Evidence of meeting #16 for Procedure and House Affairs in the 40th Parliament, 3rd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was security.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
This electronic system you talked about earlier could help workers in Fort McMurray.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
They wouldn't be required to go and vote during their break. In fact, under the act, don't they have three or four hours to go and vote?
Chief Electoral Officer, Office of the Chief Electoral Officer
Three hours, but later on we'll have to examine the provisions of the act. If we conduct a pilot project and the demonstration is decisive, I'll have to come back before the committee to propose amendments to the act to reflect the introduction of this new technology.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
The time allotted so people can vote is taken out of business hours. That doesn't mean there is a polling station in the cafeteria. It troubles me to hear you say that. It would already be a lot to put the machine there. You don't walk around with ballot boxes. However, it remains to be seen how we go about making this secure before the vote takes place.
France has electronic voting, for example. However, they also have normal voting, like what we have today. It's a mix of the two, and the individual can choose one of the two ways of voting.
Chief Electoral Officer, Office of the Chief Electoral Officer
In most countries—and this would be our approach as well—they add an equivalent way of voting. I don't think we can consider withdrawing or abandoning the traditional ways of voting in the short term. The idea is to offer another option that best addresses electors' needs and that best lends itself to the circumstances.
A lot of tests are currently being conducted, particularly in the United States, where certain states have put an enormous emphasis on postal voting. I believe that 80% of ballots are cast by postal voting in one of the American states.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
In the United States, there was already talk about the means that were used once to vote in California.
Chief Electoral Officer, Office of the Chief Electoral Officer
Yes, there were some problems with the equipment.
Chief Electoral Officer, Office of the Chief Electoral Officer
Yes, and that's why we have to be very cautious when we examine these options and solutions.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Since then, have they continued with electronic voting in the United States?
Chief Electoral Officer, Office of the Chief Electoral Officer
Yes. The U.S. government has invested $2.7 billion, I believe, to improve the technology. This option is being considered as a solution for adjusting to electors' needs. As I mentioned, our society is aging, and people have all kinds of physical barriers that mean they have special needs. It would be easier for them to exercise their right to vote using these new technologies.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Although they say we have the technological means in 2010, we still wonder whether they are appropriate. That's the problem.
Chief Electoral Officer, Office of the Chief Electoral Officer
Yes, the technological means do exist, but they are recent and are constantly developing. We haven't had the Internet or e-mail for that long. Today we are so used to it that we wouldn't do without it. However, if we went back 10 years, I'm not sure we'd make that much use of e-mail, BlackBerries, etc. Technology is evolving very quickly, and we have gotten to a point—
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Ten years ago, we were able to answer an e-mail one week after receiving it. Today, we answer it the day before we get it.
Chief Electoral Officer, Office of the Chief Electoral Officer
Yes. Thanks to wireless technology, which has become widespread, it's estimated that we can guarantee coverage of virtually the entire country, of more than 95% of Canada. Opportunities are there, and Elections Canada's objective in the coming years is to explore those opportunities, to identify them and to seize the ones that best enable us to exercise the right to vote and that also best guarantee the integrity of the electoral process.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Where do we stand on the use of the voter information card as a piece of identification in an election? Will we need a bill to change that?
Chief Electoral Officer, Office of the Chief Electoral Officer
No, it's an administrative improvement.
Chief Electoral Officer, Office of the Chief Electoral Officer
It's the Chief Electoral Officer.
Chief Electoral Officer, Office of the Chief Electoral Officer
I won't do it without consulting you. Moreover, it will be one of the points we'll discuss on June 17 when you come and visit us. We'll tell you about one possible approach to using the voter information card.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Thank you very much. I'm leaving you because I have to attend another meeting.
Liberal
Marcel Proulx Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Good morning, Mr. Mayrand. Good morning to your team, and thank you for being with us this morning.
You got my interest, Mr. Mayrand, when you introduced Ms. Gisèle Côté by saying that, until recently, she was the senior finance officer at Elections Canada.
What did you mean exactly? Did she receive a promotion, a raise, additional duties? You don't have to answer, Mr. Mayrand.
