Thomson: Jason Kenney undermines his message in over-the-top attacks on NDP
Graham Thomson, Edmonton Journal
This is getting tiresome.
Another day, another statement from United Conservative Party Leader Jason Kenney that has to be run through the fact-checker.
The latest deals with Kenney’s assertion that a new NDP government bill will remove the residency requirement to vote in provincial elections.
According to Kenney, Bill 32 means residents of other provinces could simply show up in Canada, vote, and then go back to their home province.
“NDP supporters are denying that their new election law removes the residency requirement to vote,” said Kenney in a tweet on the weekend. “Upshot: you can come to Canada & vote the next day.”
But that’s not what Bill 32 says.
The bill does indeed remove the existing six-month residency requirement — but it doesn’t mean a resident of another province can simply show up and vote.
The law says you still have to be a resident. You have to prove that with a piece of government-issued identification. Or, with two pieces of ID authorized by the chief electoral officer (such as a utility bill in your name mailed to your Canada address).
It’s worth pointing out the government is following the direction of chief electoral officer Glen Resler.
In his annual report this year, Resler pointed out courts have ruled that residency restrictions infringe on the Charter of Rights. “It is also difficult to enforce or confirm the six-month rule,” he added.
According to Resler, people can simply declare they have been a resident for six months. How do you prove one way or the other that’s true? Even if you were to reduce the residency period, the issue of proof would remain.
The idea behind Bill 32 is to simply have people prove Canada is their home.
Categorised in: Canadian News