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Elections Modernization Act (S.C. 2018, c. 31)

Full Document:  

Assented to 2018-12-13

2000, c. 9Canada Elections Act (continued)

Marginal note:2014, c. 12, s. 8

 Subsection 18.2(1) of the Act is replaced by the following:

Marginal note:Power to enter into contracts, etc.

  • 18.2 (1) The Chief Electoral Officer may enter into contracts, memoranda of understanding or other arrangements in the name of Her Majesty in right of Canada or in the Chief Electoral Officer’s name in the exercise or performance of his or her powers, duties and functions under this Act or any other Act of Parliament.

Marginal note:2003, c. 22, s. 102(E)

 Section 19 of the Act and the heading before it are replaced by the following:

Staff

Marginal note:Staff

19 The staff of the Chief Electoral Officer consists of employees appointed in accordance with the Public Service Employment Act.

Marginal note:2014, c. 12, s. 10

 Subsection 20(2) of the Act is replaced by the following:

  • Marginal note:Casual and temporary staff

    (2) Any additional employees that the Chief Electoral Officer considers necessary for the exercise or performance of his or her powers, duties and functions under this Act that are related to the preparation for, and the conduct of, an election may be employed on a casual or temporary basis in accordance with the Public Service Employment Act.

 Section 21 of the Act is replaced by the following:

Marginal note:Delegation

21 The Chief Electoral Officer may delegate to any member of his or her staff, subject to any limitations that he or she may specify, any of his or her powers, duties and functions under this or any other Act of Parliament, except the power to delegate.

  •  (1) Paragraph 22(1)(c) of the Act is replaced by the following:

    • (c) persons authorized by a returning officer under section 27 to exercise powers or perform duties under this Act;

  • Marginal note:2014, c. 12, s. 12(2)

    (2) Paragraphs 22(1)(d) to (k) of the Act are repealed.

  • (3) Subsection 22(1) of the Act is amended by adding “and” at the end of paragraph (m), by striking out “and” at the end of paragraph (n) and by repealing paragraph (o).

  • (4) Paragraph 22(3)(f) of the Act is replaced by the following:

    • (f) a person who, within seven years before the proposed appointment, has been found guilty of any offence under this Act or the Referendum Act, or a regulation made under the Referendum Act, or under an Act of the legislature of a province, or a regulation made under an Act of the legislature of a province, relating to provincial, municipal or school board elections.

  • (5) Subsections 22(4) and (5) of the Act are replaced by the following:

    • Marginal note:Qualifications

      (4) An election officer must be qualified as an elector, and an election officer referred to in paragraph (1)(a.1) or (b) must reside in the electoral district in which he or she is to exercise powers or perform duties under this Act or in an adjacent electoral district.

    • Marginal note:Election officers younger than 18

      (5) Despite subsection (4), an election officer appointed under section 32 may be under 18 years of age but must be at least 16 years of age.

 Section 23 of the Act is replaced by the following:

Marginal note:Solemn declaration

  • 23 (1) Before assuming duties, an election officer shall make, in writing, a solemn declaration, in the prescribed form, that he or she will exercise the powers and perform the duties of the office in an impartial manner.

  • Marginal note:Prohibition

    (2) No election officer shall communicate information, or use personal information, that is obtained in the course of exercising his or her powers or performing his or her duties under this Act, other than for a purpose related to the exercise of those powers or the performance of those duties.

  • Marginal note:Sending of solemn declarations

    (3) The returning officer shall send his or her solemn declaration and that of the assistant returning officer without delay to the Chief Electoral Officer.

Marginal note:2014, c. 12, s. 13

  •  (1) Paragraphs 23.2(9)(a) and (b) of the Act are replaced by the following:

    • (a) is incapable, by reason of illness, disability or otherwise, of satisfactorily exercising their powers or performing their duties under this Act;

    • (b) fails to competently exercise a field liaison officer’s powers or competently perform a field liaison officer’s duties under this Act or to comply with an instruction of the Chief Electoral Officer issued under paragraph 16(c); or

  • Marginal note:2014, c. 12, s. 13

    (2) Paragraph 23.2(9)(c) of the English version of the Act is replaced by the following:

    • (c) contravenes subsection (8), whether or not the contravention occurs in the exercise of their powers or the performance of their duties under this Act.

  •  (1) Paragraphs 24(7)(a) and (b) of the Act are replaced by the following:

    • (a) is incapable, by reason of illness, disability or otherwise, of satisfactorily exercising his or her powers or performing his or her duties under this Act;

    • (b) fails to competently exercise a returning officer’s power or competently perform a returning officer’s duty under this Act or to comply with an instruction of the Chief Electoral Officer described in paragraph 16(c);

  • (2) Paragraph 24(7)(d) of the Act is replaced by the following:

    • (d) contravenes subsection (6), whether or not the contravention occurs in the exercise of his or her powers or the performance of his or her duties under this Act.

  • Marginal note:2014, c. 12, s. 14(2)

    (3) Subsections 24(8) and (9) of the Act are replaced by the following:

    • Marginal note:Temporary suspension

      (8) The Chief Electoral Officer may temporarily suspend from office a returning officer for any grounds set out in subsection (7).

    • Marginal note:Duration of suspension

      (9) The period of suspension expires at the end of the period that the Chief Electoral Officer considers appropriate. However, if a procedure is commenced — either before or during the period of suspension — that could lead to the returning officer’s removal, the period of suspension expires on the day on which the Chief Electoral Officer makes his or her final decision in that regard.

 Subsection 26(1) of the Act is replaced by the following:

Marginal note:Assistant returning officer

  • 26 (1) Without delay after being appointed, a returning officer shall, with the Chief Electoral Officer’s prior approval of the individual proposed to be appointed, appoint an assistant returning officer, who shall hold office at pleasure.

Marginal note:2014, c. 12, s. 15

 Subsection 27(1) of the Act is replaced by the following:

Marginal note:Delegation

  • 27 (1) The returning officer for an electoral district may, with the Chief Electoral Officer’s prior approval, authorize any person acting under his or her direction to exercise any of the powers or perform any of the duties of a returning officer under this Act, except those described in subsection 24(3), sections 62 and 63, subsection 71(1), sections 71.1, 74, 77, 130, 293 to 298 and 300, subsection 301(6) and sections 313 to 316.

 

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