Stacking the deck for the 2015 election
- Details
- Published on Monday, 21 April 2014 22:00
- Written by editor
Prime Minister Harper’s dangerous new elections law would stack the deck for the next election, and deny hundreds of thousands their right to vote.
Our campaign is having a real impact, but time is running out and we need to ramp up the pressure before it’s too late.
Click here to email the committee studying the bill and your MP, demanding they kill it unless major changes are made.
Why is Prime Minister Harper’s new elections law so dangerous? Why have so many experts from across the political spectrum spoken out, including moderate conservatives? It’s because this law would stack the deck in Harper’s favour for the 2015 election, and fundamentally damage our democracy by denying hundreds of thousands their right to vote.
Over 60,000 of you have signed our petition against this bill, donated to run hard-hitting radio ads, and rallied at conservative MP offices to help raise the alarm. Together, we’ve made huge progress, and the pressure is starting to work.
A Senate Committee just issued a report unanimously recommending changes to the bill, and the Conservatives have said they’re open to making amendments. Yet it’s nowhere near enough, and we need your help to keep turning up the pressure. We have to stop them stacking the deck for the next election!
Can you send an email right now to your MP, and the members of the committee studying this bill, calling on them to fix this bill once and for all, or kill it.
We’ve heard from the experts, and we know what has to be done to fix this law. At a minimum:
• Remove voter suppression rules that would stop hundreds of thousands of Canadians from voting (the strict ID requirements, ending Voter Information Cards as proof of address, and preventing Elections Canada from promoting voting).
• Remove the new finance loopholes that would let parties write-off massive fundraising expenses.
• Give elections watchdogs the power to force testimony in investigations of fraud, like the robocall scandal.
Over the next two weeks we’ll flood key MPs inboxes with emails, and visit their offices again to show them Canadians are watching and organizing, and they will suffer a steep political cost if they force this terrible bill through as is.
Time is running out: The PROC committee will be voting on amendments to this bill in just two weeks. Click here to tell your MP and the committee to kill Harper’s Elections Act unless voter suppression and financing loopholes are removed, and election fraud investigators get the power to compel testimony.
http://www.leadnow.ca/elections-act
Thank you so much,
Matthew, Rodrigo, Katelynn, Jamie, Amara, Stefan and the whole Leadnow team
P.S. Your campaign has helped shape the media narrative and raise awareness. Check out our latest op-ed, which counters Harper’s bogus talking points about this terrible new law: http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2014/04/14/Fair-Elections-Act-Death-of-Reason/
Sources
[1] - Fair Elections Act ‘undoubtedly’ violates Charter, Lortie commission chair tells MPs (iPolitics)http://www.ipolitics.ca/2014/04/08/fair-elections-act-undoubtedly-violates-charter-lortie-commission-chair-tells-mps/
[2] - Andrew Coyne: Very little ‘fair’ about how Conservatives are pushing controversial Elections Act
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2014/04/09/fair-elections-act/
[3] - Senators want nine major changes to controversial Fair Elections Act, setting up clash with House
http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/04/15/senators-want-nine-major-changes-to-controversial-fair-elections-act-setting-up-clash-with-house/
[4] - Elections Act changes drawing scrutiny from Conservatives (CBC)
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/elections-act-changes-drawing-scrutiny-from-conservatives-1.2611293
[5] - Andrew Coyne: The Tories were right to be nervous. Marc Mayrand shredded their ‘Fair Elections Act’ almost line by line
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2014/03/07/andrew-coyne-the-tories-were-right-to-be-nervous-marc-mayrand-shredded-their-fair-elections-act-almost-line-by-line/
[6] - The Fair Elections Act is ever so telling
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/the-fair-elections-act-is-ever-so-telling/article18021234/
