Minister Dominic LeBlanc and NDP MP Daniel Blaikie are meeting to discuss an “expanded” voting period of at least three days, allowing voters to cast their ballots at any polling place and increasing the use of mail-in ballots.
The Trudeau government is engaged in secret negotiations with the New Democratic Party (NDP) – which props up the Liberal minority government – to produce “electoral reform” legislation.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has talked about rejigging the Canadian election system in the past.
Federal elections in Canada are managed by Elections Canada and Canadian elections are defined by voters who must be Canadian citizens with valid ID. Ballots are filled out by hand at designated voting areas and then counted by election workers.
According to CTV News, Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc and NDP MP and democratic reform critic Daniel Blaikie are meeting to change that process to allow for an “expanded” voting period of at least three days, allowing voters to cast their ballots at any polling place and increasing the use of mail-in ballots.
Canadians already have access to early voting but must report in person to their designated polling area and present a valid ID.
It’s not clear what the timeline of these negotiations is. Canada’s next federal election is scheduled for the fall of 2025.