Amend Canada Elections Act
Petitioners ask the Government to amend the Canada Elections Act to require 100 electors' signatures (50 in designated regions), add a candidate declaration of intent, and create a new $2,000 fine offence. The government responds that it recognizes ballot‑length challenges, supports Elections Canada’s work, and is carefully considering the issue and committee findings.
Why we would sign this petition
- Reduces overly long ballots and related voter confusion and accessibility barriers by restricting coordinated mass candidacies.
- Deters bad-faith nominations by requiring local signatures and a declaration of intent, and creates a monetary penalty for false declarations.
- Responds to Elections Canada and the Chief Electoral Officer’s warning and gives Parliament a legal tool to protect election administration.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Raises free-expression and participation concerns by adding barriers for independent or protest candidates.
- Signature and declaration requirements could disproportionately burden genuine, low‑resource candidates or those in marginalized communities.
- Creates new offences and fines that may prompt legal challenges and administrative costs or enforcement difficulties.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament assembled The Canada Elections Act permits unlimited candidate nominations per riding, with no requirement to demonstrate a genuine intent to serve if elected; Coordinated mass candidacies have disrupted recent elections — with 91 candidates on the 2025 Carleton ballot, 82 candidates on the 2024 Toronto–St. Paul’s ballot and 84 candidates on the 2024 La Salle-Emar-Verdun ballot; Excessive ballots create accessibility barriers for voters with disabilities, potentially infringing Charter rights under Section 3 (the right to vote) and Section 15 (equality under the law); and The Chief Electoral Officer formally warned in a November 21, 2024 letter to the Minister of Democratic Institutions that such tactics “pose a risk to the integrity of the electoral process” and recommended legislative reform. We, the undersigned, Citizens and Residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to Introduce and fast-track a government bill to amend the Canada Elections Act to prevent coordinated mass candidacies designed to disrupt the voting process, by: Amending Section 66(1) to require that each candidate’s nomination include 100 unique signatures from electors in the riding (or 50 in designated regions); Adding a Candidate Declaration of Intent stating: (a) The intent to serve if elected, (b) The intent to actively campaign, (c) That they understand their legal obligation, (d) That all information provided is accurate and truthful; and Creating a new offence under Part 19 for knowingly making a false declaration, punishable by a fine of up to $2,000.
Government response
Response by the Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons Signed by Kevin Lamoureux The Government of Canada recognizes the challenges to election administration and voter accessibility caused by the actions of the Longest Ballot Committee. The Longest Ballot Committee is a coordinated movement in Canada known for registering a large number of independent candidates who are not seeking to serve as Members of Parliament, but rather to protest Canada’s electoral system and the role of Members of Parliament in shaping electoral laws. Ballots in ridings targeted by the Longest Ballot Committee, including during the 45th general election in April 2025, are significantly longer, creating confusion and accessibility issues for some voters and election workers, particularly those with disabilities. The Longest Ballot Committee also unfairly questions the legitimacy of other independent candidates, in addition to complicating and delaying vote counting. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees Canadians’ rights to freedom of expression and to participate meaningfully in elections; however, concerns have arisen regarding the impact of long ballots on voters, candidates and election workers. The Government acknowledges the continued efforts of Elections Canada in ensuring that the federal ballot's design is adapted to fit any number of confirmed candidates as needed. Despite the challenges resulting from unduly long ballots, Canadians can have confidence that elections continue to remain secure, reliable and fair. The Government of Canada shares Canadians’ concerns and is carefully considering this matter, including findings from the study into the actions of the Longest Ballot Committee by the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs.