moved for leave to introduce Bill C-399, an act to amend the Elections Act (appointment of election officers).
Mr. Speaker, this bill when passed would implement a recommendation of the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada that patronage be removed from the process of appointing employees to Elections Canada.
Very few people realize that returning officers are all appointed by order in council, by the government in power. In effect they are patronage appointments. Passage of this bill would remove that ability of the government to patronage appoint. The employees of Elections Canada would be selected on their merit and their ability to do the job instead of the party they belong to.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)