Evidence of meeting #106 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 elections.
A video is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Blake Richards Conservative Banff—Airdrie, AB
Okay, so again, it doesn't sound like there is an openness on that one.
What about the idea of requiring overseas voters to show some kind of intention to return to Canada to be eligible to vote? This law changes it so there is no reason for them to show any kind of intention to return to Canada. What about an amendment that would show some kind of intention to return to Canada, at some point?
Liberal
Karina Gould Liberal Burlington, ON
What this legislation does include is that in order for Canadians who live abroad to vote, they have to demonstrate a previous residence in Canada. They would cast their ballot in that place—
Conservative
Blake Richards Conservative Banff—Airdrie, AB
They don't have to show an intention to ever want to return. That's a change that's being made as well. What about an amendment to—
Liberal
Conservative
Blake Richards Conservative Banff—Airdrie, AB
Okay. Again, it doesn't sound like there's any openness there.
What about by-elections? There's a change here that increases the amount of time when a by-election can't be called. What that then does is to leave this weird situation where there can be a vacancy for over a year before an election. What about an amendment that might reduce the amount of time where there's a restriction on a by-election being called? Would you be open to something like that?
Liberal
Karina Gould Liberal Burlington, ON
That's a direct inclusion from the recommendations from this committee in the bill—
Conservative
Liberal
Karina Gould Liberal Burlington, ON
—but what I would also say is that one of the reasons this committee recommended it is that I believe part of that recommendation was—
Conservative
Liberal
Conservative
Blake Richards Conservative Banff—Airdrie, AB
—so I'm going to have to cut you off because I have one more question I want to ask.
Liberal
Karina Gould Liberal Burlington, ON
—that were used to elongate the writ period and to take advantage of the pro rata—
Liberal
Conservative
Blake Richards Conservative Banff—Airdrie, AB
It doesn't sound like you're open to an amendment there. I've tried about five different things. None of them seem acceptable. It—
Liberal
Conservative
Blake Richards Conservative Banff—Airdrie, AB
It doesn't sound like a real commitment there when everything is shot down.
Liberal
Conservative
Blake Richards Conservative Banff—Airdrie, AB
Minister, could you at least commit, then, that you would call off this extremely undemocratic practice of Elections Canada implementing this legislation prior to it being passed by Parliament? I think that's obviously unprecedented. Would you at least commit to that? Would you at least commit to no more use of time allocation or closure?
Liberal
Karina Gould Liberal Burlington, ON
Mr. Richards, you are grossly misrepresenting the relationship between Elections Canada and the Government of Canada. The Government of Canada—
Conservative
Blake Richards Conservative Banff—Airdrie, AB
You can certainly indicate that it shouldn't be implemented.
Liberal
Karina Gould Liberal Burlington, ON
—has at no point instructed Elections Canada to implement this legislation.
Conservative
Blake Richards Conservative Banff—Airdrie, AB
You have the ability, Minister, to instruct them not to.
Liberal
Karina Gould Liberal Burlington, ON
We actually do not. Elections Canada is independent from the Government of Canada. The acting CEO—
Conservative
Blake Richards Conservative Banff—Airdrie, AB
Would you commit to not using time allocation and closure at least?