Procedure and House Affairs committee  The spending limit that would be applicable during the pre-election period is only on partisan advertising for registered parties, and partisan advertising, partisan activities and election surveys for third parties. It's not on the entire scope of expenses.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Yes, the enforcement problem is related to the fact that the prohibition really is on unduly influencing an elector to vote or refrain from voting, or vote or refrain from voting for a particular candidate at the election. I'm just saying that during the pre-election period, the writs have not been issued and it would be difficult to interpret the change in the context of this prohibition during the pre-election period.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Sorry, could you repeat that specific question?

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I won't answer that question. That would be a question for the Department of Justice.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would also like to note that the prohibition found at proposed subsection 282.4(1) is related to “influenc[ing] an elector to vote or refrain from voting, or to vote or refrain from voting for a particular candidate or registered party, at the election”.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  That would actually complete the prohibition in a way that is consequential to the amendments that have been brought already. The number should or should not be added at the back of the ballot, depending on the situation.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Yes.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  As I said, we cannot know exactly how many foreign electors voted. The numbers I have here indicate that 60,000 electors voted under group 1—Canadian Forces electors, electors residing abroad, and incarcerated electors—and the numbers can be quite low. For example, in Prince Edward Island, the number was only 317, and in Yukon, it was only 97 electors.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Yes, please. As it currently stands, just for everybody's understanding, these are the divisions that are in the motion. Division 2 is for Canadian Forces electors. Division 3 is for electors residing outside Canada. Division 4 is for electors residing in Canada, and division 5 is for incarcerated electors.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Exactly.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  No. It would never be reconciled. It would never be sent back to the ballot box used on polling day. These ballots are the ballots counted under division 4 of part 11. They would be reported on within the votes under the special voting rules.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  In aggregate, yes.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I think that is a valid concern.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  This would remove some discretion from the Chief Electoral Officer, and as this applies to applications for registration in the special ballots that are received after 6 p.m. on the sixth day before polling day, this could defeat the purpose.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I'm sorry?