Elections Canada

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Template:Infobox government agency Elections Canada (Template:Langx) is the non-partisan agency responsible for administering Canadian federal elections and referendums Template:Efn.

HistoryEdit

Elections Canada is an agency of the Parliament of Canada, and reports directly to Parliament rather than to the Government of Canada.<ref name=eca1>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="CanadaElectionsAct">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The agency was created under the government of Jean Chretien by the Canada Elections Act on 31 May 2000.<ref name="law1">Template:Cite news</ref>

ResponsibilitiesEdit

Elections Canada is responsible for:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="RoleofElectionsCanada">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Statistics Canada">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Making sure that all voters have access to the electoral system
Informing citizens about the electoral system
Maintaining the National Register of Electors and International Register of Electors
Enforcing electoral legislation
Training election officers
Producing maps of electoral districts
Registering political parties, electoral district associations, and third parties that engage in election advertising
Administering the allowances paid to registered political parties
Monitoring election spending by candidates, political parties and third parties
Publishing financial information on political parties, electoral district associations, candidates, nomination contestants, leadership contestants and third parties
Supporting the independent commissions responsible for adjusting the boundaries of federal electoral districts every ten years
Reporting to Parliament on the administration of elections and referendums

Appointments and staffEdit

The House of Commons of Canada appoints the chief electoral officer to head the agency. The chief electoral officer also appoints the commissioner of Canada elections (Template:Langx), who ensures that the Canada Elections Act is enforced.<ref name="CommissionerCanElec">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The broadcasting arbitrator (Template:Langx), who allocates paid and free broadcasting time during electoral events, is appointed by a unanimous decision of registered political parties in the House of Commons, or by the chief electoral officer if the parties fail to agree a candidate.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The chief electoral officer is seconded by the deputy chief electoral officer, chief legal counsel and around 500 to 600 staff, mainly situated in the National Capital Region.<ref name="RoleofElectionsCanada"/><ref name="ElectionsCanadalegal1"/> During a general election or referendum, this rises to 235,000 workers<ref name="RoleofElectionsCanada"/>

Compliance, enforcement and regulationEdit

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} The Commissioner of Canada Elections is responsible for regulating federal electoral events and enforcing compliance with the Canada Elections Act.<ref name="CommissionerCanElec"/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Before 2018, the commissioner was appointed in consultation with the director of public prosecutions and was overseen by the director, but has since become part of the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>