Elections Canada is proposing changes to protect the political nomination process from foreign meddling. The suggested measures include barring non-citizens from participating in candidate selection, requiring parties to publish contest rules, and explicitly prohibiting practices such as voting more than once.
The federal elections agency has outlined these potential changes in a discussion guide intended to help Chief Electoral Officer Stéphane Perrault formulate final recommendations. These will be submitted later this year to a commission of inquiry on foreign interference.
Key Proposed Changes:
- Voter Eligibility: Only Canadian citizens would be allowed to vote in nomination contests, similar to federal election requirements. This aims to reduce the vulnerability of non-citizens to foreign intimidation.
- Transparency in Rules and Results: Parties would be required to publish rules for nomination contests, including eligibility criteria, voter identification requirements, and procedures for challenging outcomes. Additionally, parties would need to disclose fuller voting results, such as the number of ballots cast and vote distribution.
- Explicit Prohibitions: Practices such as inducing unqualified individuals to vote, using intimidation to influence voting, offering or accepting bribes, and casting multiple ballots would be explicitly banned.
- Financial Disclosure: All nomination contestants would be required to file a financial return, ensuring greater transparency in political financing.
- Ban on Bulk Membership Purchases: Using campaign funds to buy party memberships in bulk would be prohibited.
These proposals come amid concerns about foreign actors exploiting loopholes to support preferred candidates, as highlighted in recent reports by the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians and the federal inquiry into foreign interference led by Justice Marie-Josée Hogue.
Elections Canada acknowledges that these changes may impose additional burdens on political entities but emphasizes the importance of maintaining trust in the nomination process and reducing opportunities for irregularities.
Background:
The Canada Elections Act currently provides limited regulation of federal nomination races. For instance, only those who accept or incur $1,000 in contributions or expenses are required to file a financial return. The act does not impose specific obligations regarding candidacy, voting, counting, or results reporting, aside from identifying the successful nominee.
The proposed changes aim to strengthen the nomination voting process and improve transparency in political financing. The guide suggests that the Commissioner of Canada Elections could oversee compliance, possibly imposing fines for non-compliance. Alternatively, parties could continue to self-regulate, as is currently the case for party privacy policies.
Next Steps:
Elections Canada has not yet responded to questions about the status of the consultations and plans for submission to the federal inquiry. The final recommendations will be based on further discussions and feedback from the Advisory Committee of Political Parties.