Elections and Political Behaviour

1
Elections and Political Behaviour

• Chapter 11
• Canadian Government and Contemporary Political
  Issues

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Voting in Canada

• Main political activity of most Canadians
• Canadians from all regions interact and discuss
  the issues of national concern
• When we participate in elections, we legitimize
  the new government formed
• The franchise is the right to vote

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Right to Vote

• In 1917 vote given to women who served or had
  men fighting overseas
• At same it, vote denied to enemy aliens from
  other countries
• 1920 uniform federal franchise for women
• Mennonites (1955), Inuit (1950), First Nations on
  reserves (1960) Voting age lowered to 18 in 1970.

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HOW THE STATE REGULATES ELECTIONS

• 1. Third Party Advertising
• 2. Candidates
• 3. Campaign Contributions
• 4. Canvassing
• 5. Elections Posters
• 6. Opinion Surveys
• 7. Blackout Period

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Candidates

• Candidates can now file nomination papers by fax
  the original copy is required within 48 hours
  after the deadline.
• Third Party Advertising - A third party that
  spends over 500, must register with CEO, and
  must appoint a financial agent.
• For 5000 and over--must appoint and auditor
• Can spend no more than 3000 in any one electoral
  district and no more than 150 000 in total

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Canvassing and Contributions

• Canvassing - Candidates now have the legal right
  to enter and canvass in apartment, condominium
  and other multiple-residence buildings, and to
  campaign in the common areas between
• 9 a.m and 9 p.m.
• Campaign contributions - Candidates and
  registered political parties must report the name
  and address of every contributor who donated more
  than 200.
• They must report the name of the CEO or the
  president if the contributor is a numbered
  company.

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Posters and Surveys

• Tenants in apartment buildings have the right to
  put election posters on the premises they lease,
  subject to reasonable limits on the size and type
  of poster.
• Opinion surveys - Anyone who first releases the
  results of an election opinion during an election
  must state who sponsored the survey, who
  conducted it, when and how the sample was drawn,
  how many people participated and the margin of
  error.

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• Non-broadcasters (e.g. newspapers, Internet
  sites) must publish the wording of the questions
  and where a copy of the survey can be obtained.
• Anyone else who publishes the results within 24
  hours of the first publication must provide the
  same information.
• Blackout periods - election advertising and new
  opinion survey results must not be published on
  election day.