Conservative Senator Linda Frum started a storm of controversy on social media this week when she argued Elections Canada has no role in encouraging people to vote.
Mayrand says Elections Canada isn't involved in getting out the vote, a term normally applied to political parties encouraging their own supporters to cast ballots.
"But in-between elections we work with various educators. We provide tools in school to help provide the civic education for young Canadians," he said.
"There's even some data that suggests those kids who have gone through that civic education are 14 per cent more likely to vote if they have gone through a proper civic education."
Section 18 of the fair elections act lists the topics the chief electoral officer can discuss, and forbids public comments on everything else. If Parliament votes the bill into law, the only issues the chief electoral officer can talk about are:
Frum also said Tuesday that it isn't Mayrand's job to tell the public if there are problems during elections, like the agency did when misleading robocalls were made during the 2011 campaign.
In an exchange with former auditor general Sheila Fraser, Frum said "it is not his [the chief electoral officer's] role" to publicly raise possible problems during an election.
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Linda Frum stirs controversy with Elections Canada questions - Politics - CBC News
Mayrand says Elections Canada isn't involved in getting out the vote, a term normally applied to political parties encouraging their own supporters to cast ballots.
"But in-between elections we work with various educators. We provide tools in school to help provide the civic education for young Canadians," he said.
"There's even some data that suggests those kids who have gone through that civic education are 14 per cent more likely to vote if they have gone through a proper civic education."
Section 18 of the fair elections act lists the topics the chief electoral officer can discuss, and forbids public comments on everything else. If Parliament votes the bill into law, the only issues the chief electoral officer can talk about are:
- How to become a candidate.
- How voters can add their names to the voters list or have it corrected.
- How voters can cast ballots.
- How voters can prove their identity and address.
- How voters with disabilities can get into polling stations and mark their ballots.
Frum also said Tuesday that it isn't Mayrand's job to tell the public if there are problems during elections, like the agency did when misleading robocalls were made during the 2011 campaign.
In an exchange with former auditor general Sheila Fraser, Frum said "it is not his [the chief electoral officer's] role" to publicly raise possible problems during an election.
more
Linda Frum stirs controversy with Elections Canada questions - Politics - CBC News
