“Mr. Speaker, what a shame there is no unanimous consent. We would never have turned down an opportunity to be educated and informed. I do not understand why they denied it. It would have been instructive. Returning to the speech by my colleague from St. Albert—Sturgeon River, whose thoroughness I appreciate, there is something in Bill C-25 that concerns me somewhat. I agree that we should tighten the parameters a little, particularly when it comes to the endorsing candidates. However, when we collect signatures for a nomination form, which many of us have done, we make a point of telling people that this is not an endorsement of the candidate or the party. It is a recognition that this person is eligible to stand as a candidate in an election. In proposing this measure, which prevents people from signing multiple nomination forms in the same election, it seems to me that we are going against that principle in a way. Saying that people can only sign one form is a bit like saying that by signing a nomination form, that person is endorsing that particular candidate. I feel that this measure may go a bit too far. I would like to know what my colleague thinks about that.”
Statement grade
A+
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Average 99 / 100
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Thanks 3%Claims 46%Reasoning 51%
This view breaks the statement into its steps and names what each one does.
Mr. Speaker, Thanks · 5 wordsthat was an important question.ThanksClaims · 31 wordsThe member does raise a good point, insofar as the bill would prohibit someone from signing more than one nomination form.1There are arguments counter to that amendment in the bill.Reasoning · 90 wordsHowever, I would argue that on balance it is a reasonable amendment to the Canada Elections Act, preventing the longest ballot committee and other such bad actors from engaging in such activities in the future.The objective or the purpose of the act is that a candidate must have the endorsement or support of 100 electors, not for 100 electors to flood the ballot with an endless list of candidates.2I think, given what we have seen, in terms of the disruption to our elections, this is a reasonable amendment.Claims · 49 wordsAs for informing electors who might be inclined to sign more than one nomination form, there are measures that can be taken and that I believe Elections Canada will undertake, such as providing on the nomination form a reminder that an individual can only sign one candidate’s nomination form.3
