One of the solutions we wanted to put forward was to allow the Chief Electoral Officer to do trials during by-elections. The problem of voter turnout is worse during by-elections.
Let me remind you of three by-elections that were held: Témiscamingue in 2004 with 29% voter turnout; Lévis in 2004 with 24%; and Berthier in 2002 with 28.6%. That is a real voter turnout problem. If you look at voter participation rates in Canada from 1896 to 2006, you see that the variations are not large. There were peaks at 80%, but the average voter turnout rate remains consistent at around 60% or 70%.
However, by-elections present a real problem. Let's allow the Chief Electoral Officer to do some trials according to the objectives and the mechanisms provided for in the act during by-elections. Then, the real impact could be measured more scientifically. All studies have shown that distance between the place of residence and the polling station is a more important factor in voter turnout than the number of hours the polls are opened.