CCD Disappointed by Electoral Reform Bill C-33

Media Release

For Immediate Release │November 25, 2016

While the Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) is pleased with some aspects of the Government's electoral reform bill, "This Bill fails to respond to most of the important amendments to the Canada Elections Act that CCD proposed," said John Rae, 1st  Vice Chair of CCD.

While we are pleased with provisions regarding vouching and increasing the powers of the Chief Electoral Officer to provide a wide range of information to electors, "the Bill was silent on such topics as making it easier to test telephone and online methods of voting, or to add new sections proposed by CCD – which would require access to all candidates' meetings, candidates' offices, and the provision of campaign literature in various alternate formats and plain language," added Rae.

The Minister of Sport and Disability is working to create Federal Accessibility Legislation which should ensure full participation in all activities associated with the federal government. Why then is a bill being introduced by the same government that excludes people from a fundamental right to vote in a fully accessible and inclusive manner?

CCD will request the opportunity to appear before the Parliamentary Committee once the bill is referred in order to argue strongly for additions to the Canada Elections Act which would make the electoral process more inclusive.

CCD is a national organization that works for an accessible and inclusive Canada.

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For further information contact:
John Rae, CCD 1st Vice Chair, Tel: 416-941-1547, Email: thepenguin@rogers.com.
James Hicks, CCD National Coordinator, Tel: 343-291-1118, Email: james@ccdonline.ca.
April D'Aubin, CCD Research Analyst, Tel: 204-947-0303, Email: april@ccdonline.ca.