Bill C-2

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	RECOMMENDATION
	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''.
	SUMMARY
	This enactment repeals and replaces the Canada Elections Act, updating its language, adding new provisions and reorganizing its content.
	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.
	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.
	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.
	The enactment provides for an interim relief power, alternative penalties and compliance agreements for the resolution of contraventions.
	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.
	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.