Stop US-style voter suppression from becoming Canadian law

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]

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 this change would hurt young people, Aboriginal people and low-income people 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]

Please sign this urgent petition to stop US-style voter suppression tactics from becoming the law of the land in Canada, and call for our elections watchdog to have the power it needs to compel political operatives to testify.

If 25,000 people sign this petition we will organize a major petition delivery at the committee meeting. Update: You did it! And we delivered the petitions to Parliament and the committee meeting! Now if we reach 75,000 signatures we'll organize a major national action to deliver the petitions to Conservative MP offices across the country.

Update: We have partnered with Council of Canadians and the Canadian Federation of Students to deliver over 82,000 signatures collected by the three organizations at Conservative MP offices on March 25th. To join an action near you go to http://www.leadnow.ca/let-people-vote/

Sources:

Direct link to the act: http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&DocId=6404810
New source: Harper wants to make it harder for you to vote http://www.vancouverobserver.com/politics/commentary/harper-wants-make-it-harder-you-vote-2015
[1]Tories move to cut short debate on new election act
http://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 http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Conservatives+Fair+Elections+eliminates+referee+Marc+Mayrand+says/9477383/story.html
[3] Election bill reveals Conservatives’ view on voter turnout: Hébert
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/02/05/election_bill_reveals_conservatives_view_on_voter_turnout_hbert.html#
[4] Conservatives to table bill that will reorganize Elections Canada
http://www.canada.com/Conservatives+table+bill+that+will+reorganize+Elections+Canada/9460221/story.html
[5] COMPLIANCE REVIEW: FINAL REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS - A Review of Compliance with Election Day Registration and Voting Process Rules http://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 21 http://votingrights.news21.com/interactive/election-fraud-database/