Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

Canada’s election laws may be about to change. A major government bill, the Fair Elections Act, is working its way through the House of Commons but has proven controversial. Pierre Poilievre, Canada’s Minister of State for Democratic Reform recently bought forth Bill C-23, which propose changes to the rules for voters, candidates, parties and the people whose job it is to make sure elections are fair. The Harper Government says it will boost penalties for offences, reduce voter fraud and empower political parties, as opposed to Elections Canada, to drive voter turnout. For many voters, it will be harder to cast a ballot because vouching for someone will no longer be an option, a system the government argues is too vulnerable to fraud. Elections Canada will not, as in the past, be able to run advertising campaigns encouraging people to vote, while political donation limits are set to go up. Also among proposals in the Fair Elections Act; sitting MP’s would be selecting election workers at polling stations in