Evidence of meeting #13 for Procedure and House Affairs in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was voters.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Associate Professor, As an Individual
That's exactly right. That's what the article I wrote on this topic was about. I said that citizenship was no longer understood solely as the right to vote, but as the right not only to be represented, but to be represented specifically, and therefore to have special representation.
At the end of the day, it's as if women also had their own representative in the National Assembly, for example, when that's not the case. That's kind of the idea.
Bloc
Christine Normandin Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
Attachment to the country of origin and paying taxes are aspects that are completely excluded from the thinking on representation, for instance.
Is that correct?
Associate Professor, As an Individual
Yes. It would even be frowned upon to say so.
Bloc
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Chris Bittle
Thank you so much.
We're going to take a short biobreak. For the witnesses, please stay logged on. We will just briefly suspend the meeting, but we will be right back momentarily.
This committee is suspended.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Chris Bittle
I call the meeting back to order.
We'll now proceed to Mr. Van Popta for the Conservatives, for five minutes.
Conservative
Tako Van Popta Conservative Langley Township—Fraser Heights, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Professor Fraysse, my next question is for you.
You testified that a person living abroad and wanting to get onto the consular list must be tied to a specific municipality. If I understand this correctly, it can go back several generations, but they do have to be tied to some geographic place in France. However, isn't it true that the person who's voting abroad has their own ballot of people who want to represent that region, whether it's East Africa or South Asia? The voting isn't actually tied to the municipality to which they are tied.
Associate Professor, As an Individual
Thank you for the question. I believe that I understood it correctly.
There are two possibilities. The person can either register on the French voters list, and their vote will be counted alongside the votes of other French citizens living in mainland France, or they can register on the consular lists. In this case, they will participate in the selection of representatives for French citizens living abroad specifically.
Conservative
Tako Van Popta Conservative Langley Township—Fraser Heights, BC
The choice is the voter's to make, whether they want to get on the consular list or the other way.
Associate Professor, As an Individual
Yes. The choice is the voter's to make.
Conservative
Tako Van Popta Conservative Langley Township—Fraser Heights, BC
Okay.
I'm going to ask the same question of Dr. James.
Canada, I believe, follows Britain's model of representation by region. For example, I'm the member of Parliament for a specific area in British Columbia. I'm a member of a political party, but I represent the people of my region, my electoral district. I believe it's the same in the U.K.
How does a person living abroad who doesn't have a lot of connection to the United Kingdom get tied to a specific constituency or electoral district?
Professor of Politics and Public Policy, University of East Anglia, Norwich, As an Individual
It would be the last location at which they were resident when they left the United Kingdom. Wherever they were last living, they would state that postal code so that the electoral officer could register them, and they would remain located in that parliamentary riding going forward.
Conservative
Tako Van Popta Conservative Langley Township—Fraser Heights, BC
It's where they were last living, but what if it's somebody who has never lived in the U.K.? Maybe their parents or grandparents did.
Professor of Politics and Public Policy, University of East Anglia, Norwich, As an Individual
That's a very good question. I'm not sure of the answer immediately, but I can happily locate that and provide that to the committee.
Conservative
Tako Van Popta Conservative Langley Township—Fraser Heights, BC
Yes, if you could do that, please do. It's pretty critical to the study we're undertaking.
I'll pass the mic over to my colleague Mr. Jackson, for a quick question.
Conservative
Grant Jackson Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB
Thank you.
This is also for Professor James.
Of course, as we do follow the Westminster system, we have an appointed Senate—you folks have the House of Lords—and so it strikes me that this conversation is about equal representation in the Houses of Parliament, which are making decisions. Has the government in the United Kingdom taken any steps to ensure that foreign United Kingdom residents are represented in the House of Lords? How might that apply to our appointed Senate as well, if we're having this discussion about equal representation, not just in voting, but in the two Houses of Parliament that make decisions for all Canadians?
Professor of Politics and Public Policy, University of East Anglia, Norwich, As an Individual
I may also have to come back to the committee on that question. Obviously, there's a different system here. The lords, as you rightly point out, are not elected. It is via an appointment mechanism on the recommendation, basically, of the Prime Minister of the day. I'm not sure what the residency requirements would be there, but I can happily provide that to the committee subsequently.
Conservative
November 20th, 2025 / 12:15 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Chris Bittle
Thank you very much.
Though the chair cannot provide evidence, I can point to Lord Black of Crossharbour, Conrad Black, the Canadian who was appointed to the House of Lords, who is not a resident of the United Kingdom.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Chris Bittle
I'll take your word for it, despite his convictions for fraud, I believe. Mr. Small is here to defend him.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Chris Bittle
He was caught. Yes, that's how crime usually works.
Mrs. Brière, you have the floor for five minutes.
Liberal
Élisabeth Brière Liberal Sherbrooke, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I want to thank all the witnesses for joining us today to discuss this important topic.
I'll continue the discussion on electronic voting. People are really quite keen on electronic voting. This tool is used in a number of countries.
Electronic voting obviously improves access to voting for citizens living abroad. However, it still requires access to the Internet. Electronic voting is also part of the drive to modernize voting methods and embrace technological advances. It also meets the expectations of voters, who are increasingly using all sorts of electronic tools in various aspects of their lives.
However, there are risks, which I would describe as significant. These risks pertain to security, the integrity of the voting process and public confidence, for example.
Cybersecurity and interference risks may be related to malware, vote traceability, secret ballots and the vulnerability of votes to the manipulation of results.
I would like to hear your comments on these aspects.
Professor Garnett, would you like to begin?
