Editor:
Canada's election laws are set to change under Bill C-23, the Fair Elections Act. However, the Bill has serious flaws and hundreds of Canadian and international elections experts have come out against this Bill.
Former Auditor General of Canada Sheila Fraser states, "...it is an attack on our democracy and we should all be concerned about that."
There is virtually no support for Bill C-23 outside of the governing Conservative Party.
It should be noted that historically the approach to reforming electoral law in Canada has always involved widespread consultation with Elections Canada, consensus amongst all political parties and citizens at large, as well as with the international community.
A unilateral approach by the government to push this Bill forward is not the approach that should be taken and it is anti-democratic.
In the arena of partisan politics there will always be differences of opinions and ideology but hopefully there will be consensus on issues that pertain to upholding our democratic rights and institutions. We can disagree on many issues but when it comes to election laws, we must work together to protect our fundamental democratic rights.
For the sake of our democracy I urge my fellow citizens who support the Conservative Party to carefully consider the serious implications of this Bill. For example, Bill C-23 would hinder Elections Canada's ability to investigate wrong doings and curtail its investigative powers. If you do have concerns please express them to MP John Weston.
Larry Koopman, Gibsons
