Evidence of meeting #19 for Procedure and House Affairs in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was elections.
A video is available from Parliament.
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
Madam Chair, as I indicated then, and it still is true, I do have a recommendation in the report to speak to the issue of registration of hate groups and deregistration of hate groups. It's not so much to regulate hate speech, which is not my business, but to make sure that hate groups are not subsidized by receiving the benefit of a platform under the Elections Act.
I'll be happy to speak more to that when I make my recommendations.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bardish Chagger
Excellent.
Just because of the time, I think for us to maximize our time with our guests we'll go around and do one question, because I do notice the answers are a little bit longer than the questions. I feel like that would then bring us to time.
I think answers need to be thorough and I understand that, but I think it would get us to one o'clock to maybe tie up any loose ends.
With that, we go to the Conservatives.
Conservative
Kelly Block Conservative Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK
Thank you very much, Madam Chair, and I'll take the opportunity to ask one last question.
I'm looking at the main estimates and looking at the statutory appropriations and the line in regard to electoral expenditures. For the year 2021-22, it is marked at $109,150,110. Is that correct?
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
I don't have the number in front of me; my colleague does.
Keep in mind that for 2021-22, these were the numbers in the main estimates. This did not take into account, because it was not a fixed electoral calendar, the costs related to the delivery of the election, though we had planned readiness costs, so we have costs for preparation in this series of main estimates, but not costs for the delivery. When we report back on our activities and our spending for the year, those numbers will be increased, of course.
Conservative
Kelly Block Conservative Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK
I'm looking at the main estimates for this year, 2022-23, and I'm trying to understand the numbers as presented, based on the explanation you've just given. Does that increased number of $133 million take into account the costs of executing the election in 2020-2022?
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
There are some costs that remain to be paid regarding that election that will materialize in this fiscal year. Specifically, $28 million of that amount that is related to the previous general election.
Conservative
Kelly Block Conservative Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK
Okay, thank you very much, and I have one really quick follow-up question.
I imagine that Elections Canada, when we are in a cycle with a minority Parliament, has the pressure of trying to do a report on the previous election while trying to be election-ready, and so are there other costs contemplated in the main estimates here in ramping up for the next election.
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
There are. We have $44 million planned in this year in relation to the ramping up. That number may fluctuate depending on the political environment, so one of my roles, Madam Chair, is to monitor that environment and not overspend, but also to be ready. I have to gauge that carefully, and so we have $44 million planned for this year.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bardish Chagger
Perfect. Thank you.
That was about two and a half minutes, so I will pass that same time to the Liberals, Mr. Fergus.
Liberal
Greg Fergus Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
It's always nice to have you here, Mr. Perrault.
During the last Parliament, you advised the government to change election day from a Monday to a polling period of Saturday and Sunday.
Do you still think that's a good idea? I'd like to give you an opportunity to explain why. I think I may know, but it's important to make the point once again.
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
I want to make an important distinction. The recommendation was to hold the election on a Saturday or Sunday, instead of a Monday, not in addition to a Monday. That was discussed in relation to Bill C-19. It would give voters some flexibility and make it possible for those who work on elections, or would like to work on elections, to do so even if they have a job or go to school. That would make it easier for us to recruit workers.
It would also make schools more available to us. In 2019, a total of 46% of electors cast their ballots in schools. I don't have the figure for the last election, but it was a fairly minor percentage. We lost much of that access to schools. If Monday were added to the two weekend days, some places would not be available all three days.
Giving people more opportunities to vote is a good thing, but my preference would be to hold election day on the weekend, rather than over three days.
Liberal
Greg Fergus Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
I have another question for Mr. Perrault.
Many countries hold their elections on the weekend. Can you name a few?
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
I'm going to approach the question from the other end. I have the information somewhere, but I would say a minority of OECD countries go to the polls on a Monday. Most of them hold their elections on the weekend. European countries, for instance, traditionally hold their elections on the weekend, not during the week.
Bloc
Marie-Hélène Gaudreau Bloc Laurentides—Labelle, QC
I will be brief, Madam Chair, seeing what time it is. Thank you, by the way, for giving me the opportunity to ask questions.
We have asked the witnesses numerous questions, and we will have more once the report comes out.
Nevertheless, I am very concerned about the fact that Elections Canada does not have all the documentation within the appropriate time frame. We just talked about how Canada compares with other countries. I'm referring to the filing of returns. A report is coming out in May 2022. A few days ago, my official agent, who is quite old and could have had health problems, was still sending Elections Canada documents. He pointed out that he was volunteering and that the work should have been done already.
No doubt, there's a reason for the delay. As I understand it, ensuring everything is ready before the election is important, but once the election is over, things should move quickly as far as next steps are concerned.
Can you explain why the time frame is what it is?
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
That is indeed an important issue, and I am glad to have the opportunity to comment.
To begin with, we shortened the time frame for the audit from 18 months to 12 months. However, half the candidates request an extension and submit their returns after the statutory deadline, and that has consequences. The way we reduced the audit time frame was by carrying out risk analyses and examining the trends and outliers, but we can't do it properly until we have all the data. We proceed on the basis of data from the past, but we do data entry. The delay in our analysis is the result of the fact that half of the candidates do not submit their returns by the deadline. It is possible to receive an extension, and half of the candidates request one. That is a challenge. Nonetheless, we have managed to reduce the time frame from 18 months to 12 months.
We've also made two changes to the process. First, we don't ask for a detailed invoice for every single thing, as was the case before we switched to a risk analysis-based method. Second, we introduced an expedited process for preliminary expense reimbursement. In a minority Parliament, especially, expenses need to be reimbursed as quickly as possible.
All that to say, the improvement process is ongoing.
Marie-Hélène Gaudreau Bloc Laurentides—Labelle, QC
Some effort is needed on that front, clearly. Those 50% of candidates need to file their returns on time. Subsequently, adjustments can be made.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Liberal
NDP
Taylor Bachrach NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I want to ask a question about rural ridings and voting on election day in rural ridings like the one I represent, which is the size of Poland.
I want to start by sharing a story about a neighbour of mine. A couple of days before election day in this most recent election, she was in a horrible car accident. She texted me from her hospital bed and said, “Taylor, I've never not voted. I've always voted. I'm in the hospital and I'm wondering what my voting opportunities are.” We called Elections Canada, and I think at the time we were told there might be a mobile poll that would go around bed to bed in the local hospital, so we told her that. The next text that I got from her said that because of COVID and the local hospital's capacity, she was being shipped to a neighbouring community three hours away, so she texted me from that hospital and said, “Now what are my options?” We called Elections Canada. We pulled out all the stops. We explained this tragic and extenuating situation and were told that there was no opportunity for this woman to vote.
Now granted, this is a very unique situation, but there's a larger question, especially in rural ridings, of voting away from your home poll on election day within your riding. I understand that if you're in a different province or a different city in a different riding on election day, that makes it difficult because of the reporting requirements and the timeline for reporting the results. Nonetheless, is there not some way to do this? I ask because we get dozens of stories of people who are in the riding but aren't close to the voting place where they're supposed to vote.
Is there not some way on election day that people can vote within the riding, but at a different poll from the one they've been assigned? I think that's a way we could increase voter turnout and ensure that people aren't unfairly excluded from voting in the way that my friend from Smithers was.
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
Madam Chair, I think there are two separate issues here that are related, certainly in their solution.
The first issue is that until day six in every election, people in hospitals can be visited, because in a hospital setting you will have people from different electoral districts being visited and served by a mobile poll using special ballots. The special ballots stop on what we call “day six”, which is six days before the election, because we need to mark the lists that are used on polling day to make sure that people do not vote twice.
If we introduce electronic lists and thereby have the ability to strike an elector electronically, we can reduce that time to almost nothing—to a few days at worst—and allow people in hospitals who are hurt or injured just days before the election to vote, and then strike their names electronically. We would still need some time to produce the lists, but we could reduce the risk therein and reduce the number of days.
In terms of voting anywhere in the electoral district, Madam Chair, again this is something that in the longer term could be done through electronic lists. It is done in some jurisdictions. I'm not aware of its impact on increased participation, but it's certainly convenient for many electors.
