Q:We are in the midst of a federal election. This got me thinking about election laws in general. Can you comment?
A:Ah, yes, nothing like an election to make Canadians happy about spending millions of dollars of our own money.
A number of laws govern federal elections, and not just the one that says you can only vote once.
There have also been numerous court challenges over the years, some of which have been interesting.
General information can be found at Elections Canada’s website at www.elections.ca/content . aspx? section=vot&lang=e. There have been some changes.
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You will have to show identification at the poll to verify your name and address. This can be either photo ID or two pieces of official ID with your name, with one also including your address.
If you don’t have ID, an elector with the correct documents can swear an oath and vouch for you.
You may also be registered to vote. If so, you should get a card in the mail in early April. Contact Elections Canada at 800-463-6868 if you don’t get this document by April 13. You can also register to vote at the poll.
If you are a serving prisoner and are reading my column, thanks. But remember, the law has changed and prisoners are now allowed to vote. Your institution will have a person in charge of this process.
There is also a special process to follow for people in the armed forces or who are living with such a person away from home.
The law also says voters must be given sufficient time off from work to vote. This is three hours.
For example, you are entitled to time off to vote if you work a shift to 8 p.m. and your poll closes at 9:30 p.m. However, your employer, and not you, has the right to decide when the time off is given. It could be in the middle of the day, or he could tell you to come in late. Also, some industries are exempted from this requirement, such as the transportation industry.
Your employer is not allowed to deduct your pay if you are given time to vote.
People who cannot vote on election day, May 2, can vote at advance polls on April 22, April 23 and April 25. Also, Elections Canada has a special set of rules that allow you to mail in a ballot. Check with them.
If you are keeping track of all the hype that accompanies an election, know that it is regulated by the federal Election Act: who can advertise and conduct opinion polls and how such polls can be run. An opinion poll must state who sponsored it, who ran it, when it was done, the sample size and the statistical error margin.
Finally, while you are not legally required to vote, it’s hard to understand why you wouldn’t do so. Most of us have ancestors who came from somewhere else, often where there were no democratic rights.
It’s the old “use it or lose it,” and apathy at the polls can lead to a deterioration of the democratic process.
Rick Danyliuk is a lawyer with McDougall Gauley LLP in Saskatoon.
