Evidence of meeting #103 for Procedure and House Affairs in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was process.
A video is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Scott Reid Conservative Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston, ON
In the remaining time—I have just a few seconds—I want to say congratulations on being here and on getting the post. I think you're extraordinarily well qualified, and I'm very pleased indeed to see that we'll be enjoying working with you for the next decade.
Nominee for the position of Chief Electoral Officer, As an Individual
Thank you.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell
We're technically out of time, but with liberalism, if Mr. Cullen wants a minute, we'll give that.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Here's something that we haven't touched on yet. I'm just reading through the Supreme Court decision about early election results coming out from one part of the country prior to polls closing. In some cases, it's three, four, or five hours before polls close. Four hours would be accurate on the west coast.
It has, in the past and currently, led to some western alienation. It's something to be heading with your kids to the polls when you hear results coming forward and “whoever Mansbridge is now” determining the results of the election before folks in Alberta, Yukon, and British Columbia have voted.
Is there anything we can do about this to respect the Supreme Court's decision that it's actually an infringement on section 329 of the Canada Elections Act to be allowing significant results to be posted insofar that you have unequal voting in terms of information? That all voters vote equally is protected under the Canada Elections Act.
Many of my voters ask if there is not something that can be done—changing closing times, changing reporting times—so that folks in places like Scott's riding wait a bit.
Nominee for the position of Chief Electoral Officer, As an Individual
There is no perfect solution to that. As you know, the limit on the prohibition on disclosure of the results was lifted by Parliament because there was no way to contain the results.
Nominee for the position of Chief Electoral Officer, As an Individual
No, the Supreme Court validated the previous rule, but the rule was lifted by Parliament.
Nominee for the position of Chief Electoral Officer, As an Individual
Now the information flows.
There is some staggering of the voting hours.
Nominee for the position of Chief Electoral Officer, As an Individual
You get to a point where if you increase the staggering of the voting hours, that creates some unevenness in terms of voting opportunities. If you sit on the results for too long, people are suspicious, and they're—
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
If you simply started counting a little later.... I don't mean that you'd have the results that you'd then sit on and create that suspicion. People are staying up late in Newfoundland anyway.
Nominee for the position of Chief Electoral Officer, As an Individual
The average age of our poll workers is quite high. These are people who work 16-hour days—
Nominee for the position of Chief Electoral Officer, As an Individual
—and in many cases, I would call it cruel and unusual to extend the counting hours beyond what they already are.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell
Thank you very much. We've had great work with you over the last year on the various recommendations from your office. We really appreciate all the service you've provided to us, and your great public service. Thank you for coming today.
Nominee for the position of Chief Electoral Officer, As an Individual
Thank you. It's my pleasure.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell
This is just for the committee. Tomorrow you'll get our aboriginal language report. On Thursday, we could look at that for the second hour. In the first hour, the committee and any subcommittee members who want to, in camera, can educate the independents on our subcommittee's report so that they are aware of it before it's tabled in Parliament.
Ms. Tassi.
Liberal
Filomena Tassi Liberal Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON
Would the chief human resources officer be attending that?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell
Oh, yes, we'll invite him and see if he's available as a resource.
It's a confidential report, as you know, but you can share it with your caucus colleagues. That was the idea, to go back to your...but not with the text of it. The other thing is that we'll allow the independents, as you can, to bring one staff member to that confidential briefing.
Is that okay with people?
Liberal
Filomena Tassi Liberal Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON
Just for clarification, Chair, my understanding is that the sharing of that report is to be a verbal sharing and that we are not to circulate anything in writing. Is that correct?