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Meeting Summary – Annual General Meeting – June 20 and 21, 2016

Recommendations Report

Anne Lawson, General Counsel and Senior Director, Legal Services, gave ACPP members an overview of proposed amendments to the CEA under consideration for inclusion in the CEO's recommendations report to Parliament, scheduled for tabling in September 2016. This was followed by a working session, in which members learned more about the recommendations that would directly impact political parties and their activities.

ACPP members then broke into five groups for the working session and round table discussions about the proposed recommendations. They were invited to provide written input on the recommendations following the meeting.

Proposed recommendations for 2016 report covering issues previously raised by the CEO:

  • Definition of leadership and nomination expenses
  • CEO's public education and information mandate
  • Requirement for political parties to provide expense receipts on request
  • Power to compel testimony for Commissioner
  • Privacy principles to apply to political parties
  • Candidate offences for filing incomplete or misleading returns

Proposed key recommendations discussed during the working session (five groups):

Group 1: New Voting Model

  • Sever link between job function and specific election worker
  • Sever link between voter and specific polling station
  • Online application for electronic special ballot
  • Adjustments to vote-counting process
  • Electronic bingo sheets

Group 2: Other Voting Issues

  • Pre-registration of 16- and 17-year-olds
  • Polling day on a weekend
  • Maximum limit for the election period
  • More mobile polls
  • 9:00 a.m. start time for advance polls

Group 3: Candidate and Party Issues

  • Simplified nomination process for candidates
  • ID requirement for candidates
  • Elimination of partisan nominees
  • Broadcasting rules
  • Deadlines in OGI process

Group 4: Political Financing

  • Personal expenses of candidates
  • Exceeding candidate expense limits
  • Costs of accommodating voters with disabilities
  • Elimination of audit requirement
  • Reimbursement of official agents

Group 5: Compliance Issues

  • Compliance through Administrative Monetary Penalties (AMPs) as option to prosecution
  • Rules around electoral district associations
  • Length of party name on ballot