Special Committee on Electoral Reform

Comité spécial sur la réforme électorale

For immediate release

Ottawa, September 21, 2016 -

As part of its mandate to consult broadly with Canadians to identify viable alternate voting systems to replace the first-past-the-post system, as well as to examine mandatory voting and online voting, the Special Committee on Electoral Reform is holding formal meetings and public sessions across Canada.

During its second week of travel, the Special Committee will be visiting the following cities:

Monday September 26, 2016

Whitehorse, Yukon

• 1:30 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. Witness Panel(s)
• 4:15 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Open mic session*
• 6:00 p.m. - 7:15 p.m. Witness Panel(s)
• 7:15 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Open mic session*
• Coast High Country Inn and Yukon Convention Centre, 4051-4th Avenue, Whitehorse, YK in the Yukon Convention Centre

Tuesday September 27, 2016

Brentwood Bay, British Columbia

Site Visit – Tsartlip First Nation

Victoria, British Columbia

• 3:00 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. Witness Panel(s)
• 4:15 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Witness Panel(s)
• 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Open mic session*
• Harbour Towers Hotel & Suites, 345 Quebec Street, Victoria BC in the McKenzie Room

Wednesday September 28, 2016

Vancouver, British Columbia

• 1:30 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. Witness Panel(s)
• 4:15 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Open mic session*
• 6:00 p.m. - 7:15 p.m. Witness Panel(s)
• 7:15 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Open mic session*
• Coast Hotel Plaza and Suites, 1763 Comox Street, Vancouver BC in the Denman/Comox Room

Thursday September 29, 2016

Leduc, Alberta

• 1:30 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. Witness Panel(s)
• 4:15 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Open mic session*
• 6:00 p.m. - 7:15 p.m. Witness Panel(s)
• 7:15 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Open mic session*
• Renaissance Edmonton Airport Hotel, 4236 36th Street East, Leduc, AB in the Cartier Ballroom

Friday September 30, 2016

Yellowknife, Northwest Territories

• 3:00 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. Witness Panel(s)
• 6:30 p.m. - 7:45 p.m. Witness Panel(s)
• 7:45 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Open mic session*
• Chateau Nova Yellowknife 4751- 48th Street, Yellowknife, NWT in The Caribou Room

*Please note that the end time for the open mic sessions are approximate.

The meetings will be open to the public and open mic sessions will be held during the public sessions to provide Canadians the opportunity to speak to the Committee and to present their views on electoral reform. Members of the public who wish to speak at these open mic sessions must register on-site at least 30 minutes before the start of the public session. The list of speakers will be determined on a first-come, first-served basis. At the discretion of the Chair, each speaker will be allotted approximately two minutes.

Please note that members of the public must clear security and provide photo identification before they can be granted access to the meeting room. Lines could be expected.

News releases containing information about additional meetings while the Committee travels will be published once the venues have been confirmed.

Canadian who are unable to attend the public sessions when the Committee travels, can still participate in the study. Those wishing to contribute to the Committee’s discussions may do so in the following ways:

- TWITTER: Committee members will consult TWITTER (#ERRE #Q) to review comments and questions posted by members of the public. Committee members may in turn relay these to the witnesses in real time.

-REQUEST TO APPEAR: Requests to appear may be directed to the Committee by email (erre@parl.gc.ca) or by using the appropriate button on the Committee’s website. Please note that the Committee clerks will contact only those persons selected by Committee members to appear. Requests to appear must be submitted to the Committee by no later than 11:59 p.m. (EDT) on October 7, 2016.

-SUBMIT A BRIEF: Any person or organization may submit a brief to the Committee. To be accepted, the brief must not exceed 3,000 words (including summary and footnotes) and must be submitted to the Committee no later than 11:59 p.m. (EDT) on Friday, October 7, 2016. It is recommended that the recommendations be underlined and linked with the principles set out in the Committee’s mandate. Briefs may be submitted to the Committee by email (erre@parl.gc.ca), or by using the appropriate button on the Committee website. Once they are translated, the briefs will be distributed to the Committee members and posted on the Committee website.

-ELECTRONIC CONSULTATION: Canadians can take part in the electronic consultation that is available on its website. The questionnaire asks about the goals of a voting system, current and alternative voting systems, electronic voting, mandatory voting, and how to move forward with electoral system reform. It will take approximatively thirty (30) minutes to complete. The deadline for completing the e-consultation is Friday, October 7, 2016, at 11:59 p.m. (EDT).

Interested parties may follow the Committee’s work on its website (http://www.parl.gc.ca/Committees/en/ERRE/About).