Three ways Harper’s Bill C-23 undermines democracy
TheStar.com – Opinion/Commentary – The Conservative government’s Bill C-23 includes changes that would undermine the democratic legitimacy of our electoral process.
Mar 12 2014. By: Janique Dubois
It’s no secret that Canadian democracy is in trouble. Fewer and fewer Canadians are exercising their democratic right to vote. Through its so-called “Fair Elections Act,” the federal government is proposing to rewrite Canada’s electoral laws. However, far from of fixing the problems facing Canadian democracy, Bill C-23 includes changes that undermine the democratic legitimacy of our electoral process.
Here are three reasons why the federal government is playing a dangerous game that puts Canada’s democracy at risk.
First, the bill proposes to get rid of Voter Information Cards (VICs). These cards are designed to allow Canadians already marginalized from the electoral process, such as students living away from home, seniors in long-term care facilities, and aboriginal people living on reserve to vote by showing their VIC alongside other officially recognized identification. The government claims that eliminating VICs will cut down on electoral fraud, but Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his team have been unable to provide evidence that citizens are deliberately trying to cast illegal ballots with VICs.
In fact, Conservative MP Brad Butt retracted his statement last week that he apparently saw people using VICs for fraudulent purposes. Butt’s misleading statement leaves Canadians to wonder whether the government is proposing to change the rules to fix real problems or is instead making up stories to justify excluding already marginalized Canadians from exercising their democratic right to vote.
Second, the bill proposes to crack down on vouching – that is, allowing individuals who don’t have the proper identification to take an oath affirming their identity, citizenship, and residence. The minister for democratic reform, Pierre Poilievre, insists that this will help eliminate “irregularities” in the system.
Yet the Neufeld report, which was commissioned by Elections Canada to look into non-compliance of electoral rules, did not find that voters were deliberately trying to cast illegal ballots. Instead, the report concludes that irregularities are due to an entirely different problem – one that is tied to administrative challenges, such as poor record-keeping at polling stations.
Instead of fixing what are largely paperwork errors by election officers, Bill C-23 risks exacerbating the very source of the irregularities the government is purportedly trying to eliminate. In a truly bizarre move, the Fair Elections Act proposes that the candidate or party that came first in the previous election choose poll supervisors.
This would mean that the majority of polls in Canada’s next election would be supervised by an individual appointed by the Conservative Party of Canada, instead of by Elections Canada (a non-partisan body). While this move may help the Conservatives get ahead in the game, it certainly won’t help level the playing field.
The most dangerous aspect of the bill is that it prevents Elections Canada from doing its job, which is to protect the fairness of the electoral process on which the legitimacy of our democracy depends. Under the new rules, the Commissioner of Elections will no longer have the power to properly investigate electoral infractions, compel witness testimony, or enforce the necessary compliance on rules such as spending limits.
Moreover, the bill forbids Elections Canada from promoting democratic participation through campaigns that encourage citizens to exercise their democratic right to vote. In a twist of logic, this bill suggests that encouraging Canadians to get out and vote somehow poses a threat to democracy. By taking Elections Canada – which acts as an umpire in the impartial administration of the electoral process – out of the game, the proposed Fair Elections Act fails to live up to its name.
When we look at the game plan, Bill C-23 would make it harder for already marginalized Canadians to vote, gives the Conservatives an unfair advantage and disempowers Elections Canada from safeguarding our country’s democratic processes.
Access to a free and fair vote – for all Canadians – isn’t a game. It’s a right. Imagine what this government could accomplish if it spent as much energy upholding this right as it does coming up with unfair solutions to fictitious problems.
Janique Dubois teaches Canadian politics as an assistant professor of political science at Brock University. She is one of more than 150 scholars at Canadian universities to sign an open letter to the Prime Minister on the Fair Elections Act.
< http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2014/03/12/three_ways_harpers_bill_c23_undermines_democracy.html >
Tags: crime prevention, ideology, participation, rights, standard of living, youth
This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 12th, 2014 at 5:43 pm and is filed under Governance Debates. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
322 Responses to “Three ways Harper’s Bill C-23 undermines democracy”
« Older Comments | Newer Comments »
Leave a Reply
Recent Comments
This is an awesome entry. Thank you very much for the supreme post provided! I was looking for this entry for a long time, but I wasn’t able to find a honest source.
How come you do not have your website viewable in mobile format? cant see anything in my Droid.
I’d like to be able to write like this, but taking the time and developing articles is hard…. Takes a lot of effort.
Great write-up, I am a big believer in placing comments on sites to inform the blog writers know that they’ve added something advantageous to the world wide web!
I believe you have remarked on some very interesting points , thankyou for the post.
I believe you have remarked on some very interesting points , thankyou for the post.
Its just like you read my thoughts! It’s like reading about my family.
A comprehensive Malay-language Islamic guide providing step-by-step instructions, clear Arabic text with Rumi transliterations, and translations for Tahlil ringkas, Doa Arwah, Solat Jenazah, Doa Selamat, and Ziarah Kubur.
Hello there I am so delighted I found your weblog, I really found you by mistake, while I was searching on Google for something else, Anyhow I am here now and would just like to say cheers for a remarkable post and a all round exciting blog (I also love the theme/design), I don’t have time to browse it all at the moment but I have book-marked it and also included your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read a lot more, Please do keep up the superb work.
I just couldn’t leave your website before suggesting that I really enjoyed the usual information an individual supply on your visitors? Is gonna be back often in order to investigate cross-check new posts
Surprisingly good post. I really found your primary webpage and additionally wanted to suggest that have essentially enjoyed searching your website blog posts. Whatever the case I’ll always be subscribing to your entire supply and I hope you jot down ever again soon!
Have you given any kind of thought at all with converting your current web-site into French? I know a couple of of translaters here that will would certainly help you do it for no cost if you want to get in touch with me personally.
I feel that is among the so much significant info for me. And i am satisfied studying your article. However should commentary on some basic issues, The site style is ideal, the articles is in reality excellent : D. Excellent activity, cheers
Excellent article!! I am an avid reader of your website:D keep on posting that good content. and I’ll be a regular visitor for a very long time!!
There is so much to try to understand
I like what you have to offer. Keep up the good work!
Very nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I’ve really enjoyed browsing your blog posts. In any case I’ll be subscribing to your rss feed and I hope you write again soon!
This website has lots of really useful stuff on it. Thanks for informing me.
Of course, what a great site and informative posts, I will add backlink – bookmark this site? Regards, Reader
Just wanna admit that this is extremely helpful, Thanks for taking your time to write this.