Legislation Pulls Northerners Off Voters List
Thursday, October 25, 2007 at 14:09
Nearly 190,000 people in Saskatchewan have been stripped of their right to vote in the next federal election — at least temporarily.
Regina Liberal MP and Opposition House Leader Ralph Goodale says the Conservative minority government passed a bill earlier this year that requires all voters to have a “civic address” for identification purposes.
Goodale says the definition of “civic address” is a street address — it does not include post office box numbers or rural routes.
He says the move has ultimately eliminated over 70 per cent of northern Saskatchewan residents from the voters list.
Goodale says correcting this measure is vital for constituents in the Desnethe-Missinippi-Churchill River riding, because a byelection to replace former MP Gary Merasty must be held before March 4th.
He says Bill C-31 impacts more than one million Canadians living in rural and remote areas — and he’s calling on the Conservatives to address the issue immediately.
The legislation will not affect the November 7th provincial election.