Editor:
In my desire to publish up-to-date information about the rapidly changing Bill C-23, the Fair Elections Act, I overstated the degree of change introduced by the Minister on April 25.
In my letter to Coast Reporter on May 2, I stated that the Act “cuts down on fraud by requiring a voter to produce identification, but allows for 39 or more forms of ID and, with the Minister’s recent changes, allows a person without ID to be covered by an oath produced by someone who does have ID.”
This statement captures the trend of change, but is not entirely correct. The Minister did broaden the opportunity for vouching.
The changes allow electors to vote with two pieces of identification that prove their identity and a written oath as to their residence, provided that another elector from the same polling division who proves his or her identity and residence by providing documentary proof also takes a written oath as to the elector’s residence. This new measure will allow those who do not have identification to prove their residence to register and vote on polling day.
As I last wrote, Canadians will continue to have 39 authorized forms of ID to choose from at the ballot box. You may bring one piece of government-issued ID that contains your photo and address (such as a driver’s licence) or two pieces of authorized identification — only one of which must contain your address. The complete list of authorized forms of ID can be found on Elections Canada’s website, www.elections.ca.
The next federal election is not until the fall of 2015; if you have any questions or concerns about obtaining an appropriate form of ID by then, please contact one of my offices.
I thank an observant reader for noting the discrepancy in my letter.
John Weston, MP, West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country
