Procedure and House Affairs Committee on March 6th, 2014

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

Do you think that what the Competition Act holds right now is essential? It's not just that, but also five other provinces have this power, and this has been missing for a long time. Are you certain that this robocalls case would have been handled much better if the referee on the ice actually had a whistle?

[Marc Mayrand]

Robocalls are another investigation. I don't think it's the only investigation affected by this; it's all investigations being carried out by the investigator. Again, it's not an uncommon authority to provide an agency tasked with enforcing a provision of statutes.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

Nothing was discussed with the minister in your meeting about strengthening, or how does he put it, sharpening the teeth of the actual commissioner.

[Marc Mayrand]

No.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

No.

Switching gears, you said in your introduction that you are very preoccupied in this regard with Bill C-23. You went on to say that you are unaware of any democracy in which such limitations are imposed on the electoral agency and that you strongly feel that an amendment in this regard is essential regarding dissemination of information.

Could you give us a good example of why this is going to impede your ability and, as you put it, put limitations on you that you are unaware of in any other democratic nation?

[Marc Mayrand]

Certainly, it would prevent Elections Canada from doing any type of voter education in schools, for example, where we try to instill the sense of citizenship among young Canadians and how it can be fostered. It would limit the ability to share with Canadians the results as to what problems are facing our democracy and how we can hope to address them. I'm concerned that during an election I could not issue a press release alerting electors to certain practices that may happen that they should be aware of.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

Such as the case that happened during the last election?

[Marc Mayrand]

Think of Guelph in the last election.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

You would not have that ability whatsoever?

[Marc Mayrand]

I think proposed section 18 as drafted right now would limit that ability.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

Right, we all understand your ability to provide information about where and how and when to vote, but beyond that, there are certain things you have to do, just like any other electoral agency of any democracy. Is that correct?

[Marc Mayrand]

Absolutely.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

When you talk about all these issues, when you talk to Canadians, do you think it's an advantage to get out there in the nation and see how this works? It's issues like vouching, dissemination of information in places like first nations. You talked about mobile polls. I have a lot of mobile polls when it comes to seniors homes, and a lot of people don't know these rules per se. Do you think it would be a good idea for us to get out there and see first-hand how this works?

[Marc Mayrand]

That will be up to you as representatives of Canadians to determine how to best get their views on these matters.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

I can't blame you for trying, I suppose.

When it comes to the dissemination of information, I know there's been some talk that the Commons and the Senate can compel to do a study, say, on online voting, that sort of thing. Was that discussed with the minister when you had that discussion, or did he just say to you that he didn't feel you should be involved in that type of communication to the public?

[Marc Mayrand]

No, he never mentioned that.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

He never mentioned it at all?

[Marc Mayrand]

No.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

Did he mention the fact that he would like to strengthen...reinforce the fact that your only job is to do the communicating of where and when to vote?

[Marc Mayrand]

The conversation I had with the minister was essentially a one-way conversation. He asked me what the main issues I thought required attention are, and I went back through the various reports that had been published for the last three years, highlighting some of the recommendations that I felt were quite significant.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

Was it a one-way conversation, you to him, and that's it?

[Marc Mayrand]

That's my view.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

Did you bring up some of the concerns that you had with the bill that you mentioned here?

[Marc Mayrand]

I haven't talked to the minister about the bill.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

No, I mean some of the general concerns about the commissioner's ability to investigate, your ability to—