Nineteen University of Toronto professors, including dean of Faculty of Arts & Science, among opponents of Harper governments Unfair Elections Act - SHARE! In a panel discussion last Thursday, professor Melissa Williams, founding director of U of T’s Centre for Ethics, argued that the “Fair Elections Act” (Bill C-23) would negatively impact youth voters. She is one of six co-authors who published an open letter to the Government of Canada on March 11 criticizing Bill C-23 as harmful to Canadian democracy. Over 160 professors at Canadian universities have signed this letter, 19 of whom are U of T professors, including David Cameron, dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science. “We, the undersigned — professors at Canadian universities who study the principles and institutions of constitutional democracy — believe that the Fair Elections Act (Bill C-23), if passed, would damage the institution at the heart of our country’s democracy: voting in federal elections,” the letter said. Globe and Mail editorial board says Kill the Bill! bit.ly/1h0IPY6 Harper Conservatives want to pass one of the WORST reforms to our Canadian Elections Laws in Canadian history - quote from newspaper: This bill deserves to die. How bad is the legislation? This newspaper recently took the unprecedented step of publishing a five-part series of editorials on it, and the ways in which it will harm the foundation of our democracy. As a group of academics put it in an open letter released last week, if this bill becomes law it will, “undermine the integrity of the Canadian electoral process, diminish the effectiveness of Elections Canada, reduce voting rights, expand the role of money in politics and foster partisan bias in election administration.” Unfortunately, that’s an accurate summary. -Globe and Mail editorial board. The Telegram newspaper calls Harper conservative governments (Un)Fair elections act an attack on democracy, Elections Canada, and Canadians right to vote a perverse and horrid piece of legislation that is anything but fair. bit.ly/1m1Y4k9 A damning letter by over 160 University and law Professors, warning about the dangers of the Harper Conservatives Fair Elections Act it explains why the government’s proposed changes to our election laws are a dangerous threat to our federal elections and your right to vote. bit.ly/1kJpq1d -National Post OVER 100,000 Canadian voters will be denied their RIGHT to vote on elections day if the Harper conservatives attack on Elections Canada gets rammed through (The Fair Elections Act. Bill C-23). This is a bill that will legalize voter suppression towards First Nations, youth, students, and seniors. bit.ly/1hJqAnV End to vouching would impact 100,000 voters: Elections Canada chief -CTV News bit.ly/1eYJxUL TAKE ACTION TO STOP THE UNFAIR ELECTION ACT! Communities across Canada are coordinating a national day of action on March 25th, at Conservative MP offices and support locations, to rally the country and show Conservative MPs that people will stand up to defend our democracy. canadians.org/election You can find the contact information for your closest MP to let them know what you think here: bit.ly/1cuJOxO More than 60,000 Canadians signed petitions against the Fair Elections Act bit.ly/1hTmHNl Sign the Petitions: LeadNow: Stop US-style voter suppression from becoming Canadian law bit.ly/1d2T0Kl The Council of Canadians : Investigate and prevent electoral fraud with a truly fair Elections Act bit.ly/1fTcT77 -D
Posted on: Mon, 24 Mar 2014 12:59:29 +0000