Evidence of meeting #12 for Procedure and House Affairs in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was pandemic.
A recording is available from Parliament.
1:25 p.m.
Conservative
Karen Vecchio Conservative Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON
Awesome.
You had talked about the number of Métis that should be represented here in the House of Commons. Do you know approximately how many members of Parliament are Métis at this time?
1:25 p.m.
Senior Advisor, Métis National Council
Danny Vandal, our Northern Affairs Minister, is a proud Métis from Manitoba. Michelle Rempel Garner has Métis heritage, but she doesn't identify as Métis.
We have a couple of senators who have been appointed.
November 24th, 2020 / 1:25 p.m.
Conservative
Karen Vecchio Conservative Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON
Excellent. When we were going through them, we were even thinking that within our own caucus, Marc Dalton happens to be there and Marc Serré, who is also one of the Liberal sitting members. I think we figured out that there are six or seven, so I think you've done a tremendous job to make sure it is recognized that it is important to have all people from across this great nation here in the House of Commons to help on that.
When we're talking about the pandemic, some of the concerns I heard from other groups were having people from Elections Canada come either onto reserve or onto the lands of the indigenous people. I'm just wondering if there have been any issues where you don't want that, or in any parts of Canada where they are saying that they don't want Elections Canada to come there and put a polling station. Has there been any push-back?
1:25 p.m.
Senior Advisor, Métis National Council
I can certainly say that in Saskatchewan there was. The first nations and the Métis decided there weren't going to be any visitors up there, never mind Elections Canada visitors.
I think that's a risk in all the northern parts of western Canada. It's nice to see the southerners, but maybe not so much in the pandemic.
1:25 p.m.
Conservative
Karen Vecchio Conservative Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON
I totally agree and fully respect where you're coming from on that.
What would your recommendation—
1:25 p.m.
Conservative
1:25 p.m.
Liberal
Ryan Turnbull Liberal Whitby, ON
Thanks, Madam Chair.
Mr. LeClair, it's great to see you, and thanks. I'm really finding all of your testimony straight to the point and really helpful. I appreciate the way you cut through much of the stuff that politicians deal with.
I want to go back to mail-in ballots. We've heard over and over and over again just how important that process would be in a pandemic election. What we're really here to discuss is how to ensure in a pandemic election—if it should happen, nobody really wants one, of course—that all people can participate safely and exercise their democratic rights. The Métis people are a priority and I think you've outlined many ways in which you've overcome challenges in the past. You've also spoken about enhancing mail-in ballots.
I just want to give you some more time. Are there specific things you think we can do or that Elections Canada can do to streamline that process, making it simpler and easier? I think what I heard you mention earlier were timelines, having more time and having the voter registration cards and other aspects of the kit sent out earlier. Are there aspects of that process that you can tell us about that could or should be improved?
1:30 p.m.
Senior Advisor, Métis National Council
Well, I think that your committee should recommend to the Chief Electoral Officer a process of engagement with Métis governing members to ensure that the ballots go to the people they should go to. We'll do our part to encourage people to vote and help them to understand how to vote, and we can work with Elections Canada on that basis. Our governing members will be completely engaged in this election to make sure that we get every vote out that we can. It's up to people to choose whom they vote for, but it's our responsibility to make sure they do vote. We take that very seriously and we would work in advance with the Chief Electoral Officer to make sure that those communities with Métis people in them are targeted.
1:30 p.m.
Liberal
Ryan Turnbull Liberal Whitby, ON
I appreciate that and I will certainly bring that forward as we move towards making recommendations. We'll keep that in mind, and your point is very well taken that the Métis National Council is a key partner in making that happen.
When do you think that process should start? I understand you haven't necessarily been contacted by the Chief Electoral Officer to date, so when do you think that process should start?
1:30 p.m.
Senior Advisor, Métis National Council
I think this process has started that process. I think we should get on that right away. I mean, we don't know how.... We're hoping you guys will govern for a longer period while we work some of these things out. This is precisely why we need to start those conversations sooner rather than later, and you guys can rag the puck on the Hill for a while.
1:30 p.m.
Liberal
Ryan Turnbull Liberal Whitby, ON
Thanks very much for that. We'll do our best to continue to govern.
The other question I have—and you brought this up—is about communications. This has been important to me throughout this study. I know you mentioned it within the context of parties making more effort to communicate with Métis people across Canada, and I really value that point. I also want to check whether you think Elections Canada could be communicating more effectively if there were a pandemic election, to reassure people of the safety of the voting process. Do you have any recommendations? Are they similar to the mail-in ballot process? I take it that they may be, but are there specific methods for communicating that Elections Canada could use?
1:30 p.m.
Senior Advisor, Métis National Council
Yes, we've worked with Elections Canada and Stats Canada actually, to encourage Métis participation in the census. There are ways we target our communications at the regional level and through our meetings to make that happen. As you know, the biggest demographic with the lowest participation rates is the youth of Canada. This is why we work with them, to target stuff at that demographic to ensure that we increase their participation as we go forward.
1:30 p.m.
Liberal
1:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ruby Sahota
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. LeClair, so much for coming before committee today. I was really hoping to get in one more speaker, but we are past 1:30 now and at the end of our second round. We really appreciate your input. It's given us a couple of things to take back to our government, I'm sure. I'm also sure that the Chief Electoral Officer has been listening to this testimony as well. He's been following this study. I think you've made some very important contributions to ensure that everyone's rights are protected, including their right to vote in a federal election. Thank you so much.
1:30 p.m.
Senior Advisor, Métis National Council
Thank you.
I look forward to a future conversation on how we can increase the number of indigenous MPs in the House of Commons. That's a much larger conversation, but I look forward to that in the future.
1:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ruby Sahota
Yes, we would welcome that and I look forward to that day as well.
Thank you.
Thank you to all members of the committee. We've already resolved, I think, the few issues we had, so there is no need for any committee business at this point. I hope the rest of your day is good. I'll see you on Thursday. I will just remind you again that we have three hours on Thursday.
Thank you. Goodbye.