Fair Elections Act unconstitutional: Council of Canadians
Posted February 22, 2014 5:25 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – The Fair Elections Act is undemocratic according to the Council of Canadians. The organization says you should be very angry over the proposed Federal legislation.
The act introduced earlier this month would prevent campaigns to get people voting, take away Elections Canada‘s ability to investigate fraud and for those without official government identification like drivers licenses or passports, remove their right to get someone to vouch for their identity. The Council for Canadians worries teens, young adults and homeless people will be especially affected by the change.
Executive Director Garry Neil says his other concern is the act being pushed through Parliament too fast.
“We think that this bill in fact, if adopted, by affecting the rights of individual electors negatively, may be unconstitutional. Those electoral rights are in our constitution, and protected by the Charter. So there might be a legal challenge if the government goes ahead,” says Neil.
Democratic Reform Minister, Pierre Poilievre says the act is designed to protect fairness in Federal Elections by closing loopholes to big money, imposing penalties for “political imposters who make rogue calls and empowers law enforcement with sharper teeth, a longer reach and a freer hand.”
Neil believes the Harper government is pushing the bill through quickly because they don’t want scrutiny of public hearings and input.
