The Electoral Participation Act (French: Loi sur la participation électorale), commonly known as Bill C-65, is a bill introduced on March 20, 2024, by Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic LeBlanc during the first session of the 44th Canadian Parliament.
| Electoral Participation Act | |
|---|---|
| Parliament of Canada | |
| |
| Considered by | House of Commons of Canada |
| Passed | Pending |
| Considered by | Senate of Canada |
| Legislative history | |
| First chamber: House of Commons of Canada | |
| Bill title | Bill C-65 |
| Introduced by | Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic LeBlanc |
| Committee responsible | Procedure and House Affairs |
| First reading | March 20, 2024[1] |
| Second reading | June 19, 2024[2] |
| Voting summary | |
| Amends | |
| Status: Pending — before House of Commons of Canada | |
Movement of fixed election date
editThe bill proposes moving the fixed election date of the 45th Canadian federal election from October 20, 2025, to October 27, 2025. According to the federal government the election date move is intended to avoid the federal election coinciding with Diwali, and the 2025 Alberta municipal elections.[4]
This change also impacts pensions for some members of Parliament, as MPs need at least six years of service to qualify for a parliamentary retirement pension. The one-week delay in the election date means that the 80 current MPs that first elected in the 2019 Canadian federal election (held on October 21, 2019) will reach this six-year mark and qualify for the pension.[5] The official opposition Conservatives argued that the pension eligibility was the real motivation for the change, an accusation which the government denied.[6]
Of the 80 MPs who would become eligible for a pension if the election date is moved later: 32 are Conservatives, 22 are Liberals, 19 are Bloc Québécois, 6 are New Democrats, and 1 is independent.[7][8]
On May 31, 2024, NDP MP Lisa Marie Barron stated that the NDP would be moving an amendment at committee stage to remove the fixed election date change from the bill.[9][10]
See also
editNotes
editReferences
edit- ^ "Canada Elections Act" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Canada: House of Commons of Canada. March 20, 2024. p. 21765.
- ^ "Electoral Participation Act" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Canada: House of Commons of Canada. June 19, 2024. p. 25241-43.
- ^ a b "VOTE NO. 849". ourcommons.ca. House of Commons of Canada. June 19, 2024. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
- ^ Major, Darren (March 20, 2024). "Liberals introduce legislation amending Elections Act as part of agreement with NDP". CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
- ^ Patel, Raisa (March 21, 2024). "Liberals' elections law reforms could yield generous pensions for dozens of MPs". Toronto Star. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
- ^ Aiello, Rachel (November 7, 2024). "Sparks fly as MPs question minister on pension implications of proposed election date change". CTV News. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
- ^ Aiello, Rachel (May 30, 2024). "NDP wants Liberals to scrap proposed election date change that could secure pensions for many MPs". CTV News. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
- ^ Huras, Adam (March 26, 2024). "Here are the 80 MPs set to qualify for a pension with the help of a Liberal rule change". National Post. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
- ^ Lisa Marie Barron (May 31, 2024). "Electoral Participation Act" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Canada: House of Commons of Canada. p. 24210.
- ^ McGregor, Janyce (May 31, 2024). "Opposition set to amend election bill to curb MP pension eligibility". CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved June 2, 2024.