Procedure and House Affairs Committee on Oct. 16th, 2018

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

I think that's why. Presently every station has its own division assigned to it. Again, if there are different stations with different divisions, this ensures that this information is available, whereas under the new requirement, we're not certain that the information will be available.

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

Didn't you just say that it would be available?

[Jean-François Morin]

I said it's part of the modernization of polling services initiative. I don't see why Elections Canada wouldn't provide the information.

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

Mr. Nater, go ahead.

[John Nater, Conservative, Perth—Wellington, ON]

I think there wouldn't be a requirement by law to provide that information. I think that's why this amendment is important, to provide candidates with that information and have a requirement that this information be provided.

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

Is there any further discussion on CPC-27?

(Amendment negatived [See Minutes of Proceedings])

We can do CPC-28 because CPC-27 wasn't adopted, so we didn't change that line.

On CPC-28, once again, it's more information to the candidates. They're suggesting that the number of ballot boxes or any changes in the ballot boxes be provided to the candidates.

Does anyone want to introduce this?

While you're doing this, I want to ask the committee a question. Does the committee have any objection to inviting Elections Canada? They might sit at the back and then, if we have technical questions that.... Are there any objections to that? Can we share the amendments with them? Is that okay with you?

Okay, we'll do that. That was a good point. On some of these things, they could say how it would work in reality.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

They're probably listening online right now anyway.

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

It is public.

Stephanie, do you want to introduce CPC-28?

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Sure. It's very similar in spirit to CPC-27. It's just about the candidates receiving this information about ballot boxes, and how many ballot boxes will be established at each station now that there is this new set-up. Again, it allows for better planning by candidates in terms of volunteer coordination, scrutineers, etc. Under this new system, it's uncertain how many ballot boxes will be established at each station, leading to uncertainty in candidates' planning.

I feel that this information would be advantageous for all candidates of all parties to have, and I'm not sure why we would obstruct ourselves from having this information for the opportunity to better plan.

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

Is there any discussion on CPC-28?

(Amendment negatived [See Minutes of Proceedings])

Next is LIB-8. This one is suggesting that the information be also given to the candidates electronically.

David, do you want to introduce this?

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Yes. It's pretty straightforward. It's to make sure that we get electronic maps. I think that's a useful thing to have, nothing like that big tube of maps that we all get at the start of a campaign.

[A voice]

I like those too, though.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

They're great, too.

[Nathan Cullen, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Are we going to get both? That's my only question, because I love the tube of maps. I like them on the wall.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

It says, “shall be made available in electronic form or in formats that include electronic form.”

It's up to the CEO whether he does electronic or other, but it has to be at least electronic.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

We support this.

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

Are you ready for—

[Nathan Cullen, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

I have just one small thing.

So, this gives the discretion to Elections Canada to choose, but it must do the electronic.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

That's correct.

[Nathan Cullen, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

It doesn't have to do the paper?

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

That's my understanding, yes.

[Nathan Cullen, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

I wish there was a way to amend this.

It might sound ridiculous, but a lot of the campaigns—I don't know about your guys—do prefer putting the maps up on the wall. If you only do them electronically, then you're going to say to all the campaigns, “You have to find a map printer”, which is a three- to four-foot-wide printer.

I don't know if there is a.... Maybe Mr. Morin can help us out here, because I would hate to see Elections Canada say, “We're out of the business of giving you any maps” and all the campaigns now having to go find printers to print them accurately.

Maybe I'm just old school, but we do like slapping the maps up on the wall and trying to figure out the riding.

[Jean-François Morin]

This amendment would only cover the maps provided to the parties, so that the parties don't get a stack of 338 maps.

[Nathan Cullen, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

So it's not to the individual candidates.

[Jean-François Morin]

No. The candidates will—