Good afternoon, Mr. Chair and members of the committee.
Thank you for the opportunity to appear today.
I'm pleased to share an overview of how Global Affairs Canada supports Canadians voting from abroad during federal elections.
Let me start by clarifying our role. Global Affairs Canada has a very specific and limited mandate when it comes to overseas voting. Our responsibilities are outlined in a co-operation agreement with Elections Canada, first signed in 1993 and updated in 2019.
Under this agreement, Elections Canada is fully responsible for determining who is eligible to vote and for registering electors on the international register of electors. Our role is simply to provide logistical support through Canada's network of diplomatic missions abroad. It is also important to note what we do not do. We don't support provincial elections, and we don't assist foreign governments in organizing voting in Canada for their own citizens.
What does our support look like in practice? In the lead-up to an election, our missions assist Canadians living abroad by answering general questions, by phone or email, about how to vote using a special mail-in ballot. For more complex inquiries, we refer them directly to Elections Canada. Missions post information on their websites and share updates through social media channels to ensure that Canadians abroad have timely and accurate information.
Before Canadians can vote from abroad, they must submit an application to be included in the international register of electors. This process is typically done online. However, missions can assist electors who require accommodation by sending the application on their behalf to Elections Canada by fax or email.
We also assist electors who choose to use a mission as their mailing address for receiving their ballots. When the mission receives the ballot, they contact the client—assuming the client has provided their contact details to the mission—informing them that their ballot has arrived and to return the completed ballot by a specific date.
Regardless of whether a Canadian received their ballot directly or through the mission, they have the option of bringing the completed ballots to the mission by a specific date for onward delivery to Elections Canada. Typically, ballots are sent through regular shipments via DHL.
Again, to be clear: We do not determine eligibility, process applications, provide voting kits or organize in-person voting.
Now, let me share a snapshot from the 45th general election in April 2025.
Approximately 102,000 special ballots were issued upon request to Canadians living abroad. Of these, just over 57,000 ballots—56.5%—were returned on time and counted, an improvement from the previous election return rate of 48.5%.
Of the remaining 43.5% of special ballots that were sent out by Elections Canada, 19% were returned late and had to be set aside. Late returns were due mainly to a number of factors, including international postal challenges and, in some cases, electors not receiving their ballots in time or not delivering their completed ballots to missions early enough for onward shipment to Elections Canada before the deadline. In total, 164 Canadian diplomatic offices submitted ballots on behalf of electors.
Although we've seen some progress in return rates, challenges remain. Some Canadians abroad expect to vote in person at missions, which is not possible. Sometimes Canadian voters request that ballots be sent to missions but fail to notify staff or to provide contact details, complicating pickup of the ballots. Also, of course, resource constraints at missions can be an issue during peak periods.
In closing, we continue to work closely with our partners at Elections Canada to address these issues, whether it's by improving communications with Canadians abroad, streamlining logistics or finding ways to mitigate delays in international mail. Together, we're committed to making the process as clear and accessible as possible for Canadians voting outside the country.
Thanks for your attention. I will be happy to respond to any questions.