Thousands of Canadians deliver message at MP offices: Let People Vote! - fix the "Fair Elections Act" or scrap it entirely

Across the country, citizens gathered today at 25 MP offices to deliver a petition on behalf of 80,000 Canadians

OTTAWA, March 25, 2014 /CNW/ - Canadians rallied at over 25 Conservative MP offices today to oppose the government's proposed changes to election law and tell their MPs to "Let People Vote!"

Citizens delivered an 80,000-strong petition that opposes the unnecessarily strict voter ID requirements that could stop hundreds of thousands from voting in the next election, and calls for election fraud investigators to be given the power to compel political operatives to testify. 

The "Let People Vote!" national day of action was supported and facilitated by Leadnow.ca, the Council of Canadians, and the Canadian Federation of Students. 

"People are worried that the changes to the elections law are politically motivated," said Jamie Biggar, Executive Director of Leadnow.ca. "We've seen politicians use similar tactics in the US to disenfranchise people if they think they will vote for the other side." 

A recent poll shows that a majority of Canadians oppose the provisions in the Unfair Elections Act that would eliminate the voucher system, prevent Elections Canada from publicly reporting on election fraud, and cancel Elections Canada's research and public education programs. 

"The Unfair Elections Act proposes dangerous changes that undermine the rights of young voters and will ensure a continued decline to already low voter turnouts," said Jessica McCormick, National Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students. "Students stand united with Canadians across the country to oppose the Unfair Elections Act." 

"The Unfair Elections Act does nothing to bring to justice the people behind the widespread election fraud in 2011 and would actually make it harder to catch perpetrators of election fraud like Pierre Poutine," says Maude Barlow, National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians. "Canadians have the right to know when election fraud has been reported and if it is being investigated. That fact that this bill would prevent that is deeply troubling." 

SOURCE: Canadian Federation of Students

Leadnow.ca - Jamie Biggar - 778-847-8205 - [email protected]
Council of Canadians - Dylan Penner, 613-795-8685 - [email protected]
Canadian Federation of Students - Vanessa Hunt - 613-232-7394 - [email protected]