Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you all very much for your attendance.
Under the heading of “voter suppression”, the first thing you find is Bill C-50, because that's really what this is all about in our opinion. It's a continuation of the suppression clauses that have been incorporated into our election laws.
I want to make reference to the Chief Electoral Officer. Remember that fellow, the one whom the government didn't consult when they brought all the changes to the “unfair elections act”. He came back to talk about Bill C-50, and one of the things that's been missed, and I don't think it was picked up in the public domain through the media, is that the change in clause 4 of Bill C-50 adds proposed paragraph 143(2.11)(b) to the Canada Elections Act. It incorporates a change. So far we've been focusing on the ID at the polling station as if it only affected foreign patriots voting who live abroad, but the fact remains that this change would change the entire Canada Elections Act.
This is the clause that's causing all the concern. It says, “an entity that is incorporated or formed by or under an Act of Parliament or of the legislature of a province or”—and this is the key thing—“that is otherwise formed in Canada.” Nobody knows what that means.
The change, if this passed, would not just be for voting abroad. It would be for all voters. Monsieur Mayrand said:
I am, however, concerned with the fact that the bill will make it more difficult for electors abroad to vote, and I expect that many will not be able to do so under the new rules. I am also very concerned with the new requirement that pieces of ID be issued by entities incorporated or “formed in Canada”—a criterion that is unclear and that cannot be administered by election officers. I urge the committee to consider this aspect of the bill, and also to consider other changes set out in the table....
We have our Chief Electoral Officer suggesting this is a real problem and he would like it removed. I wonder, Professor Pal, if you'd be kind enough to comment on that, because you did touch on this a bit, this whole aspect of the confusion it will cause. Would you confirm that your interpretation is that it does change the Canada Elections Act, and that these concerns at the voting station won't just happen outside Canada but could potentially happen in every polling station in Canada? Do you agree with that interpretation, sir?