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RECOMMENDATION |
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Her Excellency the Governor General recommends to the House of
Commons the appropriation of public revenue under the circumstances,
in the manner and for the purposes set out in a measure entitled ``An Act
respecting the election of members to the House of Commons,
repealing other Acts relating to elections and making consequential
amendments to other Acts''.
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SUMMARY |
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This enactment repeals and replaces the Canada Elections Act,
updating its language, adding new provisions and reorganizing its
content.
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Some new provisions of the enactment deal with election
campaigns, including spending limits on third party election
advertising, a blackout on election polls and election advertising on
polling day and the day before polling day, a requirement that the
methodology of a poll be published with the poll's results, the right of
electors to post reasonable signage during a campaign and an
enforceable right of candidates to campaign in multiple-residential
buildings during reasonable hours.
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Finance provisions provide for a registered party that fails to
nominate 50 candidates to keep its net assets subject to certain
conditions. Reporting requirements for registered parties and
candidates are improved. The enactment also provides for the
disclosure of the names and addresses of campaign contributors of more
than $200, and for the full refund to candidates of their nomination
deposits when they submit their campaign returns.
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The enactment extends the franchise to returning officers and gives
the Chief Electoral Officer the discretion to adjust voting hours for
electoral districts that do not switch to Daylight Saving Time during the
summer months. It also provides for voting hours in a by-election.
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The enactment provides for an interim relief power, alternative
penalties and compliance agreements for the resolution of
contraventions.
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The enactment repeals the Dominion Controverted Elections Act and
creates a process by which a court may declare election results void if
serious irregularities have affected the outcome.
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The enactment also makes consequential amendments to the
Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act, the Parliament of Canada Act,
the Referendum Act, the Supreme Court Act and the Income Tax Act
including increasing the cut-off for the political tax credit to $200 (from
$100) for the 75% rate and repeals the Disfranchising Act and the
Corrupt Practices Act.
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