Court challenge slams new Citizenship Act as ‘anti-Canadian’

Two legal advocacy groups are launching a constitutional challenge to the Conservative government’s new Citizenship Act in federal court, calling it “anti-immigrant, anti-Canadian, anti-democratic, and unconstitutional.”

Both the B.C. Civil Liberties Association and the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers are filing a judicial review application and a statement of claim Thursday arguing that Bill C-24, the Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act, creates a “two-tier citizenship regime” that discriminates between dual nationals — born here or abroad — and naturalized citizens.

Elections Act ‘should be improved,’ Chief Electoral Officer Mayrand tells House Affairs Committee

Canada’s Chief Electoral Officer Marc Mayrand, who announced last week that Elections Canada will investigate 800 complaints in 200 ridings across the country of voter suppression calls, says he plans to deliver at least two reports to Parliament on the state of Canada’s electoral system in due course, but he didn’t get into specifics about timelines in his appearance before the Procedure and House Affairs Committee last week.

In his opening statement to the committee on March 29, Mr. Mayrand affirmed that Canadians ought to take pride in their country’s electoral system.

“However, recent events and media reports have shaken their confidence and, as I indicated at the outset, the trust of electors and the integrity of the electoral process is an essential aspect of a healthy democracy,” Mr. Mayrand referred to the ongoing “robocalls” scandal that has cast a pall over Canada’s electoral system and raised questions over the competency of Elections Canada in recent weeks.

“If the regime is inadequate and needs to be improved, it is my role to make those changes or recommend legislative amendments. We all have a role in preserving trust in our electoral process,” Mr. Mayrand said.

Change to Elections Act just a start, Clement says

The head of Canada's Open Government initiative said the change in election laws to account for Twitter is part of a greater transformation the government must make.

The Harper government said Friday it would end a ban on posting early election results before polls close across the country.

Tony Clement, who is the president of the Treasury Board, and is leading the government's initiative into more open data and communications, said this was long overdue.

"I think it recognizes the inevitable," Clement said. "The fact is when news can travel at the speed of light, to have these antiquarian rules in place, just doesn't work. Elections Canada will have to adjust within reason the opening and closing times of the polls."

In Montreal to meet with business leaders Friday, Clement said there is a major change in mentality that must take place among MPs and bureaucrats in order to make communication with the public easier.