Elections expert, and former provincial chief electoral officer Harry Neufeld, voiced his concerns about the Canadian government's proposed changes to election laws, both before a House of Commons committee and with journalists following his testimony.
Photo Credit: CBC News

Amend it or pull it, says elections expert about proposed Fair Elections Act

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Yet another elections expert is disagreeing with the Canadian government’s intention to eliminate vouching during federal elections. (Vouching is done by a duly identified voter of someone who does not have sufficient identification to cast a vote.)

Harry Neufeld, a former provincial chief electoral officer, and consultant to electoral commissions worldwide, has often been cited by Minister of State for Democratic Reform Pierre Poilievre to justify changes to the election laws. On Thursday (March 27) he testified before a House of Commons committee examining the government’s proposed Fair Elections Act (Bill C-23).

Once again, as during a previous sitting of the committee with other experts, government MPs focused on what might support the proposed changes, while opposition MPs emphasized how Neufeld was being cited out of context by the government.

And once again, the issue of vouching was the focus of much discussion.

RCI’s Wojtek Gwiazda has a report.

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More information:
CBC News – Author of report cited by MP Pierre Poilievre warns hundreds of thousands could be disenfranchised – here
A Review of Compliance with Election Day Registration and Voting Process Rules – reviewer Harry Neufeld – here
Elections Canada biography of Harry Neufeld – here

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