Okay, on NDP-40, this probably is the last one we'll have time for. This is the first in this new part of the division in the act on the voter contact calling services. This is a section that very much ties into the March 2012 NDP House motion that all parties voted for, calling for legislation within six months to deal with the issue of deceptive communications, and phone calls in particular. We all know that specific area, along with what else was in the motion, which was the access of the Chief Electoral Officer to campaign receipts, never did get tabled until almost 18 months after it was supposed to be.
That said, it is now in the act, which was very belatedly tabled, with so many other things that we didn't expect. Generally, this section of the bill is something that we welcome. I have serious concerns, which will be reflected in the amendments, that there are some gaps that make it overly minimalist for its goals and those amendments are seeking simply to make it that much better within the terms of the system being proposed.
This amendment is specifying that “the calling service provider shall not block the display of its telephone number when contacting voters”, “at the beginning of the call, the name of the person or group on whose behalf the call is made and their party affiliation, if any,” has to be indicated, and at the end of the call, a telephone number for contacting.
It could well be that indirectly, through a rather Byzantine knock-on effect of legislation, current CRTC rules may well insert this, but there is a lot to be said for clarity in the specific legislation about these identification requirements.
Finally, this was asked for by the Chief Electoral Officer. That's why it's being proposed.