Procedure and House Affairs Committee on Nov. 24th, 2020

[Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Liberal, Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB]

It's in the seventies?

[Marc LeClair]

It's in the seventies, yes.

[Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Liberal, Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB]

Okay, that's excellent.

We spoke today a bit about mail-in ballots. I come from the province of New Brunswick, where mail-in ballots aren't particularly popular. But we certainly recognize during a global pandemic, and I'm assuming with an aging population, that many people are perhaps going to want to use that tool. But also we're going to educate people on using that. Do you think there are specific programs or information that we're going to have to provide to Métis people to encourage them to use that as a tool as well, as you've indicated that many people are staying home because they fear the pandemic right now?

[Marc LeClair]

Yes.

In some of those northern communities I'm familiar with, those people aren't moving anywhere. And they've been told not to move anywhere, so we were sending mixed messages.

I think one of the best ways to deal with this, and just as Elections Canada has done in the past, is to use the governing member organizations to provide that communications channel to make sure they're comforted by that.

[Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Liberal, Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB]

I can tell you, Mr. LeClair, when I hear you say your members are taking this matter very seriously, it warms my heart because I wish that every Canadian would stay home and take the matter very seriously. We all have a role to play and we know that this virus is very social. If we stay home, we'll be able to flatten the curve, as Dr. Tam likes to remind us day in and day out.

Do you think there's anything Elections Canada could do to promote mail-in ballots to make sure people understand it a bit—

Okay, Madam Chair. Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ruby Sahota]

I thought you were ending. I was going to let you end your thought, but that's all the time we have.

Mr. Therrien.

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Mr. LeClair, you said that the territories are large. Are all the polling stations that you have to deal with on your territories?

[Marc LeClair]

Yes. As I said, 60% of the Métis population will be in the large urban centres and the big rural centres, but we have communities all over the boreal forest, that whole lung of Canada, and throughout what we consider our traditional territories right into the Northwest Territories. That's where our people went to fish early on and that's where the fur trade ended and we stayed.

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Okay.

I've already asked you this question, but I would like to ask it again.

You say that 60% of the Métis population lives in urban centres. I guess that people are little bit closer together and that it's a lot easier for them to vote than for people who live in the north, for instance. Have you noticed a difference in voter turnout? It's still high at 70%, which is close to the rate for Canada as a whole.

Have you noticed a difference in voter turnout between urban centres and more remote locations?

[Marc LeClair]

Yes, I think the demographics are different. In the rural areas, we'll have more of an aging population. They've been there a long time. They're not flocking to the cities or anything like that, so you could have a lower participation rate.

But again, our civic participation is pretty strong, and we pride ourselves on it.

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

I recognize that 70% is still very good.

I have one last questions about urban centres and more rural places. With respect to the mail, do you think people who live further north will be resistant and difficult to reach for postal voting?

[Marc LeClair]

From an administrative point of view, probably.

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Thank you, Mr. LeClair.

I have no further questions. I've learned a lot, and I'm still taking notes because there are other speakers after me.

Long life to you and the Métis of the west.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ruby Sahota]

Thank you.

Mr. Blaikie.

[Daniel Blaikie, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

I know you mentioned some challenges with getting mail-in ballots to folks in the hinterland, as you put it. One of the things that has come up in the course of this study is the option of voting by phone, something they have in B.C. and that was a part of the B.C. election. I was wondering if your organization has given any thought to that or would have an opinion on it.

[Marc LeClair]

Any way to increase the distant access to voting would be good. I can check with our leadership, but their main line is to make it as safe as possible, make it as long as possible if that makes it safer, and, if you can, avoid it until we get out of the pandemic. That's basically what our position is.

[Daniel Blaikie, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

I just have a little bit of time remaining, so I'd like to offer that time to you. If there is anything we haven't covered in our questioning that you think is important for our consideration as a committee on the topic of pandemic elections, I want to give you whatever time I have remaining to offer that.

[Marc LeClair]

Well, thank you. I appreciate that.

I'll mention something that came up with the Assembly of First Nations, namely the voting date.

We have a fixed voting date in October, and that's hunting season, generally. In Manitoba, at least, we regulate that hunt. That date is something you might want to consider shifting eventually. The fixed election and all that is fine. It's just that it's not the most convenient time of the year for indigenous harvesters.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ruby Sahota]

Thank you, Mr. LeClair.

Mrs. Vecchio, please.

[Karen Vecchio, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

Thank you very much for joining us today.

As you indicated, typically there is about a 70% turnout in your elections. You had mentioned that to Ms. Duncan.

Has that grown? Has that number increased over the last number of years? I should ask, what was your starting point?

[Marc LeClair]

Yes, it's grown in every election.

[Karen Vecchio, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

Fantastic.

[Marc LeClair]

I can't say every election, but the trend line is growing.

One of the things, especially in the federal election, is that until five years ago, the federal government claimed very little responsibility for the Métis people. They provided employment, training and governance funding. Now that's expanded to include early learning, housing and support for post-secondary education assistance.

[Karen Vecchio, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

Excellent.

[Marc LeClair]

Our participation in the election was to try to push for the things that the people needed, so this is why our participation was always a little bit higher.