Evidence of meeting #124 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 election.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell
They already provide the ballots and serial numbers to the polling stations. It's in the act. Is that right?
LCdr Jean-François Morin
Absolutely, but in the model where a polling station will include many voting tables, of course, the returning officer will designate one responsible election officer for the polling station who will be responsible for this duty.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell
Are we ready to vote?
(Amendment negatived [See Minutes of Proceedings])
(Clause 82 agreed to on division)
(Clause 83 agreed to)
(On clause 84)
Clause 84 has CPC-25. My understanding from reading this last night is that it's just adding a new section saying that when you go to vote at a polling station, there are enough of those little screened areas so you can do it privately and efficiently.
Stephanie, do you want to introduce this?
Calgary Midnapore, CPC
No, I think you explained it well, Chair.
Thank you.
Liberal
Chris Bittle Liberal St. Catharines, ON
I just want to say it's a good amendment. It adds flexibility for the CEO, which is one of the purposes of the act, and we support it.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell
We'll vote on CPC-25.
(Amendment agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
(Clause 84 as amended agreed to)
(Clause 85 agreed to)
(On clause 86)
Clause 86 has CPC-26. My understanding is that it just limits the number of polling divisions in a polling station to 10.
Stephanie, do you want to introduce this amendment?
Calgary Midnapore, CPC
I think it's evident. It indicates a maximum of 10 polls per location without the Chief Electoral Officer's approval. I'm not sure if our witnesses would like to speak to situations where there are more than 10 per location.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell
Do you know if there have ever been situations where there are more than 10?
LCdr Jean-François Morin
Sorry, currently the act provides for polling places, and the act limits each polling place to 10 polling stations, but this requirement was removed as part of the modernization of polling services.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell
So it used to be there, and it's been taken out. Now it's proposed to be put back in.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell
But you could still have more than 10, with the Chief Electoral Officer's approval, in your proposal.
We have Mr. Nater, and then Mr. Cullen.
Conservative
John Nater Conservative Perth—Wellington, ON
Chair, that was exactly what I was going to say. This is the current practice. It was removed, and this is something we think should be maintained. I think it's just a common-sense approach. It gives some flexibility, with the approval of the CEO. I think any of us who have been to a large polling station on election day know there are a lot of people going in and out, and the confusion that is developed by a large number of polling stations in one facility is significant. I think this is a common-sense approach.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
As we have said before, Chair, you and I are both rural. I'm trying to imagine what this looks like. If it goes beyond 10, is it....?
Liberal
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
How many voters? We only have 25.
Logistically, for some of my urban colleagues, does beyond 10 start to get....? Is it that we're trying to avoid crowds, or what's the problem?
If the Chief Electoral Officer has the discretion to expand it beyond certain circumstances, then this is a guideline saying that about 10 is as big as you want to get before it starts to get too chaotic. But, again, I'm not seeing polling places that big. Does it cause a problem for voters? If it doesn't, then we should let them have full discretion.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell
Well, this doesn't say it can't be more than 10. It just says that you have to have the chief returning officer approve more than 10.
