Site MenuRecommendations Report – Advisory Committee of Political Parties – Meeting Summary – February 2–3, 2022
Presenter: Anne Lawson, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer
Ms. Lawson presented an overview of the CEO's recommendations that could affect the activities of political parties and she plans to table the report in early spring. She reminded participants that the CEO had intended to table the report in spring 2021, but that EC adjusted its priorities to ensure that an election could be delivered safely to all Canadians. With this in mind, she indicated that the report would include recommendations from the CEO and the Commissioner arising from the 43rd GE and the post-election period, EC's consultations on political communications from 2020–2021 and the 44th GE.
Ms. Lawson explained that participants were going to be divided into three breakout sessions to discuss 12 different areas that the CEO was exploring for his recommendations. The possible recommendations discussed were as follows:
- Pre-registration of candidates
- Shorter time period for payment of candidates' unpaid claims and loans
- Longer election period for elections without a fixed date
- Vote by mail: return of special ballots, voting in person on polling day and time allocated to counting ballots
- Weekend vote (Saturday and Sunday)
- Potential conflict of fixed-date election with religious holidays
- Transparency with respect to all communications of registered political entities (including third parties)
- Accessibility, transparency and searchability of digital ad registries
- Prohibiting communications undermining trust in the voting process