passed, amend the Canada Elections Act and the Parliament of Canada Act to:
- Ensure the process for nominating candidates rests only with riding associations and is not subject to veto by the leader’s office.
- Allow a Party’s caucus to initiate a leadership review.
- Ensure only a Party’s caucus can expel an MP from its caucus.
- Ensure only the caucus can re-admit an expelled MP.
- Allow the caucus to remove its Chairperson.
More information and a link to the Act itself is at: http://www.reformact2013.ca/.
Media commentary is here: http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2013/11/29/andrew-coyne-reform-act-bill-would-change-canadas-parliament-forever/.
Response of the Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound NDP Riding Executive
21 February, 2014
Dear Joyce Hall
The Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound NDP appreciates the work you and others have done to bring Michael Chong’s Reform Act 2013 into focus in this riding. This Riding Association is very concerned about the breakdown of Parliamentary democracy in Ottawa —as is the federal Party.
Specifically, and with respect to The Reform Act 2013, NDP MPs will have a free vote on the issue. Craig Scott, the NDP MP from Toronto-Danforth, is actively supporting the bill and is encouraging other NDP MPs to do the same. Mr. Scott’s statement is at: http://craigscott.ndp.ca/in-the-media-craig-on-the-reform-act.
We would also like to point out that the NDP is the only Party that conducts a leadership review every two years and the only Party that would subject a sitting Prime Minister to a leadership review. As for the other elements in the Reform Act, the NDP caucus already elects its own chair; we have open nomination contests and no NDP leader can impose a candidate on a riding association.
Mr Chong’s Reform Act is a good first step. But more is needed.
The federal NDP has been working to improve democracy in other areas. We are pushing the Liberals and Conservatives to bring proportional representation to Canada ’s Electoral system. In October the NDP tabled a motion to end partisanship in the Senate by releasing all Senators from their Party affiliation. We would limit the current over-use of closed door committee meetings. The NDP would create independent oversight of MP expenses. And we are pushing for online petitions (e-petitions) to help bring Parliament into the 21st century.
Locally, the Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound NDP Riding Association is fostering dialogue in the media and providing forums for citizens in our “café conversations.”
Sincerely,
MaryAnn Wilhelm , President
Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound New Democratic Party
A Lot More is Needed The Reform Act is a good start, but a lot more is needed …
Proportional Representation. This is the reform that is most urgently needed. Canada is a Parliamentary democracy, not a 2-Party Republic. Our “first-past-the-post” electoral system means the vote splits among several Parties. Increasingly, Parties are forming the Government even when they earn less than half the votes (39% in the case of Conservatives in the 2011 election). We need to find a way to reflect, in Parliament, the wishes of all Canadians. (http://www.fairvote.ca/).
Electoral fraud must be thoroughly and independently investigated. The Harper Government’s recent changes to the Canada Elections Act will move investigations of electoral fraud out of the independent Office of the Chief Electoral Officer and into the Department of Justice where they will be subject to the control by the Government. This means the decision to investigate robo-calls (for example) will be up to the Government, and the investigation itself could be subject to the Government’s direction. (http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/election-reforms-would-bring-big-changes-to-campaign-spending-1.2522795).
Stop voter Suppression. By insisting voters produce ID, the Government may well be disenfranchising those on the margins of society—the poor, First Nations people, those recently released from jail are some who might not be able to produce the proper identification and who relied on friends and family who could vouch for them. Republican-controlled states in the US are increasingly using photo-ID (along with closing polling stations and dispensing with early voting) to suppress the vote of those who are more likely to favour Democrats. Voter fraud is not really the problem—it’s election fraud and our winner-take-all electoral system. (http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/election-reform-will-deter-some-voters-lawyer-warns-1.2539440).
Want to know more about NDP Democratic Reform? visit MP Craig Scott, our Democratic Reform Critic, http://craigscott.ndp.ca/democraticreform