<\/p>\n
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:<\/b>
\nWedesday, January 30, 2019<\/p>\n
OTTAWA – Today, Democracy Watch highlighted key problems with the changes made by Bill C-76<\/a> (which became law in December), and the federal government\u2019s initiatives announced today, that together don\u2019t do enough to stop secret, fake online election ads or false claims about candidates, or to protect voters\u2019 privacy.<\/p>\n The Trudeau Liberals\u2019 actions so far will make the fall 2019 federal election more dishonest and dominated by wealthy interests running false ad campaigns aimed at trying to undermine the election.<\/p>\n \u201cBill C-76 weakens the rule that prohibits false claims about candidates, more than doubles the spending limit for wealthy interest groups and, even with the initiatives announced today, doesn\u2019t do enough to stop secret, false, online election ads or big money donations,\u201d<\/em> said Duff Conacher, Co-founder of Democracy Watch and Adjunct Professor of Law, and Political Studies, at the University of Ottawa. \u201cAs a result, the fall 2019 federal election will be more dishonest, unfair and driven by wealthy interest groups than any federal election since 1988.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThe federal government\u2019s new panel set up to watch for activities that disrupt the election lacks independence as it\u2019s made up of five people that the Trudeau Cabinet handpicked,\u201d<\/em> said Conacher. \u201cThe government\u2019s planned education campaign is a charade as it is impossible for any voter to be expert enough in every issue to know that any election ad makes a false claim.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIf federal politicians actually want to ensure fair and democratic Canadian elections, the law must be changed to prohibit all false claims and false promises, lower donation limits, reverse the increase in interest group ad spending, require all media and social media companies to disclose to the Commissioner of Canada Elections all election-related ads from July on, and empower the Commissioner of Canada Elections to delete any false ad,\u201d<\/em> said Conacher. \u201cThe independence, effectiveness and accountability of election enforcement agencies also needs to be strengthened, and penalties for violations increased, to ensure everyone follows fair election rules,\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Democracy Watch is only calling for changes to key rules \u2013 none of the changes require any changes in Elections Canada\u2019s election planning or operations \u2013 so there is no reason why the changes can\u2019t be made between now and next June when Parliament closes and the pre-election period will begin.<\/p>\n See Backgrounder attached below<\/a> for details about the key changes needed to:<\/p>\n – 30 –<\/p>\n FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Democracy Watch\u2019s Honesty in Politics Campaign<\/a>, Money in Politics Campaign<\/a>, Stop Fake Online Election Ads Campaign<\/a>, and Democratic Voting Systems Campaign<\/a><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n The key changes needed to ensure honest, fair, democratic federal elections are as follows:<\/p>\n To stop secret, fake online election advertising by anyone (not just foreigners):<\/strong><\/p>\n To see details of the key changes needed to actually stop secret, false, online election ads by foreigners and Canadians, click here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n Bill C-76 also doesn\u2019t do enough to require political parties to protect the private, personal information they collect about voters<\/strong>, as it only requires that they publish their privacy protection policy on their website (sections 254-255 of the Bill, changing section 385 and adding section 385.1 to the CEA<\/em>) instead of extending federal privacy laws to cover parties.<\/p>\n The House of Commons Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics issued its report yesterday on stopping secret, false online election ads, and protecting voters\u2019 privacy, and recommendations 1-3, 6-8, 10, 19, 22-24<\/a> match the changes that Democracy Watch has been calling for in these areas.<\/p>\n To require honesty by everyone during the pre-election and election periods:<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:<\/b> OTTAWA – Today, Democracy Watch highlighted key problems with the changes made by Bill C-76<\/a> (which became law in December), and the federal government\u2019s initiatives announced today, that together don\u2019t do enough to stop secret, fake online election ads or false claims about candidates, or to protect voters\u2019 privacy.<\/p>\n The Trudeau Liberals\u2019 actions so far will make the fall 2019 federal election more dishonest and dominated by wealthy interests running false ad campaigns aimed at trying to undermine the election.<\/p>\n \u201cBill C-76 weakens the rule that prohibits false claims about candidates, more than doubles the spending limit for wealthy interest groups and, even with the initiatives announced today, doesn\u2019t do enough to stop secret, false, online election ads or big money donations,\u201d<\/em> said Duff Conacher, Co-founder of Democracy Watch and Adjunct Professor of Law, and Political Studies, at the University of Ottawa. \u201cAs a result, the fall 2019 federal election will be more dishonest, unfair and driven by wealthy interest groups than any federal election since 1988.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThe federal government\u2019s new panel set up to watch for activities that disrupt the election lacks independence as it\u2019s made up of five people that the Trudeau Cabinet handpicked,\u201d<\/em> said Conacher. \u201cThe government\u2019s planned education campaign is a charade as it is impossible for any voter to be expert enough in every issue to know that any election ad makes a false claim.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIf federal politicians actually want to ensure fair and democratic Canadian elections, the law must be changed to prohibit all false claims and false promises, lower donation limits, reverse the increase in interest group ad spending, require all media and social media companies to disclose to the Commissioner of Canada Elections all election-related ads from July on, and empower the Commissioner of Canada Elections to delete any false ad,\u201d<\/em> said Conacher. \u201cThe independence, effectiveness and accountability of election enforcement agencies also needs to be strengthened, and penalties for violations increased, to ensure everyone follows fair election rules,\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Democracy Watch is only calling for changes to key rules \u2013 none of the changes require any changes in Elections Canada\u2019s election planning or operations \u2013 so there is no reason why the changes can\u2019t be made between now and next June when Parliament closes and the pre-election period will begin.<\/p>\n See Backgrounder attached below<\/a> for details about the key changes needed to:<\/p>\n – 30 –<\/p>\n FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Democracy Watch\u2019s Honesty in Politics Campaign<\/a>, Money in Politics Campaign<\/a>, Stop Fake Online Election Ads Campaign<\/a>, and Democratic Voting Systems Campaign<\/a><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n The key changes needed to ensure honest, fair, democratic federal elections are as follows:<\/p>\n To stop secret, fake online election advertising by anyone (not just foreigners):<\/strong><\/p>\n To see details of the key changes needed to actually stop secret, false, online election ads by foreigners and Canadians, click here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n Bill C-76 also doesn\u2019t do enough to require political parties to protect the private, personal information they collect about voters<\/strong>, as it only requires that they publish their privacy protection policy on their website (sections 254-255 of the Bill, changing section 385 and adding section 385.1 to the CEA<\/em>) instead of extending federal privacy laws to cover parties.<\/p>\n The House of Commons Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics issued its report yesterday on stopping secret, false online election ads, and protecting voters\u2019 privacy, and recommendations 1-3, 6-8, 10, 19, 22-24<\/a> match the changes that Democracy Watch has been calling for in these areas.<\/p>\n To require honesty by everyone during the pre-election and election periods:<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" New federal government actions, and Bill C-76, won\u2019t stop secret, fake online election ads Bill C-76 actually legalizes more false claims and false promises, more than doubles the ad spending limit for wealthy interests, and maintains unfair donation limits Panel watching for election disruptions lacks independence as members all handpicked by Trudeau Cabinet, and voter 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\n<\/strong>Duff Conacher, Co-founder of Democracy Watch
\nTel: (613) 241-5179 Cell: 416-546-3443
\ninfo@democracywatch.ca<\/a><\/p>\n
\nBACKGROUNDER ON KEY FAIR FEDERAL ELECTION CHANGES
(Democracy Watch, January 30, 2019)<\/h2>\n\n
\n
New federal government actions, and Bill C-76, won\u2019t stop secret, fake online election ads<\/span><\/h2>\n
Bill C-76 actually legalizes more false claims and false promises, more than doubles the ad spending limit for wealthy interests, and maintains unfair donation limits<\/span><\/h3>\n
Panel watching for election disruptions lacks independence as members all handpicked by Trudeau Cabinet, and voter education is a charade as voters can\u2019t possibly be expert enough in all issues to know an online ad is false<\/span><\/h3>\n
House Committee report in December recommended many of the same changes as Democracy Watch to stop fake online election ads, protect voters\u2019 privacy<\/span><\/h3>\n
\nWedesday, January 30, 2019<\/p>\n\n
\n<\/strong>Duff Conacher, Co-founder of Democracy Watch
\nTel: (613) 241-5179 Cell: 416-546-3443
\ninfo@democracywatch.ca<\/a><\/p>\n
\nBACKGROUNDER ON KEY FAIR FEDERAL ELECTION CHANGES
(Democracy Watch, January 30, 2019)<\/h2>\n\n
\n