TheBulletin.ca Journal of Downtown Toronto
Jamie Biggar —
The Harper Conservatives are trying to rush their 242-page election law through Parliament with minimal debate and no expert testimony, despite major flaws that would have lasting consequences for our democracy.[1]
It boils down to this: instead of giving the people who investigate election fraud the power to compel testimony – the key power Elections Canada has needed to get to the bottom of the robocall scandal – this new election law would make it harder for young people, Aboriginal people and low-income people to vote.[2]
Incredibly, the misleadingly named “Fair Election Law” would even make it illegal for Elections Canada to promote voting.[3
US Republicans disenfranchise people who they know are less likely to vote for them
There’s still time to stop the worst parts of this bill from becoming law. The Conservatives promised this law to repair their reputation from the robocall election fraud scandal, and that makes them extra sensitive to a major public backlash.[4]
Will you join us and speak out now? If 25,000 people sign this petition we will organize a major petition delivery at the committee meeting.
Please click here to call for urgent changes to this election law:
The law contains some good measures to curb fraudulent robocalls. However, it imposes unnecessary new voter ID laws that would make it illegal for people to vote by using a voter identification card or by having someone “vouch” for their identity with a legal statement.
Independent reports have confirmed that fraud by individual voters is so rare that it basically doesn’t happen. In turn, 120,000 Canadians voted by being vouched for in the last election, and voter ID changes will hurt people who have a hard time establishing their address at election time the most.[5]
We’ve seen a similar strategy used by US Republicans to disenfranchise people who they know are less likely to vote for them. 37 state legislature have enacted voter ID laws that mostly hurt the poor, people of colour, and women.[6]
The Leadnow.ca came together in 2011 ahead of the last federal election to hold our politicians accountable and encourage people to get out to vote for the values that bring us together.
We’ve fought for real consequences for the robocall scandal, now let’s fight to protect the voting rights of everyone living in this country.
Can you take a moment to sign this urgent petition now?
http://you.leadnow.ca/p/stopvotersuppression
Sources
[1] Tories move to cut short debate on new election acthttp://o.canada.com/news/tories-move-to-cut-short-debate-on-new-elections-act/#.UvLGlMXNU8s.twitter
[2] Conservatives’ Fair Elections Act eliminates the referee, Marc Mayrand says [3] Election bill reveals Conservatives’ view on voter turnout: Hébert [4] Conservatives to table bill that will reorganize Elections Canada [5] COMPLIANCE REVIEW: FINAL REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS – A Review of Compliance with Election Day Registration and Voting Process Ruleshttp://www.elections.ca/res/cons/comp/crfr/pdf/crfr_e.pdf
[6] Voter IDs Are Not the Problem: A Survey of Three State, American University Center for Democracy and Election Management http://www.american.edu/spa/cdem/upload/csae080109.pdf [7] Election Fraud in America, News 21http://votingrights.news21.com/interactive/election-fraud-database/
