Procedure and House Affairs Committee on Nov. 5th, 2020

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Dr. Shahab, I have the same question for you.

[Dr. Saqib Shahab]

Because we had been involved for many more months than New Brunswick and B.C., we were very confident of the plans and visited a mock-up. I'm not aware of any specific issues during the election.

Dr. Werker may have some comments.

[Dr. Denise Werker]

We provided input to the processes as Michael Boda adapted his processes for a safe election. We did not receive any complaints, and the polling locations were not inspected.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

I have a question for both groups. Would it be your recommendation...? I understand you don't inform political offices. Would it be your preference not to hold an election during a pandemic?

[Dr. Saqib Shahab]

From my side, this pandemic is a marathon. We are in our 10th or 11th month. Hopefully, we will wax in spring, but then some caution will be needed to continue for another eight or twelve months.

Again, I think essential work, including elections if it is a time for elections, will probably need to happen. That's all I would say.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Okay.

[Dr. Jennifer Russell]

I agree with Dr. Shahab.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Was voting allowed in hospitals for long-term care folks who were...? As a case in point, my father-in-law is in palliative care and had a stint in the hospital. Voting was not allowed for him.

[Dr. Saqib Shahab]

Dr. Werker may comment in some detail.

[Dr. Denise Werker]

Yes, voting was allowed in hospitals. The election administrators were considered critical services. Individuals who had COVID-19 were not allowed to go down to the polling station. All of this was done under the Saskatchewan Health Authority's infection, prevention and control guidance.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Would that be the door-to-door service?

[Dr. Denise Werker]

Yes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ruby Sahota]

Thank you.

Mr. Alghabra, you have five minutes, please.

[Omar Alghabra, Liberal, Mississauga Centre, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I want to welcome our witnesses. Dr. Shahab, Dr. Russell and Dr. Werker, thank you for being here, and thank you for sharing your insight with the committee. As a committee, we are looking at offering recommendations to Elections Canada in preparation for a potential election during the pandemic.

Let me start by asking, where is the highest risk during an election period? Is it the entire writ period, or is it the actual days when people are gathering to vote?

Dr. Shahab, you can go ahead.

[Dr. Saqib Shahab]

If your population transmission levels are higher, that could raise a higher risk. In my view, certainly the highest risk at any time is the importation of COVID into long-term care facilities. I think the guidelines can vary during the writ period about gathering size and door-to-door canvassing.

Again, I think it's a function of following the guidelines. Even if you're having a small gathering of 15 to 30, which is allowed in Saskatchewan, it's about having that safely.

[Omar Alghabra, Liberal, Mississauga Centre, ON]

Dr. Russell, go ahead.

[Dr. Jennifer Russell]

I have to agree with Dr. Shahab again.

Our goal with public health is really to be able to mitigate all the risks for any type of situation. Obviously, following all the public health guidance in this situation is imperative, regardless of whether it's pre-election or during the election itself.

[Omar Alghabra, Liberal, Mississauga Centre, ON]

Again, this is a question for both of you. Maybe I will start with you, Dr. Russell.

Do you recommend protocols for tracing for people who show up at the polling station?

[Dr. Jennifer Russell]

I believe all that information was captured. That is similar to restaurants, etc. and any gatherings. It's very wise to have that information available. Certainly, with more technology and the COVID app.... That's another piece of technology that can be useful in this situation.

[Omar Alghabra, Liberal, Mississauga Centre, ON]

Dr. Shahab, go ahead.

[Dr. Saqib Shahab]

I would agree. Also, I think the confidence that the process, to start off with, is such that even if someone was infectious and came to vote, the risk of transmission would be next to negligible is an important piece as well.

[Omar Alghabra, Liberal, Mississauga Centre, ON]

Again, I will ask the question of both of you. I will start with you, Dr. Shahab.

If, as a committee, we're going to offer advice to political parties on campaigning, can we do canvassing safely? If so, what are the necessary requirements to keep canvassing as safe as possible?

[Dr. Saqib Shahab]

During canvassing, for all the activities involved in federal elections—interprovincial travel, meet-and-greet and all those things—even though you minimize risk, the risk is never zero. There is always a small risk for any activity, but keeping it as low as possible is the goal of everything we do now. We're not in lockdown. We go to work and school. We socialize and go to restaurants, but we need to keep the risk as low as possible. It can never be zero.

[Omar Alghabra, Liberal, Mississauga Centre, ON]

Instead of just party leaders who are travelling province to province, for local candidates such as myself, my colleagues here and our campaign teams, if we were to go door to door, what would be necessary to minimize the risk?

[Dr. Saqib Shahab]

Our canvassing guidelines allow for door-to-door—and have for several months—in a way that minimizes the risk, I would say, to close to zero. We can't predict how individuals will feel about people knocking on their door. Some are fine; some feel uncomfortable. Certainly the guidelines would minimize any risk of transmission.