CEO Appearance: Supplementary Estimates B 2019-20 Binder Table of Contents

Fact Sheets Lead Exercising the Right to Vote Elections Canada’s (EC) Response to Manitoba Storms EEI-OFG Efforts by EC for Indigenous electors PPA-OSE Official languages complaints during the general election (GE) and EC CEO-COS response/proposed solutions Enhanced Services to Jewish Communities RA-LS/EEI- OFG/PPA-OSE Initiatives for target groups PPA-OSE/EEI-OFG Vote on Campus EEI-OFG Regulating Political Entities Activities to educate third parties on the new regime RA-LS/PF Enforcement and Integrity Measures to increase the accuracy of the National Register of Electors (NRoE) EEI-EDMR Social media and disinformation RA-EIO/PPA Election Administration Cost of GE IS-CFO Social media influencer campaign (including response to Written Q-122) PPA-VIC/MRIM Comparison of costs of EC’s and Australia’s voter information campaigns PPA-VIC Security of IT Equipment IS COVID-19 and election preparation IS Background Documentation Lead Placemat – Election Related Stats PPA-P&R Proximity and accessibility of polling stations (improvements for the 43rd GE) EEI Media lines on Voter Qualification/Potential Non-Citizens on the NRoE PPA-MRIM Recent responses to MP Questions (2019) PPA-P&R Registration of Expat Electors-43rd GE EEI Statement on “Enforcement of the third-party regime by the Commissioner of PPA-P&R Canada Elections” Copy of Elections Canada Departmental Plan 2020-21 IS-CFO Copy of Supplementary Estimates IS-CFO *Binder prepared for the appearance of the Chief Electoral Officer before the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs on the Subject of the Supplementary Estimates “B” 2019-20 on March 12, 2020. CEO’s Appearance on Supplementary Estimates (B), 2019–20 / Comparution du DGE sur Budget supplémentaire des dépenses (B), 2019-2020

Fact Sheet / Fiche d’information

Subject / Sujet ECs Response to Storms in Manitoba Key Message / Message clé • In response to storms in Manitoba during the election period, Elections Canada implemented a series of extraordinary measures to accommodate affected electors.

• The agency also deployed special voting kiosks in two communities to allow hydro workers to vote. Facts / Faits

• Severe storms caused considerable snow accumulations and major power outages in parts of Manitoba, triggering a state of emergency. This disrupted plans for advance polls in several electoral districts. Some communities were evacuated and polls did not open as planned, while others opened on a reduced schedule due to intermittent power outages. • As a result, the Chief Electoral Officer authorized the closing of advance polling places affected by the winter conditions and outages. • The advanced communication of a closing time was deemed essential to allow electors and campaigns to make arrangements for their polling day activities and to ensure the orderly functioning of the polls. • Some electoral districts continued to experience power outages, road closures, and flooding through election day.

Additional Polling Places

• The agency set up an additional polling place at the University of Winnipeg’s Convocation Hall for evacuees from 14 communities in four affected electoral districts: Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, Portage—Lisgar, and Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman. Elections Canada worked with the Canadian Red Cross to transport evacuees to the polls. • About 270 electors used this voting option, and ballots were counted on site at the end of election day.

Special Voting Kiosks for Hydro Workers

• The agency also accommodated emergency workers – mostly from Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba – who had been deployed in Manitoba to restore power and telecommunications services and who were unable to make it to their assigned polling station on election day. • The agency opened two additional service points, one in the community of Lundar and the other in Portage la Prairie, where workers could vote by special ballot. These offices were mainly staffed with volunteer headquarters employees, as most field resources were needed elsewhere. Elections Canada closely collaborated with Manitoba Hydro, coordinating voting times to prevent long lines and accommodate workers’ schedules. • In all, 592 workers used these additional service points. CEO’s Appearance on Supplementary Estimates (B), 2019–20 / Comparution du DGE sur Budget supplémentaire des dépenses (B), 2019-2020

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Voter Turnout for the 2019 and 2015 general elections Electoral Districts 2019 2015 Electors on Votes Voter Electors on Votes Voter % Turnout Population Population the lists Cast Turnout % the lists Cast Turnout % Difference

Manitoba 1,278,365 927,347 595,998 64.3% 1,208,268 887,983 603,240 67.9% -3.7% 46001 - Brandon—Souris 88,170 63,401 41,430 65.3% 83,814 61,327 41,256 67.3% -1.9% 46002 - Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley 82,574 65,949 46,484 70.5% 81,864 64,081 47,352 73.9% -3.4% 46003 - Churchill—Keewatinook Aski 87,027 51,482 23,877 46.4% 85,148 51,994 30,196 58.1% -11.7% 46004 - Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa 87,527 63,250 40,845 64.6% 87,374 63,926 41,758 65.3% -0.7% 46005 - Elmwood—Transcona 92,738 70,062 43,677 62.3% 85,906 65,961 43,268 65.6% -3.3% 46006 - Kildonan—St. Paul 84,077 66,290 44,520 67.2% 81,794 62,299 44,036 70.7% -3.5% 46007 - Portage—Lisgar 97,354 67,397 44,911 66.6% 91,019 63,180 41,346 65.4% 1.2% 46008 - Provencher 99,946 71,676 48,627 67.8% 88,640 66,108 44,914 67.9% -0.1% 46009 - Saint Boniface—Saint Vital 89,818 68,631 47,607 69.4% 84,353 66,205 48,975 74.0% -4.6% 46010 - Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman 94,778 74,439 49,924 67.1% 91,463 72,259 49,579 68.6% -1.5% 46011 - Winnipeg Centre 85,949 59,762 31,998 53.5% 82,026 56,988 34,166 60.0% -6.4% 46012 - Winnipeg North 95,676 63,681 32,978 51.8% 88,616 58,573 34,233 58.4% -6.7% 46013 - Winnipeg South 99,678 69,567 48,192 69.3% 85,540 64,595 48,402 74.9% -5.7% 46014 - Winnipeg South Centre 93,053 71,760 50,928 71.0% 90,711 70,487 53,759 76.3% -5.3% CEO’s Appearance on Supplementary Estimates (B), 2019–20 / Comparution du DGE sur Budget supplémentaire des dépenses (B), 2019-2020

Fact Sheet / Fiche d’information

Voter Turnout for the 2019 and 2015 general elections Provinces and Territories 2019 2015 Electors on Voter Electors on the Voter Population Votes Cast Population Votes Cast the lists Turnout % lists Turnout % Canada 35,151,728 27,373,058 18,350,359 67.0% 33,476,688 25,939,742 17,711,983 68.3% Newfoundland and Labrador/Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador 519,716 420,067 246,889 58.8% 514,536 421,038 257,389 61.1% Prince Edward Island/Île-du-Prince-Édouard 142,907 116,721 86,362 74.0% 140,204 113,505 87,868 77.4% Nova Scotia/Nouvelle-Écosse 923,598 771,411 538,738 69.8% 921,727 742,931 526,069 70.8% New Brunswick/Nouveau-Brunswick 747,101 616,704 444,356 72.1% 751,171 597,542 444,459 74.4% Quebec/Québec 8,164,361 6,482,847 4,360,030 67.3% 7,903,001 6,393,478 4,303,758 67.3% Ontario 13,448,494 10,484,419 6,947,807 66.3% 12,851,821 9,691,517 6,572,378 67.8% Manitoba 1,278,365 927,347 595,998 64.3% 1,208,268 887,983 603,240 67.9% Saskatchewan 1,098,352 807,984 586,536 72.6% 1,033,381 779,405 553,792 71.1% Alberta 4,067,175 3,023,980 2,093,981 69.2% 3,645,257 2,842,504 1,937,228 68.2% British Columbia/Colombie-Britannique 4,648,055 3,641,258 2,402,554 66.0% 4,400,057 3,392,598 2,374,317 70.0% Yukon 35,874 29,591 21,150 71.5% 33,897 26,879 20,385 75.8% Northwest Territories/Territoires du Nord-Ouest 41,786 30,704 16,416 53.5% 41,462 30,110 19,077 63.4% Nunavut 35,944 20,025 9,542 47.7% 31,906 20,252 12,023 59.4% CEO’s Appearance on Supplementary Estimates (B), 2019–20 / Comparution du DGE sur Budget supplémentaire des dépenses (B), 2019-2020

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Subject / Sujet: Efforts by EC for Indigenous electors Key Message / Message clé • Elections Canada undertook a wide range of operational and outreach activities to ensure First Nations, Inuit, and Métis electors had access to the information and services they needed to vote, should they choose to do so.

• We worked with eight national and regional Indigenous organizations and offered voter information campaign products in 16 indigenous languages – up from 12 in the last GE.

• Returning officers were instructed to contact all First Nations’ reserves when selecting polling locations in the summer of 2018 and hired record numbers of indigenous Community Relations Officers (CROs) for this election.

• The number of polling places (both advance and ordinary) on First Nations reserves increased from 366 in the 42nd GE to 389 in the 43rd GE.

• The registration rates and voter turn-out on reserves requires data analysis which is in progress and will be made available in late spring.

Facts / Faits • Returning officers hired 231 CROs to work with Indigenous electors, an increase from 169 hired for the 42nd GE.

• The number of polling places (both advance and ordinary) on First Nations reserves increased from 366 in the 42nd GE to 389 in the 43rd GE.

• To serve electors who were evacuated from 13 First Nations communities in Manitoba due to the storms, Elections Canada set up a megapoll at the University of Winnipeg where these electors could cast special ballots. Ordinary polls were also open in these communities to serve those electors who chose to stay in their homes.

• In 2015, some remote Indigenous communities faced ballot shortages and delays in voting. A combination of high rates of polling day registration, high turnout and the formula used to allocate ballots to each location contributed to the ballot shortages.

• In response, Elections Canada ran a pilot project in remote Indigenous communities in 27 EDs in the 18 months preceding the election. The project focused on early and sustained outreach as a means of providing improved electoral services to these communities. The results of this project are currently being analysed. We note that in 2019, there were no reports of ballot shortages or significant wait times due to polling day registration.

• Elections Canada expanded the range of Indigenous languages in which our core Voter Information Campaign (VIC) products are offered to 16, up from 12 in the 42nd GE. We distributed nearly 9,700 print versions of Indigenous-language VIC products for the 43rd CEO’s Appearance on Supplementary Estimates (B), 2019–20 / Comparution du DGE sur Budget supplémentaire des dépenses (B), 2019-2020

Fact Sheet / Fiche d’information

GE.

• Elections Canada had eight information-sharing contracts with national and regional organizations that serve Indigenous electors. These contracts facilitated a wide range of activities, including: distribution of print and digital VIC products; social media and video campaigns; in-person workshops on registering, voting, and working at an election; and development of information products for target audiences.

• Our contractors for Indigenous outreach conducted the following activities:

Assembly of • call centre to share relevant election information with band administrators First Nations • shared election information via digital, radio, and in-person events • reached out to affected Manitoba First Nations regarding the megapoll. Advanced • shared information digitally Business Match • facilitated EC participation at three face-to-face events. Frontier College • integrated Voter Information Campaign materials and Vote PopUp activities into their National Forum on Civic Literacy Grand Council • distributed election information in English and Ojibway to their members Treaty 3 • led a non-partisan community campaign called "Treaty #3 Votes," which included a website with links to EC information, social media, and video testimonials from members. ilinniapaa Skills • shared election information in person in Iqaluit and through their social Development media network across NU, NWT and Yukon communities Centre • promoted voting information in Inuktitut and English on CBC Radio North and via in-person workshops Indspire • posted election information on its social media platforms • informed Indigenous student centre coordinators about opportunities for students to vote on campus • facilitated the delivery of EC workshops at Indspire’s annual youth gathering National • shared Voter Information Campaign materials with 111 friendship centres Association of • posted information on their social media channels Friendship • facilitated EC participation at annual youth conference and AGM Centres Native Women’s • developed and distributed the 2019 Voting Guide for Indigenous Women, Association of Two-Spirit, and LGBTQQIA People to their nationwide network Canada • posted election information on their social media channels • distributed Voter Information Campaign materials to their members

CEO’s Appearance on Supplementary Estimates (B), 2019–20 / Comparution du DGE sur Budget supplémentaire des dépenses (B), 2019-2020

Fact Sheet / Fiche d’information

Official languages complaints during the general election (GE) and EC’s response/proposed solutions Key Message / Message clé

• Elections Canada is committed to providing Canadians with service in both official languages.

• Elections Canada works with local communities to recruit workers who are capable of providing services in both official languages.

• Canadians are increasingly aware of the services in both official languages that institutions must provide. The higher number of complaints received attests to this.

• An analysis of the complaints will let us direct our actions and decisions. Such an analysis is underway and will be included in the retrospective report.

Facts / Faits

• Before the 43rd general election, Elections Canada developed and implemented an action plan on official languages to provide services in both official languages at polling places. • This plan included: o policies, instructions and operational tools to help field personnel plan their activities while considering the minority official language community; o an analysis of the 2016 Census data to identify the polling divisions that had a considerable demand for services in both official languages; o the creation of a new community relations officer position to ensure relations with minority official languages groups; o the implementation of a swift management process designed to modify services and respond to official languages complaints; o the implementation of a structured mechanism to verify adherence to official languages requirements in offices of the returning officer, of additional assistant returning officers and at external service points.

• For the 43rd general election, returning officers hired 50 community relations officers for minority official languages communities.

• As of January 8, 2020, Elections Canada received 115 complaints from the Commissioner of Official Languages. We are continuing to review these complaints. More information on this topic will be provided in the retrospective report.

• Context is important: At every general election, close to 250,000 people are hired to serve 27million electors in all 338 of the country’s ridings.

• Until now, the complaints related to official languages suggest shortcomings in the application of procedures when it comes to the active offer, services and postings in French in polling places. CEO’s Appearance on Supplementary Estimates (B), 2019–20 / Comparution du DGE sur Budget supplémentaire des dépenses (B), 2019-2020

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Subject / Sujet ENHANCED SERVICES TO JEWISH COMMUNITIES Key Message / Message clé • In response to concerns raised by members of the Jewish communities with regards to the 43rd general election coinciding with Jewish High Holy Days, Elections Canada worked with community leaders to develop an action plan to accommodate electors observing Jewish High Holy Days and enhance services offered to them.

• The resulting initiatives enhanced existing services and provided additional options for observant Jewish community members to vote. They were well received by the Jewish community.

Facts / Faits • In the spring of 2019, Jewish community members raised concerns about the date of the general election and requested that the election day be moved. The Chief Electoral Officer declined to do so, on the basis of the potential impacts at that point on the electoral cycle. An application was then brought to the Federal Court of Canada to review the Chief Electoral Officer's decision. In July 2019, the Court directed the Chief Electoral Officer to reconsider his decision and to provide reasons that reflected a proportionate balancing of the rights of the applicants under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms with his mandate. In a detailed statement released on July 29, 2019, the Chief Electoral Officer indicated that it would not be advisable to recommend changing the date of the election at that late stage of the electoral cycle. The statement also featured an action plan to ensure voting opportunities for electors observing Jewish High Holy Days. • As a result of this action plan, returning officers worked with Jewish community leaders in 54 of 338 federal ridings (where adjusted 2016 Census data showed the Jewish population to be over 1 percent) to design local solutions to meet community needs by enhancing election services to facilitate voting during times that observant Jewish electors were not restricted from voting, and by raising awareness in the Jewish community about these enhanced services and options. • Accordingly, in addition to increasing staff at advance polls, the agency set up 27 special voting kiosks (open to all eligible electors) for one to four days in 15 electoral districts, serving 7,221 electors who took advantage of the offering. • In 19 long-term care facilities with primarily Jewish residents where mobile polls could not be opened on election day, electors were instead invited to vote earlier by special ballot. • In some electoral districts, Elections Canada offices increased their capacity and service hours to accommodate the needs of these communities. • Voting options were actively promoted through an information campaign and engagement with national organizations (CIJA and B'nai Brith), Jewish media and community leaders. CEO’s Appearance on Supplementary Estimates (B), 2019–20 / Comparution du DGE sur Budget supplémentaire des dépenses (B), 2019-2020

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Voter Turnout for the 2019 and 2015 general elections

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1 35104 - Thornhill 85,005 35,644 340 13,114 4,981 54,079 63.6% 81,672 39,874 313 12,828 1,800 54,815 67.1% -3.5% 2.2% 176.7% 2 24052 - Mont-Royal 73,273 25,796 155 13,028 5,283 44,262 60.4% 74,416 31,769 870 12,849 2,988 48,476 65.1% -4.7% 1.4% 76.8% 35024 - Eglinton- 3 83,559 36,045 - 14,908 5,445 56,398 67.5% 78,535 38,824 - 15,020 2,276 56,120 71.5% -4.0% -0.7% 139.2% Lawrence 4 35118 - York Centre 71,100 31,152 67 9,881 2,751 43,851 61.7% 65,832 32,907 140 9,094 1,122 43,263 65.7% -4.0% 8.7% 145.2% 35090 - Toronto - St. 5 85,544 42,574 114 14,243 3,287 60,218 70.4% 78,885 41,935 106 12,092 3,091 57,224 72.5% -2.1% 17.8% 6.3% Paul's 6 24054 - Outremont 67,842 27,452 237 10,327 3,896 41,912 61.8% 71,136 32,888 189 8,857 2,111 44,045 61.9% -0.1% 16.6% 84.6% 24053 - Notre-Dame- 7 76,649 32,619 561 14,127 3,460 50,767 66.2% 79,832 36,178 657 12,049 3,020 51,904 65.0% 1.2% 17.2% 14.6% de-Grace 46014 - Winnipeg 8 71,760 35,899 906 11,589 2,534 50,928 71.0% 70,487 39,256 680 11,271 2,552 53,759 76.3% -5.3% 2.8% -0.7% South Centre 24056 - Pierrefonds - 9 83,562 38,250 419 15,612 1,872 56,153 67.2% 85,333 43,326 457 12,995 2,095 58,873 69.0% -1.8% 20.1% -10.6% Dollard 35021 - Don Valley 10 74,003 34,089 77 16,534 1,956 52,656 71.2% 71,037 36,043 111 13,281 1,868 51,303 72.2% -1.1% 24.5% 4.7% West 27,373,0 12,636,3 18,350,35 25,939,7 13,241,3 174,6 3,677,21 618,80 17,711,9 Canada 174,708 4,879,312 660,020 67.0% 68.3% -1.2% 32.7% 6.7% 58 19 9 42 44 20 7 2 83

CEO’s Appearance on Supplementary Estimates (B), 2019–20 / Comparution du DGE sur Budget supplémentaire des dépenses (B), 2019-2020

Fact Sheet / Fiche d’information

Subject / Sujet: Initiatives for target groups Key Message / Message clé • Elections Canada significantly expanded the network of national and regional stakeholders with particular focus on group known to face barriers to the electoral process such as Indigenous electors, new electors and people with disabilities.

• These groups shared voter information campaign (VIC) materials on where, when and ways to register and vote, as well as opportunities to work an election.

• In some cases they created voter information products to address specific needs of their clientele such as identification requirements.

• They also conducted outreach events that often included vote simulations to familiarize electors with the voting process.

• At the local level, Community relations officers (CROs) delivered information products, set up kiosks hosted discussion groups, and liaised with administrators of relevant organizations or facilities.

Facts / Faits

• Inspire Democracy is Elections Canada’s stakeholder mobilization program. In advance of the election, the program negotiated 30 contracts and 91 informal agreements with stakeholder groups (Non-Indigenous contractor activities summarized below). • This is an increase from GE42 in 2015, where EC had 18 contracts and worked with 41 organizations informally. • The organizations distributed Inspire Democracy learning materials and shared VIC materials in print, digital, and alternative formats such as braille and large print. They also leveraged Elections Canada's translation of these materials into Indigenous and other languages by delivering these products to communities that would use them. • Though the VIC was a digital-first campaign, 316,935 hardcopy VIC resources were shared by our network, at the request of our stakeholders. • EC staff conducted 51 face-to-face outreach events across the country designed to equip stakeholders with the tools and knowledge necessary to conduct their own outreach efforts in advance of the general election. The primary focus was on early registration and closing registration gaps among Indigenous and youth electors. • These organizations in turn delivered presentations at 195 community outreach events. • Local outreach expanded to include Métis communities, minority official language communities, and, in light of the fact that election day and some advance polling days coincided in 2019 with Holy Days during which observant members of the Jewish community could be prevented from voting, communities with significant Jewish populations. o CROs were hired for: Youth; Indigenous; Homeless; Seniors; Ethnocultural; Accessibility; Official Languages; and Jewish populations. CEO’s Appearance on Supplementary Estimates (B), 2019–20 / Comparution du DGE sur Budget supplémentaire des dépenses (B), 2019-2020

Fact Sheet / Fiche d’information

• CROs delivered information to these and other target groups locally. Approximately 23,385 electors visited kiosks set up by community relations officers and an estimated 7,572 electors attended presentations. Community relations officers also hosted discussion groups, distributed information products, and liaised with administrators of relevant organizations or facilities. • 1,529 community relations officers were hired for the 2019 general election, compared with 1,201 for the previous general election.

Contracts Activities ABC Life • created plain language products to help people with the election process Literacy • hosted learning activities that complement the voting guide • shared EC’s products through newsletters, social media and activities Apathy is • shared EC’s information through its online platforms Boring • organized street teams in four cities to share information kits for the election • created and shared a youth-oriented Voter Journey video Brain Injury • shared information on accessible voting tools and services to Canadians Canada with acquired brain injury Canadian • created and shares digital toolkits designed for students (18–24) Alliance of • shared information on voting on campus and working at a federal election Student • ran three student to encourage other students in take part in the election Associations Canadian Hard • shared EC’s information digitally and via local networks across Canada of Hearing • hosted webinars on accessible voting tools and services Association Citoyenneté • promoted EC’s information and products on its website and network Jeunesse newsletters Civic Action • shared voter information products through online platforms Leadership Foundation Eviance • shared electronic and print voter information, including alternate formats, that meets the needs of electors across different disability groups • used online resources to help community members find and understand voter information Institut du • promoted EC’s information and products digitally and in face-to-face events. Nouveau • organized two roundtables to share information on participating in elections Monde Manitoba • shared materials about accessible voting digitally and in person League of • delivered Inspire Democracy workshops to communities of people with Persons with diverse disabilities and information activities for support workers Disabilities People First of • hosted workshops and training activities about accessible voting services Canada • shared information on assisting electors at the polls with support workers • hosted town halls and webinars on the different ways to register and vote Canadian • shared EC’s information with its members and sent voter information Muslim Vote products to participating mosques CEO’s Appearance on Supplementary Estimates (B), 2019–20 / Comparution du DGE sur Budget supplémentaire des dépenses (B), 2019-2020

Fact Sheet / Fiche d’information

Canadian • shared EC’s information in accessible formats with Canadians who are National blind, partially sighted or deafblind. Institute for the • hosted training events across the country on the accessibility tools and Blind services that are available at the polls. • shared information about accessible voting with their members online. Citizen • shared Elections Canada voter information products to its members through Empowerment online platforms to promote where, when and the ways to register and vote. Project City for All • used social media network and face-to-face events to promote registration Women and share Elections Canada information in multiple languages Initiative Democratic • developed Vote Pop-up - a toolkit to demystify the voting process Engagement • held 20 Vote PopUp training workshops across Canada and trained over Exchange 400 workshop leaders from diverse organizations • shared EC’s information online and hosted events and activities Donna Jodhan • organized a tele-town hall style event to share information about the accessibility of the vote for 2019 Embers • held information kiosks for homeless electors in Vancouver EastSide • assisted in providing information about letters of confirmation of address Works Information • disseminated election information to a network of vulnerable youth within removed the LGBTQIA community pursuant to Access to Information Act Federation • distributed EC information to ensure that francophone youth across Canada Jeunesse had information about registration and voting Canadienne Francaise Ryerson • organized and hosted outreach activities with young electors and provided Leadership lab data and analysis on the impact of these activities to EC Special • hosted activities to highlight EC’s accessibility services and tools Olympics • shared EC’s information to participants of the Athletes Leadership Program Ontario CEO’s Appearance on Supplementary Estimates (B), 2019–20 / Comparution du DGE sur Budget supplémentaire des dépenses (B), 2019-2020

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Subject / Sujet Vote on Campus Key Message / Message clé • During the 43rd general election, the agency opened 119 external service point offices at 98 post-secondary institutions in 86 electoral districts.

• The initiative was very well received and allowed more than 110,000 electors, mostly students, to vote on their campus.

• Given that most electors who used this option voted during the last two days, Elections Canada will revisit the length of time this service is offered.

Facts / Faits • After a successful pilot at dozens of post-secondary campuses, Friendship Centres and YMCAs during the 42nd general election, Elections Canada made Vote on Campus a national program in the 43rd general election, this time focusing exclusively on post- secondary campuses. This involved 119 external service point offices at 98 institutions in 86 electoral districts (in 2015, offices were opened in 39 post-secondary campuses across the country).

• Institutions were chosen based on the following selection criteria: o Post-secondary institutions selected for the 42nd GE pilot project. o Post-secondary institutions with more than 4,000 students who are eligible to vote. o Institutions recognized for serving Indigenous students. o Institutions recognized as a community hub and that can help maintain a balance between provincial and territorial distribution.

• The agency expanded the program to five days, October 5 to 9, 2019, compared to four days in the previous election.

• While any elector could vote by special ballot at these offices, most were students. More than three quarters of electors who voted at external service point offices were from outside their home electoral district.

• The turnout increased every day that Vote on Campus was available, peaking at around 48,000 on October 9. In all, more than 110,000 electors voted at these locations, compared with about 70,000 in 2015.

• As in 2015, the initiative relied on strong engagement efforts with post-secondary institution administrations (including through readiness activities conducted by returning officers) and also with national student associations.

• The initiative was well received and enjoyed positive social media coverage.

CEO’s Appearance on Supplementary Estimates (B), 2019–20 / Comparution du DGE sur Budget supplémentaire des dépenses (B), 2019-2020

Fact Sheet / Fiche d’information

Subject / Sujet Activities to educate third parties on the new regime Key Message / Message clé • We have developed several tools to increase awareness about the new third party rules, including videos, an infographic, social media vignettes and frequently asked questions, and we also updated the handbook to assist third parties in the application of the new rules.

• Third parties represent a diverse collection of individuals, groups and corporations that are not usually known to Elections Canada before they register, making any outreach activities challenging.

• Additional outreach efforts were undertaken to alleviate confusion about what constitutes issue advertising.

Facts / Faits

• New third parties rules capture a broader array of activities than the previous rules which were limited to election advertising. • These changes may require third parties to register with Elections Canada, even though they did not have to in past elections. • The Canada Elections Act also includes a pre-election period with spending limits for third parties and registered parties. • Elections Canada prepared and disseminated, through its website, social media accounts and a social media digital campaign, several new tools to raise awareness and assist third parties: o A roadmap (infographic) o Frequently Asked Questions o The Handbook for third parties o Four (4) political financing videos o Social media vignettes o Information sessions (Webex) in July 2019. [two out of four were cancelled due to low participation] o Participation at a workshop in Toronto (May 2019) with members of the Agency’s stakeholder network • The Agency also reached out to previously registered third parties in federal, provincial and territorial elections (when the information was available) to proactively inform potential third parties about the new rules. • The Political Entities Support Network received over 425 inquiries on the application of the new rules (from December 2018 to November 2019). • Legal Services also responded to many questions from third parties’ legal counsels. • Despite outreach efforts, there was confusion about issue advertising, particularly in the context of climate change. o The CEO issued a statement on August 20, 2019 to clarify third party requirements. CEO’s Appearance on Supplementary Estimates (B), 2019–20 / Comparution du DGE sur Budget supplémentaire des dépenses (B), 2019-2020

Fact Sheet / Fiche d’information

o We offered training to a group representing a large number of potential third parties (The group did not take advantage of this training opportunity) o A number of specific responses were provided to individual groups (and lawyers) that contacted us on this aspect of the regime • The cost of the social media digital campaign was 15k. • The cost of videos and vignettes production was 87k.

Registered Third Parties Interim Reports (TPs) 42nd GE 115 43rd GE 147 124* from 51 different TPs *since election day, we have received 7 additional interim reports for a total of 131

As of March 9, 2020, the following are statistics about third party filing of campaign returns: • Returns received: 118 • CEO’s extension: 36 • 11 had not filed or sent in an extension request in time

CEO’s Appearance on Supplementary Estimates (B), 2019–20 / Comparution du DGE sur Budget supplémentaire des dépenses (B), 2019-2020

Fact Sheet / Fiche d’information

Subject / Sujet Measures to increase accuracy of the Register Key Message / Message clé

• For this general election, the agency carried out several initiatives to improve services to electors and make it even easier for them to exercise their democratic right to vote.

• These activities allowed Elections Canada to greatly improve the accuracy of the Register, leading to the highest quality ever recorded in the preliminary lists since its creation 20 years ago. Facts / Faits

Initiatives to improve the accuracy of the Register

Elections Canada undertook several special initiatives earlier in 2019, beyond the processing of its regular data sources:

• In January and September of 2019, the agency mailed letters to potential new electors (between 18 and 27 years old) directing them to its online platform to complete their registration and verify their eligibility. More than 41,000 new electors were added to the Register as a result of this initiative. • In the spring of 2019, Elections Canada sent verification letters to 250,000 electors who were in the Register, but whose records had not been updated through our various data sources since before the 2015 general election. As required by law prior to removing them from the Register, the agency wrote to these electors and asked them to confirm the accuracy of their information. As a result, some 223,000 elector records were removed from the Register. • The passage of Bill C-76 gave Elections Canada the authority to obtain information on foreign nationals and permanent residents in Canada from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). In June 2019, the agency mailed letters to people who were potentially not qualified to vote based on this new information. The letter informed them that they would be removed from the Register unless they confirmed that they were qualified to vote. Over 74,000 persons did not respond and were removed from the Register in August 2019. • As a result of cross-referencing administrative data, including the new IRCC data, with individual records of potential electors who had previously consented and stated that they were qualified to vote, the agency was able to add more than 900,000 electors to the Register before the call of the election. • In the months leading up to the call of the election (June 25th to Sept 10th), Elections Canada promoted its online voter registration services on social media. This among other outreach and promotional initiatives yielded 231,391 visits to the Online Voter Registration service and an additional 29,993 updates/registrations (address changes or new voters) The retrospective report will include more analysis on the quality of the lists, comparisons to previous years, and the effectiveness of the quality improvements.

CEO’s Appearance on Supplementary Estimates (B) 2019-2020 / Comparution du DGE sur le Budget supplémentaire des dépenses (B) 2019-2020

Fact Sheet / Fiche d’information

Subject / Sujet : Social Media Monitoring

Key Messages / Messages clés

• Elections Canada established a dedicated Social Media Monitoring Unit to provide timely, actionable information to support effective election delivery and communications, and to safeguard Canadians’ trust in the electoral process.

• We proactively published, on our website and through our social media accounts, quick facts to address inaccurate information circulating on social media about the electoral process. For example, content about the accuracy of the National Register of Electors and rules around campaign lawn signs.

• Through our social media monitoring, we were able to improve our situational awareness and respond more quickly to incidents and developments across the country that may have interfered with electors’ ability to vote.

Facts / Faits

Mandate: The Social Media Monitoring Unit monitored relevant keywords in public social media posts to detect: • Events that could impede electors or election delivery • Feedback on Elections Canada’s services • Websites and social media accounts that falsely claimed to belong to Elections Canada • Inaccurate information about the electoral process, whether intentional or unintentional

Platforms we monitored: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Reddit, Tumblr, WeChat, SnapChat, TikTok, and various online forums.

Team: During the writ period, there were 18 FTEs monitoring in 21 languages. They worked from 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight daily (longer on polling days).

Findings: • Incidents: The team detected and followed several incidents across the country. For example, in the cases of Hurricane Dorian and the Manitoba storm, it gathered information on power outages, road closures and evacuations. • Feedback on EC services: The team found isolated reports of line-ups and other issues at the polls. It also saw some reports of issues with other matters, such as voter information cards and applications on the EC website. • Inaccurate information: The team did not find widespread inaccurate information on where, when and ways to register and vote. However, it did find many instances of inaccurate information about other aspects of the election process, including voter eligibility and ballot handling procedures. • Accounts using EC name or variants: The team found several such accounts, seemingly with little reach. We followed up with the platforms to request removal of these accounts (see summary below). CEO’s Appearance on Supplementary Estimates (B) 2019-2020 / Comparution du DGE sur le Budget supplémentaire des dépenses (B) 2019-2020

Fact Sheet / Fiche d’information

Limitations of monitoring: • Due to the way some platforms are configured, we could not see all relevant public posts (this was especially true for Facebook). • We had no visibility into private groups on social media platforms, or into private messaging apps, such as WhatsApp.

Summary of impersonation accounts / inaccurate information reported to digital platforms: • 28 cases were reported to digital platforms from August to October 2019. As of March 6, 2020, 20 were removed. • Some additional accounts have been removed since the election. • We are still working to have certain impersonation accounts removed. • In some cases, the platform will not remove the account because it is inactive, or because the way the account is using the Elections Canada name does not violate the platform’s terms of use. None of these accounts has high volumes of followers or activity. • In one or two cases, Elections Canada did not receive a response from a platform. • We have been working to follow up on all cases and/or accounts that remain a concern to the agency.

CEO’s Appearance on 2019-20 Supplementary Estimates (B) / Comparution du DGE sur le Budget supplémentaire (B), 2019-2020

Fact Sheet / Fiche d’information

GE42 vs. GE43 Cost Increase Key Message / Message clé • The estimated cost of GE43 is $503.8M, which is $32.1M more than the final cost of GE42 ($471.7M).

• In constant 2019 dollars, the cost of GE42 was $502.6M.

• The cost per elector (in constant dollars) decreased by 5%, from $19.37 in 2015, to $18.41 per elector (estimated) in 2019.

Facts / Faits

- Costs for GE43 are still estimates therefore a direct comparison with GE42 cannot be done without taking this fact into account.

- The largest estimate at this time is the reimbursement to political entities which cannot be confirmed until those entities submit their election expense returns to EC, months after Election Day, and Elections Canada’s audit process is completed. Until that point, EC uses historical data to estimate these costs.

- Factors of $32.1M increase between GE42 and GE43:

o Decrease of $56.1M – Impact of length of calendar on Field costs and reimbursements to political entities: 2015 was 78 days vs 40 days in 2019;

o Increase of $39.2M – Inflation, service to more electors: adjusting costs for inflation from 2015 to 2019 and the increase of number of electors (2015: 25.9M to 2019: 27.4M, increase of approx. 1.4M electors);

o Increase of $49M – Service enhancements, legislation, system upgrades: additional poll workers, expanded voting on campus, additional satellite offices, and expanded hours at advance polls; upgrades to IT systems and equipment; and the implementation of new election legislation (Bill C-76)

- The final cost of the GE42 is $471.7M. The estimated cost published in the Report on the 42nd GE was $443M (as of December 2015).

- NOTE: At the time of publishing that report, the impact of the longer election calendar on reimbursements to political entities was unknown, as returns had not all been submitted. As such, the estimate for the reimbursements included in the $443M total was based on a 36-day calendar. The difference of $28.7M seen in the final cost of $471.7M was due to the actual cost of the reimbursements. CEO’s Appearance on Supplementary Estimates (B), 2019–20 / Comparution du DGE sur Budget supplémentaire des dépenses (B), 2019-2020

Fact Sheet / Fiche d’information

Subject / Sujet: Video featuring social media influencers Key Message / Message clé • One of the key objectives of the pre-election voter information campaign was to reduce the registration gap for electors aged 18–24.

• In 2015, 72 percent of electors in that age group were on the preliminary lists of electors, compared to nearly 93 percent of all eligible electors.

• This means that a significant number of young electors did not receive a voter information card providing them with the same basic voting information provided to other electors.

• One of the ways that the agency attempted to address this issue was through the use of social media influencers which is known to be an effective promotional tactic to reach youth.

• The firm hired to produce the video did not perform the level of vetting EC would have expected. Ultimately, the initiative was cancelled.

• After the initiative was cancelled, we have been able to recover over $200,000 of the project’s costs bringing the net cost to approximately $430,000.

• This is an unfortunate incident and one that should have been detected prior to incurring these expenses.

Facts / Faits As an independent, non-partisan agent of Parliament, Elections Canada’s mandate includes making sure all eligible electors have the information they need to register and vote. As such, we conduct Voter Information Campaigns before and during general federal elections to provide Canadians with all the information they need on when, where and ways to register and vote in a general election.

The campaign for the 43rd general election was designed to align with the first ever pre-election period that started on June 30, 2019 and lasted until election day. The pre-election phase of the campaign, which ended once the election was called, was delivered through digital platforms and focused on ways to participate in the federal election including working an election and registering to vote.

One of the key objectives of the pre-election was to reduce the registration gap for electors aged 18–24. In 2015, 72 percent of electors in that age group were on the preliminary lists of electors, compared to 92.7 percent of all eligible electors (overall coverage). This means that a significant number of young electors did not receive a voter information card providing them with the same basic voting information provided to other electors.

One of the ways that the agency attempted to address this issue was through the use of social media influencers. This had been known to be an effective promotional tactic to reach youth and has been used in many other Canadian jurisdictions by election management bodies.

In February 2019, the plan to produce a video featuring 13 Canadian social media influencers as part of the pre-election campaign was presented to the Advisory Committee of Political Parties.

As social media influencers were being considered for use in the video, regular vetting was performed to rule out those who were not appropriate based on their past activities, including evidence of partisan statements or activities. After some criticism related to the initiative, the agency performed a final vetting process. This final vetting revealed that some past activities of influencers that were not captured CEO’s Appearance on Supplementary Estimates (B), 2019–20 / Comparution du DGE sur Budget supplémentaire des dépenses (B), 2019-2020

Fact Sheet / Fiche d’information previously, could be perceived as partisan. The video therefore posed an unacceptable risk to the agency’s core pillars of non-partisanship and neutrality, and the Chief Electoral Officer decided to remove it from the pre-election campaign.

The names of the participating influencers were made public on June 20, 2019: Ashley Callingbull, Andre De Grasse, Mitch Hughes, Katherine Levac, Elle Mills, Maripier Morin, Alex Nevski, Penny Oleksiak, Max Parrot, Thang Phung, Lilly Singh and Maayan Ziv.

After the initiative was cancelled, Elections Canada was able to recover over $200,000 of the project’s initial costs bringing the net cost to approximately $430,000 ($328,526 for influencer fees / $102,966 for production costs).

Refer to - MPQ-122

Written Question Q-122

Q-122 — Mr. Chong (Wellington—Halton Hills) — With regard to social media “influencers” who have been selected to be paid by Elections Canada in relation to the 2019 election: (a) who are all of the “influencers”; (b) what are the details of each “influencer”, including platforms and “handles”; (c) why was each “influencer” chosen by Elections Canada; and (d) how much remuneration has Elections Canada agreed to pay each “influencer”, broken down by “influencer”?

Response:

As an independent, non-partisan agent of Parliament, Elections Canada’s mandate includes making sure all eligible electors have the information they need to register and vote. As such, we conduct Voter Information Campaigns to provide Canadians with all the information they need on when, where and ways to register and vote in a general election.

The Voter Information Campaign primarily targets the general population, as well as groups who face higher-than-average barriers to participating in elections: youth, new Canadian citizens, Indigenous and electors with disabilities.

The Campaign is complemented by the Community Relations Officer Program, the purpose of which is to increase awareness during the election period of when, where and ways to register and vote among target groups of electors who historically face barriers to the registration and voting process. These groups include Indigenous, youth, homeless electors, electors with disabilities, senior electors living in long-term care facilities, electors who are part of official language minority and ethno-cultural groups.

For the first time in 2019, Elections Canada conducted a pre-election phase of the campaign, which ended once the election was called. The pre-writ campaign was delivered through digital platforms and focused on ways to participate in the federal election, including working an election and registering to vote.

While the objective was to reach all Canadian electors, some initiatives targeted specific segments of the voting population with particular needs and lower registration rates. Influencer campaigns are an effective way to reach younger and niche audiences and have been well-received when used in other electoral jurisdictions, including Canadian provinces and other countries.

Elections Canada decided to include a video featuring social media influencers in its pre-election campaign to raise awareness about the benefits of registration ahead of the writ period. Precautions were taken to mitigate risks associated to this type of initiative and ensure non-partisanship. The agency presented an overview of its planned voter outreach initiatives at its February 2019 meeting with the Advisory Committee of Political Parties and no concerns were raised.

As announced in Elections Canada’s June 20, 2019 news release, the launch of the pre-election Voter Information Campaign did not include the planned 60-second video featuring 13 Canadian influencers.

Final vetting of the 13 proposed influencers revealed some past activities that could be perceived as partisan. The Chief Electoral Officer therefore cancelled the video because the potential perception of partisanship would be an unacceptable threat to Elections Canada’s neutrality.

Selection criteria for influencers included: their eligibility to vote (Canadian citizens 18 years or older); their non-partisan status; their social media reach; and their availability.

The names of the participating influencers were made public on June 20, 2019. They can be found below with information about their social media platforms and handles.

In response to part (d), negotiations and contracts with influencers were undertaken through a third party. Further to subsection 20(1) of the Access to Information Act trade secrets, confidential financial and commercial information of a third party cannot be revealed.

After the initiative was cancelled, Elections Canada was able to recover over $200,000 of the project’s initial costs due to the fact that Elections Canada’s Agency of Record waived its fees, and through other cost measures, bringing the net cost to approximately $430,000.

Influencer Name Influencer Platform and Handle Information

Ashley Callingbull https://www.instagram.com/ashleycallingbull/ www.facebook.com/ashleycallingbullofficial https://twitter.com/AshCallingbull

Andre De Grasse https://www.instagram.com/de6rasse/ https://twitter.com/de6rasse https://www.facebook.com/andredegrasse1/

Mitch Hughes https://www.instagram.com/bajancanadian/ https://twitter.com/Bajan_Canadian https://www.facebook.com/TheBajanCanadian/

Katherine Levac https://www.instagram.com/katherine_levac/ https://twitter.com/katelevac https://www.facebook.com/katherinelevac11/

Elle Mills https://www.instagram.com/elle.mills/ www.youtube.com/user/ElleOfTheMills https://twitter.com/millselle?lang=en https://www.facebook.com/elleofthemills/

Maripier Morin https://www.instagram.com/maripiermorin/ www.facebook.com/Maripier-Morin https://twitter.com/maripiermorin https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC55eBFN1sYQdwln9c7bA1uQ/about Alex Nevsky https://www.instagram.com/alex_nevsky_/ https://twitter.com/alex_nevsky_ https://www.facebook.com/AlexNevskyOfficiel/

Penny Oleksiak https://www.instagram.com/typicalpen/ https://twitter.com/OleksiakPenny

Nicolas Ouellet https://www.instagram.com/nicolasouellet/ https://www.facebook.com/nicolasouellet https://twitter.com/NicolasOuellet

Max Parrot https://www.instagram.com/maxparrot/ https://www.facebook.com/MaxenceParrot/ https://twitter.com/MaxParrot https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4vR3xW7XtQp-nnKbmG8oLg

Thanh Phung https://www.instagram.com/loveandsundays/

Lilly Singh https://www.instagram.com/iisuperwomanii/ https://www.facebook.com/IISuperwomanII/ https://twitter.com/IISuperwomanII https://www.youtube.com/user/IISuperwomanII

Maayan Ziv https://www.instagram.com/maayanziv_/ https://www.facebook.com/MaayanZivPhotography/ https://twitter.com/maayanziv

CEO’s Appearance on Supplementary Estimates (B) 2019- 2020 / Comparution du DGE sur le Budget supplémentaire des dépenses (B) 2019-2020

Fact Sheet / Fiche d’information

Subject / Sujet : Comparison of costs of Elections Canada Voter Information Campaign and Australian campaign Key Message / Message clé

• Elections Canada conducts a Voter Information Campaign before and during federal elections to provide Canadians with all the information they need on when, where and ways to register and vote in a federal election.

• In the current environment, our goal was to be visible and ensure Canadians knew to turn to Elections Canada for reliable information on the electoral process.

• I am confident that Elections Canada ran an effective communications campaign based on comparison with other comparable jurisdictions.

Facts / Faits

• The multimedia Voter Information Campaign aimed to inform Canadians on where, when and ways to register and vote during the election period. Elections Canada also conducted a pre-electoral campaign focussing on registration.

• The Australian Electoral Commission delivered a similar campaign to inform electors on the mechanics of voting but also played a motivational role. Their tag line was “Your vote will help shape Australia”.

• Registered electors o 27 million Canadians / approximately 20 million dollars o 16.5 million Australians / (Information removed pursuant to Access to Information Act)

Elections Canada Australian Electoral Commission Media buy (placements) $12,225,000 for 36-day campaign Information removed pursuant to Media planning, negotiations and $775,000 Access to Information Act trafficking fees Advertising creative (including $3,300,000 For more information on the cost developing material and ads in of the Australian Electoral various languages) Commission's advertising Media and public relations - Internal resources campaign, please see: mostly social media monitoring https://www.finance.gov.au/publi Publication $3,696,000 (12 pages - 6 FR/6 cations/reports/campaign- Guide to the election EN - distributed to households) advertising-australian- Research – Evaluations $486,000 government-departments- agencies-report-2018-19 TOTAL $20,482,000

• Reaching groups facing barriers is important for both institutions. Communications products are available in several languages and in various formats such as braille, Daisy and large print.

• Both institutions partnered with social media platforms to tackle disinformation and increase visibility in regards to registration and election day.

* All amounts are in CAN $, without taxes and rounded. March 5, 2020 – Conversion rate. CEO’s Appearance on Supplementary Estimates (B), 2019–20 / Comparution du DGE sur Budget supplémentaire des dépenses (B), 2019-2020

Fact Sheet / Fiche d’information

Security of IT Equipment Key Message / Message clé

• EC relies on the expertise of its federal security partners, in particular the CSE, to purchase IT equipment or hardware that meet the GoC security requirements.

Facts / Faits

• As part of the procurement process, equipment is purchased from established lists or vetted through a supply chain integrity process.

• The same rules apply to all vendors and equipment regardless of provenance.

• Elections Canada makes no determination about specific vendors.

CEO’s Appearance on Supplementary Estimates (B), 2019–20 / Comparution du DGE sur Budget supplémentaire des dépenses (B), 2019-2020

Fact Sheet / Fiche d’information

Subject / Sujet: COVID-19 and EC Preparedness Key Message / Message clé • We are closely monitoring the situation • As this time, the Public Health Agency of Canada assesses the public health risk associated with COVID-19 as low for Canada. • The health of our personnel and of voters are priorities • EC is part of the public service-wide effort to address the potential impacts of COVID-19 • We are following and will continue to follow the advice of public health officials to maintain our ability to administer elections • Based on this advice: o We have assembled an internal task force o We have joined the GoC Governance and planning efforts o We are reviewing our Business continuity plans and will be conducting various planning exercises • EC has a long history of conducting elections under difficult operating scenarios. • This is another scenario for which we need to prepare.

Facts / Faits

• The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has assessed the public health risk associated with COVID-19 as low for Canada. • As of March 2, 2020, 27 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Canada. • There are no sign of cluster or community transmission in Canada at this time • The virus is spread from an infected person through: o respiratory droplets generated when you cough or sneeze o close, prolonged personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands o touching something with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose or eyes before washing your hands • There are currently no vaccines available to protect against human coronavirus infection. • Most people with mild coronavirus illness will recover on their own • Efforts by Canada and other countries are focused on containing the virus from further spreading.

CEO’s Appearance on the Supplementary Estimates B 2019-20: Election Related Statistics Post-Election Statistics Election Administration and Preparation (Preliminary for 2019)

Political Financing Audit National Register of Electors 68.3% Spending Limits ($ maximum) 67.0% (As of March 9, 2020) 2019 2015 2019 2015 Returns received* (all candidates) 1,161/54% 18,350,359 Voter Turnout 17,711,983 Currency 89.9% 84.2% Returns received (MPs only) 174/52% 2019 2015 Total ballots Total ballots Coverage 96.4% 92.7% Parties 29,060,308.97 54,936,320.15 2019 2015 Incomplete submission or in process 244/11% Accuracy 93.3% 90.9% (Preliminary lists of electors for 2019) Candidates 145,436.06 279,227.99 CEO’s approved extensions (all) 911 Advance Polling Polling Day CEO’s approved extensions (MPs only) 191 Driver’s licence & Register of Electors’ address accuracy Returns not yet submitted and 140 (No MPs) comparison, as of April 2018 4.8M 3.7M 12.8M 13.4M no extension request 2019 2015 2019 2015 DRV = 85% NRoE = 90.5% *Candidate returns were due on February 21, 2020, with possibility of extension.

Retention and Recruitment of Election Workers Accessible Polling Places Delivery of Voter Information Cards SVR Total Ballots Cast by Group 2019 2015 2019 2015 2019 2015 Group 1 Polling day workers hired 213,773 204,434 94% 96% VICs mailed 26.2M 25.3M Canadian Forces 18,849 29,247 2019 2015 Incarcerated 16,372 22,362 Office Staff hired 17,826 17,392 Revised VICs issued 209K 300K International 34,144 11,001 Total number of Total number of Total number of election workers paid 231,599 221,826 polling places: polling places: VICs to newly registered/corrected 1.1M 715K Total 69,365 62,610 16,071 15,500 Group 2 Number of trainees who did not work 10,016 2,780 Local 397,121 429,241 Number that met Number that met 15 accessibility 15 accessibility Candidates National 193,535 126,950 criteria: criteria: Total 590,656 556,191 15,169 14,880 2,146 1,792 Community Relations Officers (CROs), Indigenous Elders and 2019 2015 Youth 2019 2015 CROs Communication with the Public Youth 437 230 Ethnocultural* 218 132 Indigenous 231 169 Complaints during the GE EC’s Digital Footprint Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement Homeless 111 117 2019 2015 2019 2015 Seniors 394 314 121 316,935 Facebook followers 67K 24K contracts and resources Accessibility 138 233 Overall 11,100 17,000 Twitter followers 27K 15K informal distributed Total 1,529 1,195 Accessibility 2,400 3,085 agreements Aboriginal Elder and Youth Program Official languages (OCOL only) 115 25 YouTube views 9.6M 700K Elders 40 151 Website visits 16.4M 16M Youth 13 134 Official languages (OCOL & other 233 134 51 195 Total 53 285 channels) stakeholder community (As of January 8, 2020 for the 2019 GE) events outreach *Includes CROs for official language minority and Jewish communities events

Distance to polling sites comparison at the 95th percentile

Media Relations ans Issues Management, PPA Relations avec les médias et gestion des enjeux, PAP

MEDIA LINES / INFOCAPSULES

Subject: National Register of Electors/ 2019 Voter Qualification / Potential Non-citizens on the Register

Date: February 17, 2020

Issue Potential non-citizens on the National Register of Electors / Suspected cases of non-citizens voting

Key messages

• In Canada, a national ID card or a universally held document for Canadian citizens does not exist. There is also no pre-existing list of Canadian citizens that Elections Canada could cross-reference its data with. • The Canada Elections Act does not require electors to provide proof of citizenship to register or vote, similarly to countries such as US, NZ and UK. It instead relies on legal declarations that are backed up by penalties for falsely stating one’s qualification to vote. • A citizenship declaration has been made, at one point or other, for all individuals registered in the National Register of Electors. • Elections Canada is conducting a thorough review to identify any potential violations of the Canada Elections Act, including instances of possible non-citizens voting at the 2019 federal election. • Based on this initial assessment, Elections Canada has no evidence to suggest that the outcomes in any ridings would have been affected by instances of non-citizens voting in the 2019 federal election. • If evidence is found of a possible offence under the Canada Elections Act, the case will be referred to the Commissioner of Canada Elections (CCE).

Background

Elections Canada continually updates the National Register of Electors, a permanent database of Canadians who are qualified to vote in federal general elections, by-elections and referendums. Elections Canada uses the information in this Register to create lists of electors (voters lists) during federal general elections, by-elections and referendums. To vote in a federal election, an elector must first be registered. They can register either online or by paper form, or at the polls, and must confirm that they:

• will be 18 or older on election day • have Canadian Citizenship

As a part of its ongoing efforts to ensure the National Register of Electors is as accurate as possible, Elections Canada sends different types of letters, including:

• verification letters, sent to electors who are on the Register, but whose records have not been updated over the years. • qualification letters, sent to identified potential non-citizens. • registration letters, sent to potential new eligible electors who are not registered.

Page 1 Media Relations ans Issues Management, PPA Relations avec les médias et gestion des enjeux, PAP

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Elections Canada’s work ahead of the 43rd general election

• Ahead of the 2019 federal election, Elections Canada worked to ensure that only the names of Canadian citizens appeared on the Register. This was done by cross-referencing Elections Canada’s existing data sources with new data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. • Most cases of non-citizens added to the Register occurred when information, including attestations of Canadian citizenship, was captured by one of Elections Canada’s data sources. • Using the data provided by IRCC for the first time in April 2019, Elections Canada initially identified approximately 103,000 potential non-citizens in the Register. This number subsequently increased to 112,000 following further analysis. Based on revised data provided by IRCC, the number was corrected again to 85,000. • In June 2019, Elections Canada sent voter qualification letters to those people whose names appeared in the Register and who had been identified in IRCC data as potential non-citizens, to ask them to confirm that they were Canadian citizens aged 18 or over. Following Elections Canada’s voter qualification mail-out, it became evident that some eligible voters had been mistakenly identified as potential non-citizens. • As a result, approximately 74,000 non-citizens were removed. Others have confirmed to Elections Canada that they were Canadian citizens.

Analysis process

• Elections Canada’s review process starts with an examination of all the data collected during the election. This is a computerized exercise that casts a wide net around any “data anomalies” pointing to unqualified voting. It involves, among other things, comparing voters’ records with IRCC’s most recent lists of permanent residents and foreign nationals. • Elections Canada is then able, through a thorough paper trail system, to identify each potential case and reassemble all related documents linked to a particular file. Those steps are important to ensure all relevant information is reviewed. • Every potential case is unique and has its own paper trail. Each case must therefore be verified separately, following a rigorous tracking process to be applied when opening sealed poll bags containing election materials from the location where the individual voted. Only officials authorized by the Chief Electoral Officer may open the poll bags and handle election documents. • Copies of all supporting documentation gathered through this due diligence process are then transmitted to Elections Canada’s Electoral Integrity Office for further verification before being sent to the CCE. For legal purposes, all documents are replaced in their original location in the file, without exception, before re-sealing the poll bag. • Identified potential cases are then sent to the CCE and investigated independently from Elections Canada. • The timeframe required to complete this process is undefined, as it depends on the nature and amount of verifications to be done in each case.

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• As the work is ongoing, Elections Canada cannot speak to the number of cases that may be referred to the CCE.

About the National Register of Electors

• Elections Canada continually updates the Register, using more than 40 data sources, and steps up its efforts in preparation for elections to ensure the voters lists are accurate and complete. • The effort to maintain the Register presents a complex challenge. The Register constantly changes along with the Canadian population. EC manages 500 million records every year. Among 27.2 million eligible electors, each year some 2.9 million Canadians move, 100,000 become citizens, 400,000 turn 18, and 300,000 pass away. • Elections Canada continuously looks for ways to increase the Register’s accuracy. • Elections Canada strives to keep the information in the Register accurate and up-to-date, and takes precautions to ensure it is kept secure and used for authorized purposes only.

Requirement to have Canadian Citizenship to vote

It is illegal under the Canada Elections Act for a non-citizen to vote, or to apply to register to vote, knowing they are not qualified to do so. It is also illegal for a person to request the addition of another person to the Register knowing that the other person is not qualified as an elector.

To ensure that people understand the legal requirements to register and vote, Elections Canada outlines the eligibility criteria in several places. For example:

• Different types of letters mailed periodically to potential electors, current electors and potential non-citizens • Voter registration request forms • The Voter Information Card, mailed to registered electors three weeks before election day • The reminder brochure, mailed to every household in the country two weeks before election day • A poster in every voting place • Elections Canada’s website, including our Online Voter Registration Service • Other Elections Canada information products and outreach activities, such as pamphlets and presentations

Allowing the sharing of non-citizen data by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)

There is no pre-existing list of Canadian citizens that Elections Canada could cross-reference its data with, nor is there the equivalent of a citizenship card used by all Canadians.

Elections Canada had been asking for data from IRCC for nearly a decade, but lacked the legislative authority to get it.

Page 3 Media Relations ans Issues Management, PPA Relations avec les médias et gestion des enjeux, PAP

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Following the 42nd general election, in 2015, the Chief Electoral Officer recommended to Parliament to grant authority to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to share data about non-citizens (permanent residents and foreign nationals) with Elections Canada to improve the accuracy of the information contained in the National Register of Electors.

This recommendation was integrated as one of the measures in Bill C-76, known as the Elections Modernization Act, that received Royal Assent on December 13, 2018 and was brought into force on January 19, 2019. The Chief Electoral Officer brought this new provision into force early to allow time for Elections Canada to receive and analyze this information and remove any potential non-citizens from the Register in time for the 43rd general election, in 2019.

Having this non-citizen data allows Elections Canada to identify and remove these individuals from the Register on an ongoing basis. Elections Canada can also compare the IRCC data with data from other sources to confirm the accuracy of the entries in the Register.

References Description of the National Register of Electors FAQs on registration FAQs on the Online Voting Registration Service FAQs on Qualification Mailing

Most recently verified (date): 17-02-2020 Next updated scheduled for (date): Originally approved (date): 28-05-2019 Updated (date/s): 17-02-2020 Prepared by: Karo Séguin, Senior Communications Advisor, Policy and Public Affairs Emilie Jadot, Communications Officer, Policy and Public Affairs

In consultation with: Nick Gamache, Senior Advisor, Media Relations and Issues Management Daniel Larrivée, Director, Data Analysis and Quality Duncan Toswell, Senior Director, Electoral Data Management and Readiness Jane Dunlop, Senior Director, Electoral Integrity and Internal Audit Robert Sampson, Counsel, Legal Services For approval by: Michel Roussel, DCEO, Electoral Events and Innovation Susan Torosian, Executive Director, Policy and Public Affairs Anne Lawson, DCEO, Regulatory Affairs Stéphane Perrault, Chief Electoral Officer

Page 4

Q-2499 — May 3, 2019 — Mr. Richards (Banff—Airdrie) — With regard to the approximately 103,000 non-citizens who were found to be on the National Register of Electors illegally: (a) how many voted in the 42nd General Election in 2015; (b) how many voted in each of the 338 Electoral Districts in the 42nd General Election in 2015; (c) how many voted in any Federal by-election held since October 20, 2015; and (d) what is the breakdown of (c), by each riding where a by-election has been held?

Response to Order Paper Q-2499

The National Register of Electors (the Register) is a permanent, continually-updated database of Canadians who are qualified to vote. Elections Canada uses the information in the Register to create lists of electors at the beginning of federal general elections, by-elections and referendums. It is illegal under the Canada Elections Act for a non-citizen to vote, or to apply to register to vote, knowing they are not qualified to do so. It is also illegal for a person to request the addition of another person to the Register knowing that the other person is not qualified as an elector.

With the enactment of Bill C-76, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is now authorized to share with Elections Canada information in IRCC databases on permanent residents and foreign nationals. Accordingly, in April 2019, IRCC provided this information to Elections Canada for the first time. With this information, Elections Canada was able to initially identify approximately 103,000 non-citizens in the Register (this number subsequently increased to 112,0001 following further analysis). In accordance with the Canada Elections Act, Elections Canada is taking steps to remove these names in advance of the 2019 general election.

For the 2015 general election (and for the subsequent eighteen by-elections), Elections Canada has immediate access to information regarding only electors who voted at advance poll, those who voted by special ballot, and those who registered to vote on polling day. The work has begun to identify which of these voters appear on the IRCC data file. However, given the sensitive and complex nature of this work, it will take time to complete the data analysis and to validate the findings to be sure they are thorough and accurate. Once this work is completed, any instances of non-citizens who may have committed an offence by knowingly voting in the general election will be referred to the Commissioner of Canada Elections, who may choose to investigate further.

It is important to note, however, that Elections Canada has access in digital format to approximately 30 per cent of all votes cast. A complete review of the voting records would require Elections Canada to open more than 68,000 poll bags from the 2015 general election alone. This would be a massive undertaking at a time when the agency is focusing on the delivery of the 2019 general election.

In the future, with changes to the Canada Elections Act resulting from Bill C-76, the comprehensive Statement of Electors who Voted will be available in electronic format to Elections Canada, allowing the agency to conduct post-election reviews of voter records and to cross-reference this information with the data on permanent residents and foreign nationals that will be provided annually by IRCC to Elections Canada. In this way, it will be possible to identify any non-citizens who may have voted and to refer this information to the Commissioner of Canada Elections.

1 This updated number was determined after refining the initial estimates; in early May 2019 the Chief Electoral Officer’s preliminary figures of approximately 100,000 and 103,000 were based on the best information available at that time, as work was still underway. Q-2470 — May 1, 2019 — Ms. Raitt (Milton) — With regard to the 2016 compliance agreement signed by SNC-Lavalin and Elections Canada: has Elections Canada received any communication from the government, including from any minister’s office, about SNC-Lavalin since November 4, 2015, and, if so, what are the details of all communication, including (i) date, (ii) sender, (iii) recipient, (iv) form (email, letter, telephone, etc.), (v) subject matter, (vi) summary of contents?

Response to Order Paper Q-2470

The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada has not received any communication from the government, including from any minister’s office, about the 2016 compliance agreement signed by SNC- Lavalin Group Inc. and the Commissioner of Canada Elections (CCE).

The CCE is responsible to ensure that the Canada Elections Act and the Referendum Act are complied with and enforced, including the negotiation of compliance agreements. In the exercise of that role he acts independently of the Chief Electoral Officer.

Registration of Expat Electors 43rd General Election

Top 25 EDs - 43rd Ex-Pat Registrations Electoral District Registrations Percentage of total 35075 (Ottawa Centre) 1165 2.07% 35110 (University--Rosedale) 1124 2.00% 35078 (Ottawa--Vanier) 951 1.69% 35101 (Spadina--Fort York) 935 1.66% 59039 (Vancouver Quadra) 913 1.62% 59034 (Vancouver Centre) 898 1.60% 59036 (Vancouver Granville) 832 1.48% 35108 (Toronto Centre) 751 1.34% 24077 (Ville-Marie--Le Sud-Ouest--Île-des-Soeurs) 725 1.29% 35090 (Toronto--St. Paul's) 681 1.21% 48004 (Calgary Centre) 640 1.14% 24054 (Outremont) 630 1.12% 24039 (Laurier--Sainte-Marie) 628 1.12% 24053 (Notre-Dame-de-Grâce--Westmount) 624 1.11% 48005 (Calgary Confederation) 574 1.02% 35024 (Eglinton--Lawrence) 567 1.01% 35021 (Don Valley West) 550 0.98% 59041 (Victoria) 543 0.97% 35081 (Parkdale--High Park) 526 0.94% 59035 (Vancouver East) 523 0.93% 35115 (Willowdale) 495 0.88% 35077 (Ottawa South) 483 0.86% 35112 (Waterloo) 481 0.86% 35109 (Toronto--Danforth) 445 0.79% 35079 (Ottawa West--Nepean) 444 0.79% Total (Top 25) 17128 30.45% Grand Total (All Apps) 56247 100.00%

Registration of Expat Electors 43rd General Election

Top 25 Destination Countries and Territories of International Mail-In Ballots 43rd GE - Ex-Pat Registrations Country or Territory Registrations Percentage of total United States (États-Unis d'Amérique) 24344 43.28% United Kingdom (Royaume-Uni) 5778 10.27% China - Hong Kong (Chine - Hong-Kong) 2947 5.24% Australia (Australie) 2536 4.51% Germany (Allemagne) 2156 3.83% France (France) 1994 3.55% Switzerland (Suisse) 1195 2.12% Canadian Diplomatic and Military Mailing Services (Services de courrier diplomatique et militaire du Canada) 1143 2.03% Netherlands (Pays-Bas) 971 1.73% Japan (Japon) 836 1.49% China (Chine) 816 1.45% United Arab Emirates (Émirats arabes unis) 789 1.40% New Zealand (Nouvelle-Zélande) 729 1.30% Sweden (Suède) 585 1.04% England (Angleterre) 549 0.98% Spain (Espagne) 474 0.84% Belgium (Belgique) 446 0.79% Ireland (Irlande) 413 0.73% Singapore (Singapour) 406 0.72% South Korea (Corée du Sud) 382 0.68% Israel (Israël) 330 0.59% Italy (Italie) 318 0.57% Mexico (Mexique) 309 0.55% Denmark (Danemark) 305 0.54% Norway (Norvège) 276 0.49% Total (Top 25) 51027 90.72% Grand Total (All Apps) 56247 100.00%

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Statements and Speeches: Commissioner of Canada Elections

Enforcement of the third-party regime by the Commissioner of Canada Elections In the interest of maintaining public confidence in the integrity of the Canada Elections Act’s (the Act) compliance and enforcement regime, the Commissioner of Canada Elections (CCE) offers the following clarifications.

The mandate of the CCE is to ensure compliance with, and enforcement of, the Act. The CCE may only investigate those matters within his mandate and does so in a manner that is completely independent from any and all elected officials, political staff and public servants, including the Chief Electoral Officer. The decision as to how a particular situation should be handled is ours and ours alone.

Falling within the CCE’s jurisdiction are a series of rules that apply to individuals or organizations (other than regulated entities such as candidates and political parties) that get involved in electoral campaigns by incurring expenses to promote or oppose candidates or political parties. They are referred to in the Act as “third parties”. A critical purpose of the rules applying to third parties is to ensure transparency by providing Canadians with access to information about who is trying to influence their vote. By law, individuals or organizations must register with Elections Canada when they have incurred expenses of $500 or more on certain activities to promote or oppose parties or candidates, including by “election advertising”, a concept defined at section 2 (https://laws-

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lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/E-2.01/page-1.html#h-203474) of the Act. They must also file reports after they have registered. These reports are publicly accessible on Elections Canada’s website.

The third-party regime does not regulate the content of election advertising. In other words, once the $500 threshold has been met, the regime applies, regardless of the message conveyed to electors.

It is a regular occurrence, over the course of an election campaign, for the CCE to receive complaints regarding allegations of a third party’s failure to register with Elections Canada. If there are reasonable grounds to suspect that a violation may have taken place, a review is conducted, which may lead to an investigation.

Of note:

• We conduct our investigations in private and CCE personnel are subject to strict confidentiality provisions that prevent us from disclosing information including the name of the complainant, the person whose conduct is being investigated or any witness. • As a matter of course, we invite the subject of an investigation to provide us with their side of the story. Their participation is entirely voluntary and we cannot and do not force them to attend an interview or to otherwise assist with the investigation. • If they agree to be interviewed, they are advised of the nature of the allegation and are invited to provide the CCE with any relevant information they may have. Individuals may be accompanied by counsel and may put an end to the interview at any time. • If, at the conclusion of an investigation, the CCE finds that no violation has been committed the file will be closed. Conversely, in the event that the CCE finds that a violation has occurred, there are a range of compliance and enforcement actions that can be taken, including compliance agreements, charges, and administrative monetary penalties (which may be challenged before the Federal Court).

Freedom of expression and freedom of the press are highly valued and protected in Canada. This is especially true during an election period. All Canadians are free to support or oppose any candidate, party or leader and can express their views in a variety of ways, including by making comments on social media, in newspapers or in books. However, if in expressing their views, they engage in regulated activities, including election advertising as defined in the Act, and spend $500 or more, then they must comply with the registration and reporting requirements of the third-party regime.

Date modified:

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Table of Contents

Message from the Chief Electoral Officer ...... 1 Plans at a glance ...... 3 Planned results and resources ...... 5 Core responsibility: Electoral Administration and Oversight ...... 5 Core responsibility: Electoral Compliance and Enforcement ...... 12 Internal Services: planned results and resources ...... 15 Spending and human resources ...... 17 Financial framework ...... 17 Planned spending ...... 18 Planned human resources ...... 20 Estimates by vote ...... 22 Condensed future-oriented statement of operations ...... 22 Corporate Information ...... 23 Reporting Framework ...... 25 Supporting Information on the Program Inventory ...... 27 Supplementary Information Tables...... 27 Federal Tax Expenditures ...... 27 Organizational Contact Information ...... 28 Appendix: Definitions ...... 29 Endnotes ...... 33

2020–21 Departmental Plan

Message from the Chief Electoral Officer

It is my pleasure to present my Office’s 2020–21 Departmental Plan, which outlines our priorities for the year of Elections Canada’s centennial anniversary.

In October 2019, we delivered Canada’s 43rd general election, having implemented the legislative changes introduced in the previous year. As the general election resulted in a minority Parliament, our immediate priority has been to ensure that the agency is positioned to deliver an election that may occur at any time.

A national election is a major event and every election presents its unique challenges and opportunities for improvement. As Stéphane Perrault Chief Electoral Officer of Canada we are completing the closeout activities, we are also taking time to assess our performance and are engaging electors, political entities and our personnel on the improvements that could be made to the administration of the electoral process, as well as to the legislative framework governing elections. This will be reflected in three distinct reports that will be presented to Parliament, including a retrospective report and a recommendations report that will be made public in the fall of 2020, and will inform our services and programs in the longer term.

We are also launching Election Canada’s 2020–28 Strategic Plan, which will guide the agency over the remaining eight years of my mandate. The Plan reflects our values as an agency and our commitments to serving Canada’s electoral democracy.

The 2020–21 Departmental Plan provides Canadians with information about the work of Elections Canada and the Commissioner of Canada Elections for this fiscal year.

Stéphane Perrault Chief Electoral Officer of Canada

Office of the Chief Electoral Officer 1

2020–21 Departmental Plan Plans at a glance

In March 2020, Elections Canada will finalize its new Strategic Plan, which will guide the organization’s activities over the next eight years as it delivers an electoral democracy that serves all Canadians and that Canadians trust. To achieve this vision, the agency will focus on the priorities within four commitments to maximize the impact of its efforts.

During the 2020–21 fiscal year, Elections Canada will continue to wrap up the analysis of the 43rd general election while also looking towards the next election. This includes seeing that the independent audit of poll worker performance during the election is completed and published and that the audit of financial returns of political entities has begun. Preparations for the 44th general election include refining the data, tools, processes, and systems used during the last election. While the date of the next general election is unknown, Elections Canada will remain ready to successfully deliver it, whenever it is called.

On July 1, 2020, Elections Canada will celebrate its 100th anniversary. It will mark its centennial year with various activities and events throughout 2020–21 that support electoral democracy and highlight the electoral process in Canada.

In the fall, a detailed retrospective report on the 43rd general election— informed by post-election reviews, public opinion research, and stakeholder and voter feedback — will be submitted to Parliament. That report will be followed by another that recommends legislative changes to improve the administration of the Canada Elections Acti and includes recommendations from the Commissioner of Canada Elections to improve the compliance and enforcement regime of the Act.

For more information on Elections Canada’s plans, priorities, and planned results, see the “Planned Results and Resources” section of this report.

Office of the Chief Electoral Officer 3

2020–21 Departmental Plan

Planned results and resources Core responsibility: Electoral Administration and Oversight

Elections Canada is the independent and non-partisan agency responsible for the electoral administration and oversight of federal elections and referendums. It is headed by the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada.

Description Elections Canada’s core responsibility is to prepare for, deliver, and report on federal elections and referendums in accordance with the legislative framework, while ensuring integrity throughout the electoral process.

Planning highlights In 2020–21, the agency will continue to improve its services, so that Canadians can exercise their democratic rights to vote and to be a candidate in a fair, secure, and transparent electoral process. In doing so, a number of key initiatives will guide Elections Canada, most notably the implementation of its new Strategic Plan.

Looking ahead to the next election

In 2020–21, Elections Canada will focus on the initiatives required to be prepared for a general election or for any by-elections. Being ready for such elections is an integral part of the agency’s mandate. At no time is this more essential than in the period following a general election that results in a minority government. The following initiatives will support Elections Canada’s mandate:

 Elections Canada will prepare for the delivery of the next general election in order to give Canadians the opportunity to exercise their democratic rights to vote and to be a candidate as soon as the 43rd general election is closed. This will involve fine-tuning systems, procedures and products and supporting returning officers as they begin the preparatory tasks to ensure optimal operations at the call of the election.

 As part of these preparations, Elections Canada will review and refine its polling station operations and staffing models to ensure they meet the requirements of voters and the Canada Elections Act.ii Recent changes to the Act provide the organization with greater flexibility to meet the needs of Canadians at polling stations across the country. As part of its review, Elections Canada will be looking

Office of the Chief Electoral Officer 5 2020–21 Departmental Plan

for opportunities to streamline the registration and voting procedures.

 The agency will work on the next Voter Information Campaign. Elections Canada’s mandate includes ensuring that all eligible electors have the information they need to register and vote. As with the previous general election, the multimedia information campaign will include a secure website, messages delivered through Elections Canada’s social media channels, shareable digital information products and educational videos along with a national advertising campaign. This will ensure that electors have access to all the facts they need about when, where, and the ways to register and vote.

 In 2020–21, Elections Canada will be proposing amendments to the Federal Elections Fees Tariff of the Canada Elections Act.iii This tariff sets the fees, costs, allowances, and expenses to be paid to an election officer and any other person employed at, or in relation to, an election to ensure they are compensated fairly for their work. These amendments will ensure that the tariff reflects the evolution of the functions at the polls.

 The agency will continue to maintain the National Register of Electors by refining its processes and collaborating with various electoral management bodies and other key partners. The Register is a permanent, continually updated database of Canadians who are eligible to vote in federal elections and referendums. The agency’s goal is to have elector information that is as current and accurate as possible in advance of an election.

In addition to preparing for the next election, the agency will focus on close-out activities from the last election as well as the following initiatives and activities to support programs and services that enable Canadians to vote and to be a candidate:

 To further improve the accuracy of elector and address information on the National Register of Electors, Elections Canada will continue to deepen its cooperative relationships with federal agencies, such as Statistics Canada and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, and with provincial and territorial electoral management bodies.

 The agency will also continue to implement the Register of Future Electors to enable youth to pre-register, thereby simplifying the process to include youth in the Register when they turn 18. In the longer term, pre-registration should increase the accuracy and coverage in the National Register of Electors of Canadians in the

6 Core responsibilities: planned results and resources 2020–21 Departmental Plan

18–34 age group, where the gap between the estimated number of electors and that of registered electors is the largest.

Planned Results

Departmental Departmental result Target Actual result result indicator

Percentage of electors included 2018–19: 94% At least 94% by in the National Register of 2017–18: 92% March 2020 Electors 2016–17: 91%

Percentage of polling stations 2018–19: 97% that meet Elections Canada’s 100% by March 2020 2017–18: 99% key accessibility criteria 2016–17: 98%

Percentage of electors’ residences that are within 12 2018–19: 94% At least 95% by kilometres of their assigned 2017–18: Not available March 2020 polling place on advance polling 2016–17: Not available Canadians can days exercise their democratic rights to Percentage of electors’ vote and to be a 2018–19: 93.6% residences that are within 6 At least 95% by candidate 2017–18: Not available kilometres of their assigned March 2020 2016–17: Not available polling place on polling day

Number of electors who 2018–19: Not available attended the Inspire Democracy 30 by March 2021 2017–18: Not available workshop on becoming a candidate 2016–17: Not available

Percentage of candidates who 2018–19: Not available are satisfied with the services 85% by March 2021 2017–18: Not available and products provided by 2016–17: Not available Elections Canada

Percentage of electors who are 2018–19: 86% At least 90% by aware of the main voting 2017–18: Not available Canadians receive March 2020 methods 2016–17: Not available electoral information and services that Percentage of electors who are meet their needs 2018–19: Not available satisfied with the information 80% by March 2020 2017–18: Not available provided by Elections Canada 2016–17: Not available

Financial, human resources, and performance information for the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.iv

Office of the Chief Electoral Officer 7 2020–21 Departmental Plan

Operating in a complex electoral environment

The electoral process is protected by many safeguards to ensure the security and integrity of federal elections. Elections Canada pays close attention to its environment and will adapt to new and emerging threats. The following initiatives support security and integrity within the electoral process:

 The agency will safeguard the security and integrity of the electoral process by maintaining partnerships with lead security agencies to protect the agency’s digital assets and monitor the information environment for threats and incidents that could affect the administration of the election. Elections Canada will remain well-positioned to anticipate, detect, and respond to emerging security concerns related to the administration of elections by strengthening the agency’s cyber-security posture.

 The agency will continue modernizing its data collection and management methods for updating the voters’ lists of the National Register of Electors and the Register of Future Electors to improve the accuracy of the lists.

In addition to protecting the integrity of the next election, the agency will also focus on the following initiatives and activities to inform Canadians and maintain trust in the electoral process:

 The agency will undertake its post-election audits of the financial returns of candidates, political parties, and third parties who participated in the 2019 general election to support transparency and fairness in the electoral process. The audit of candidate returns will be completed within 12 months of the filing deadline. In conducting the audits, the agency will implement risk-based audit programs for all three political entities.

 The agency will also continue to oversee the mandatory audits of poll officials at any general election or by-election called in the fiscal year to monitor the performance of election officials and support the integrity of such elections.

 Elections Canada will continue to deliver its training program for electoral district associations. Training sessions are offered to electoral district association financial agents and chief executive officers every year and are part of the agency’s commitment to help political entities comply with the political financing regime of the Canada Elections Act.v

8 Core responsibilities: planned results and resources 2020–21 Departmental Plan

 The agency will complete and submit a comprehensive retrospective report on the 43rd general election, which will feature an assessment of the election and information on how electors and political entities experienced the election.

 As provided by the Canada Elections Actvi, the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer will publish a report outlining recommendations to improve the administration of the Act. The report will also include recommendations by the Commissioner of Canada Elections to improve the compliance and enforcement regime of the Act.

 Elections Canada will continue to provide civic education and mobilize stakeholders through new education and information products shared with educators and used at conferences, professional development events, and Inspire Democracy workshops and conferences. These efforts will increase the knowledge, understanding, interests, and skills needed by young Canadians to participate in the electoral process.

 The agency will continue to attend international events and contribute to the sharing of knowledge and expertise. Bilateral engagements with other electoral management bodies, including those from emerging democracies, will contribute to the dissemination of knowledge and expertise. Active participation in these forums also ensures that the agency remains on the leading edge of trends and issues related to election management.

 Every 10 years, after the census is conducted, the number of electoral districts and their boundaries are revised to reflect population shifts and growth. In 2020–21, the agency will begin preparing for electoral boundaries redistribution under the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Actvii following the 2021 census to support the work of the independent electoral commissions.

Office of the Chief Electoral Officer 9 2020–21 Departmental Plan

Planned results

Departmental Departmental result Target Actual result result indicator

2018–19: 98% At least 95% of electors 2017–18: 95% by March 2020 Percentage of Canadians who have a 2016–17: 92% positive perception of the administration of elections 2018–19: Not available At least 85% of candidates 2017–18: Not available by March 2020 2016–17: Not available

Number of security incidents with a 2018–19: Not available demonstrable effect on the electoral 0 by March 2020 2017–18: Not available process 2016–17: Not available

A deviation under 2% for key 2018–19: Not available Canada maintains Election officers’ level of compliance controls; a deviation under 2017–18: Not available a fair, secure, and with procedures at the polls 11% for secondary controls 2016–17: Not available transparent by March 2020 electoral process free of undue Percentage of ineligible contributions influence 2018–19: Not applicable1 that are returned to contributors or 90% by March 2020 2017–18: 100% remitted to the Chief Electoral Officer 2016–17: Not available at the request of Elections Canada

Percentage of financial returns (all 2018–19: 83% entities except third parties) that 100% by March 2020 2017–18: 89% Elections Canada posts online within 2016–17: Not available 10 business days of filing

Percentage of candidate returns for 2018–19: Not available which the audit is completed within 100% by March 2020 2017–18: Not available 12 months of the submission 2016–17: Not available deadline

1 No contributions were required to be returned at the request of the Chief Electoral Officer in 2018–19

Financial, human resources, and performance information for the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.viii

10 Core responsibilities: planned results and resources 2020–21 Departmental Plan

Planned budgetary financial resources for Electoral Administration and Oversight

2020–21 budgetary 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 spending (as indicated planned planned planned in Main Estimates) spending spending spending

82,078,356 82,078,356 80,523,784 78,279,618

The fluctuation in planned spending over these fiscal years is due to several reasons including:

 Post-event costs of the 43rd general election, which will be incurred in 2020–21;  Costs for the electoral boundaries redistribution, which will peak in 2021–22 and rapidly decrease in the following year;  Electoral services modernization and asset renewal projects, which should peak in 2022–23.

Further details can be found in the Spending and human resources section of this plan.

Financial, human resources, and performance information for the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.ix

Planned human resources for Electoral Administration and Oversight

2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 planned full-time planned full-time planned full-time equivalents equivalents equivalents

502 515 503

The fluctuation in planned full-time equivalents is largely explained by the same reasons stated in the Planned budgetary financial resources table. Further details can be found in the Spending and human resources section of this plan.

Financial, human resources, and performance information for the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.x

Office of the Chief Electoral Officer 11 2020–21 Departmental Plan

Core responsibility: Electoral Compliance and Enforcement

April 1, 2019, marked the administrative return of the Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections to the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer after almost five years with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. This transfer followed the coming into force of certain provisions of the Elections Modernization Act.xi This transfer will facilitate collaboration between both organizations while maintaining the independence of each office.

Description The Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections supports the integrity of Canada’s electoral process by ensuring compliance with, and enforcement of, the Canada Elections Actxii and the Referendum Act.xiii

Planning highlights In 2020–21, the Commissioner of Canada Elections will continue to ensure compliance with, and enforcement of, the Canada Elections Act through the application of administrative measures and Administrative measures the laying of criminal charges to contribute to the integrity of the electoral process. Administrative measures are generally used for less serious breaches, including inadvertent non- compliance. Such measures include the use of Reviewing complaints from the 43rd informal means, such as information or caution letters, by which individuals or entities involved in non- general election compliance are informed of the potential consequences of their actions and put on notice that The Office of the Commissioner of Canada the Commissioner now expects them to act in accordance with the Act. These measures also Elections noted a significant increase in the include formal means of ensuring compliance, such as number of complaints received during the entering into a compliance agreement or undertaking 2019 general election period in addition to with the person or entity. These set out the terms and conditions that the Commissioner considers those received during the first pre-election necessary to ensure compliance with the Act. period ever regulated (in accordance with recent amendments to the Canada As of June 13, 2019, the Commissioner may also levy administrative monetary penalties for illegal voting Elections Act). violations and violations committed under Parts 16 (Communications), 17 (Third Parties) or 18 (Political The review process, which began during Financing) of the Act. In cases where the Commissioner believes on reasonable grounds that the election period with lower-complexity an offence under the Act has been committed, he may cases, is resource-intensive. When the also lay charges under the Act. number of complaints increases substantially, the need to process and review each individual complaint poses administrative challenges.

12 Core responsibilities: planned results and resources 2020–21 Departmental Plan

Some key initiatives planned for 2020–21 include:

 The Commissioner of Canada Elections will continue to review and investigate complaints received during the 43rd general election.

 The Commissioner will begin receiving referrals from Elections Canada, including those with respect to the financial returns of candidates, registered parties, and third parties.

 The 2020–21 fiscal year will constitute the first full fiscal year where the Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections implements administrative monetary penalties to ensure compliance with and enforcement of the Act.

Planned results

Departmental Departmental result Target Actual result result indicators Compliance and Percentage of complaints 2018–19: 100% At least 100% by enforcement resulting in compliance 2017–18: 100% 1 March 2020 activities under the measures 2016–17: 100% Canada Elections Percentage of complaints 2018–19: 100% Act contribute to the At least 100% by integrity of the resulting in formal criminal 2017–18: 100% 1 March 2020 electoral process enforcement measures 2016–17: 100% 1Indicator is currently under review.

Financial, human resources, and performance information for the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.xiv

Office of the Chief Electoral Officer 13 2020–21 Departmental Plan

Planned budgetary financial resources for Electoral Compliance and Enforcement

2020–21 budgetary 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 spending (as indicated in planned planned planned Main Estimates) spending spending spending

7,413,185 7,413,185 7,413,185 7,413,185

Financial, human resources, and performance information for the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.xv

Planned human resources for Electoral Compliance and Enforcement

2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 planned full-time planned full-time planned full-time equivalents equivalents equivalents

48 48 48

Financial, human resources, and performance information for the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.xvi

14 Core responsibilities: planned results and resources 2020–21 Departmental Plan

Internal Services: planned results and resources

Description Internal Services are those groups of related activities and resources that the federal government considers to be services in support of programs and/or required to meet corporate obligations of an organization. Internal Services refers to the activities and resources of the 10 distinct services that support program delivery in the organization, regardless of the Internal Services delivery model in a department. These services are:

 Management and Oversight Services  Communications Services  Legal Services  Human Resources Management Services  Financial Management Services  Information Management Services  Information Technology Services  Real Property Management Services  Materiel Management Services  Acquisition Management Services

Planning highlights To support Elections Canada in achieving its departmental results, Internal Services will provide essential support and oversight to employees and field staff. As the agency is focused on preparing for the next general election and ensuring integrity in electoral democracy, Internal Services will ensure transparent, effective, and efficient activities to support electoral needs, such as:

 Procurement and acquisition of goods and services  Supplying technology and telecommunications  Establishing budgets  Processing payments

Internal Services will also play a key role in supporting IT-enabled projects, such as the new electronic financial returns solution that will facilitate reporting on expenses incurred in the 43rd general election by political entities.

In addition to getting ready for the next general election, Internal Services’ focus will be on providing the tools and resources to implement the new Strategic Plan. The plan builds on past successes, addresses contemporary perspectives, and provides a vision for the future that ensures a vibrant electoral democracy for all Canadians.

Office of the Chief Electoral Officer 15 2020–21 Departmental Plan

Internal Services will also facilitate sound stewardship, a key commitment in the Strategic Plan, by identifying trends and issues affecting the successful outcomes of our initiatives.

Elections Canada’s Information Technology Services will continue to work on updating systems and processes to improve the efficiency of its applications, including the migration of the agency’s financial systems to a modern, reliable Government of Canada standard solution. This will result in reliable and secure services to employees, partners, and Canadians.

Planned budgetary financial resources for Internal Services

2020–21 budgetary spending 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 (as indicated in Main planned planned planned Estimates) spending spending spending

44,188,889 44,188,889 44,426,733 47,452,276

The fluctuation in planned expenditures is mainly due to the costs for asset renewal projects, which should peak in 2022-23.

Financial, human resources, and performance information for the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.xvii

Planned human resources for Internal Services

2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 planned full-time planned full-time planned full-time equivalents equivalents equivalents

244 247 247

The fluctuation in planned full-time equivalents is mainly due to the costs for asset renewal projects, which should peak in 2022–23.

Financial, human resources, and performance information for the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.xviii

16 Internal Services: planned results and resources 2020–21 Departmental Plan

Spending and human resources

This section provides an overview of the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer’s planned spending and human resources for the next three consecutive fiscal years and compares planned spending for the upcoming year with the current and previous years’ actual spending. Financial framework Elections Canada’s unique dual-funding mechanism and planning practices are part of its mandate. The agency is partly funded by an annual appropriation that covers the salaries of its indeterminate positions and is not affected by the electoral cycle. The agency also has a statutory authority that allows it to draw directly from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for all other expenses. The statutory authority ensures that Elections Canada has access to the funds required for elections that may occur at any time and reflects Elections Canada’s independence from the government.

Under Canada’s parliamentary system, general elections are scheduled to take place on fixed dates but can still be called in advance, particularly during a minority government. By-elections, which take place whenever seats in the House of Commons become vacant, are also unpredictable, as Elections Canada has no control over their frequency and timing. Legislative changes and market forces for procured goods and services can also significantly impact a general election.

Office of the Chief Electoral Officer 17 2020–21 Departmental Plan

Planned spending Departmental spending from 2017–18 to 2022–23 The following graph presents planned (voted and statutory) spending over time.

Totals may not add up due to rounding.

18 Spending and human resources 2020–21 Departmental Plan

Budgetary planning summary for core responsibilities and Internal Services (dollars) The following table shows actual, forecast, and planned spending for each of Elections Canada’s core responsibilities and Internal Services for the years relevant to the current planning year.

2020–21 budgetary Core responsibilities 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2017–18 2018–19 spending and Internal forecast planned planned planned expenditures expenditures (as indicated in Main Services spending spending spending spending Estimates) Electoral Administration and n/a 120,907,167 505,419,063 82,078,356 82,078,356 80,523,784 78,279,618 Oversight1

Electoral Compliance n/a n/a n/a 7,413,185 7,413,185 7,413,185 7,413,185 and Enforcement2

Electoral Operations3 62,296,091 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a

Regulation of 15,196,088 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Electoral Activities3 Electoral 10,793,892 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Engagement3 Subtotal 88,286,071 120,907,167 505,419,063 89,491,541 89,491,541 87,936,969 85,692,803

Internal Services 43,199,650 62,841,306 71,725,009 44,188,889 44,188,889 44,426,733 47,452,276

Total 131,485,721 183,748,473 577,144,072 133,680,430 133,680,430 132,363,702 133,145,079 1 Due to changes in Elections Canada’s reporting framework starting in fiscal year 2018-19, annual expenditures by core responsibility are not available prior to that year. 2 Core responsibility added to reflect the reintegration of the Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections to the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer effective April 1, 2019. Annual expenditures are not available prior to 2019-20. 3 Due to changes in Elections Canada’s reporting framework starting in fiscal year 2018-19, annual expenditures by Program Alignment Architecture are not available beyond 2017-18.

The total planned spending shows the year-to-year fluctuation in resources. The spending pattern is a result of the election cycle and is typical for the agency.

During 2017–18, Elections Canada worked on a number of initiatives for asset renewal and electoral services modernization, which reached a peak in 2018–19. Starting in 2018–19 the agency also increased its field operations in preparation for the conduct of the 43rd general election. The increase in the 2019–20 forecast spending includes expenditures related to election delivery. In the years following an election (2020–21 and 2021–22) expenditures drop sharply, returning to their usual level as election activities wind down. Additionally, the decennial Electoral Boundaries Redistribution exercise will begin in 2020–21. These variations affect only the statutory portion of the funding.

Office of the Chief Electoral Officer 19 2020–21 Departmental Plan

The agency's Voted Appropriation increased as a result of the Budget 2018 measure on Rebalancing Elections Canada’s Expenditures, and following the coming into force of the Elections Modernization Act xix and An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act (political financing).xx

Due to the election cycle, the annual percentage of Internal Services over total expenditures varies significantly. In the years covered in the table, it varies from 12% to 36%, with an average of 24% over the period.

Beginning in 2020–21, the agency’s planned spending includes $7 million in support of projects to modernize the electoral process to ensure its remains relevant and meets the expectations of Canadians, and to renew assets to ensure the electoral process benefits from a secure and reliable infrastructure. At this time, approved projects include the modernization of the National Register of Electors, the migration of the agency’s financial systems to the Government of Canada standard solution, and the replacement of systems that support the political financing program.

Over the next four years, the agency’s total investments towards service modernization and asset renewal are expected to total approximately $50 million. The agency will provide regular updates on the projects, including resources used, in its reports to Parliament. Planned human resources The following table shows actual, forecast, and planned full-time equivalents for each core responsibility in Elections Canada’s departmental results framework and Internal Services for the years relevant to the current planning year.

20 Spending and human resources 2020–21 Departmental Plan

Human resources planning summary for core responsibilities and Internal Services

Core 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 responsibilities and actual actual forecast planned planned planned Internal Services full-time full-time full-time full-time full-time full-time equivalents equivalents equivalents equivalents equivalents equivalents

Electoral Administration and n/a 502 784 502 515 503 Oversight1

Electoral Compliance n/a n/a n/a 48 48 48 and Enforcement2

Electoral Operations3 277 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a

Regulation of 79 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Electoral Activities3

Electoral 72 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Engagement3

Subtotal 428 502 784 550 563 551

Internal Services 178 216 235 244 247 247

Total 606 718 1,019 794 810 798

1 Due to changes in Elections Canada’s reporting framework starting in fiscal year 2018-19, annual full-time equivalents by core responsibility are not available prior to that year. 2 Core responsibility added to reflect the reintegration of the Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections to the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer effective April 1, 2019. Annual full-time equivalents are not available prior to 2019-20. 3 Due to changes in Elections Canada’s reporting framework starting in fiscal year 2018-19, annual full-time equivalents by Program Alignment Architecture are not available beyond 2017-18.

The fluctuation in full-time equivalents is a result of the election cycle, largely explained by the same reasons stated in the Budgetary planning summary. Starting in 2020–21, full-time equivalents increased as a result of the Budget 2018 measure on Rebalancing Elections Canada’s Expenditures and the coming into force of the Elections Modernization Actxxi and An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act (political financing)xxii and will reach the ongoing total increase of 129 full-time equivalents in 2021–22. The table also reflects the administrative return of the Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections in 2019–20.

Office of the Chief Electoral Officer 21 2020–21 Departmental Plan

Estimates by vote Information on Elections Canada’s organizational appropriations is available in the 2020–21 Main Estimates.xxiii Condensed future-oriented statement of operations The condensed future-oriented statement of operations provides an overview of Elections Canada’s operations for 2019–20 to 2020–21.

The amounts for forecast and planned results in this statement of operations were prepared on an accrual basis. The amounts for forecast and planned spending presented in other sections of the Departmental Plan were prepared on an expenditure basis. Amounts may therefore differ.

A more detailed future-oriented statement of operations and associated notes, including a reconciliation of the net cost of operations to the requested authorities, are available on the Elections Canada’s website.

Condensed future-oriented statement of operations for the year ending March 31, 2021 (dollars)

Difference 2019–20 Forecast 2020–21 Financial Information (2020–21 planned results minus Results Planned Results 2019–20 forecast results)

Total expenses 591,872,106 144,306,392 (447,565,714)

Total revenues - - -

Net cost of operations before government funding and 591,872,106 144,306,392 (447,565,714) transfers

Elections Canada estimates $144.3 million in expenses for 2020–21. This represents a decrease of $447.6 million from the 2019–20 forecast results. This difference is mainly due to the conduct of the 43rd general election which took place on October 21, 2019. The majority of the expenses of the general election were incurred in 2019–20.

22 Spending and human resources 2020–21 Departmental Plan

Corporate Information

Appropriate minister(s): The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, PC, MP President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada

Institutional head: Stéphane Perrault, Chief Electoral Officer of Canada

Organization: Office of the Chief Electoral Officer

Enabling instrument(s):

xxiv  Canada Elections Act, S.C. 2000, c. 9 xxv  Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act, R.S.C., 1985, c. E-3 xxvi  Referendum Act, S.C. 1992, c. 30

Year of incorporation/commencement: 1920

Raison d’être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do

“Raison d’être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do” is available on the Elections Canada’s website.xxvii

Operating Context and Key Risks

Information on the agency’s operating context and key risksxxviii is included in a supplementary table to this report.

Legislative amendmentsxxix affecting the agency’s business and an overview of judicial decisionsxxx and proceedings that may affect electoral legislation are also available.

Office of the Chief Electoral Officer 23

2020–21 Departmental Plan

Reporting Framework

Elections Canada’s approved Departmental Results Framework and Program Inventory for 2020–21 are as follows:

Office of the Chief Electoral Officer 25 2020–21 Departmental Plan

Changes to the Approved Reporting Framework since 2019–20

On April 1, 2019, the Commissioner of Canada Elections was administratively reintegrated into the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer as per provisions in the Elections Modernization Act. This administrative reintegration required updating the Departmental Results Framework to include the core responsibilities, departmental results, indicators, and program inventory of the Commissioner of Canada Elections. The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer also took the opportunity to review its existing Departmental Results Framework to make the results clearer and more accurate.

26 Reporting Framework 2020–21 Departmental Plan

Supporting Information on the Program Inventory

Supporting information on planned expenditures, human resources, and results related to Elections Canada’s program inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.xxxi

Supplementary Information Tables

The following supplementary information tables are available on Elections Canada’s website:

xxxii  Operating context and key risks xxxiii  Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy xxxiv  Details on transfer payment programs xxxv  Gender-based analysis plus xxxvi xxxvii  Legislative amendments and judicial proceedings

Federal Tax Expenditures

The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer’s Departmental Plan does not include information on tax expenditures that relate to its planned results for 2020–21.

Tax expenditures are the responsibility of the Minister of Finance, and the Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for government-wide tax expenditures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures.xxxviii This report provides detailed information on tax expenditures, including objectives, historical background, and references to related federal spending programs, as along with evaluations, research papers, and gender-based analysis. The tax measures presented in this report are solely the responsibility of the Minister of Finance.

Office of the Chief Electoral Officer 27 2020–21 Departmental Plan

Organizational Contact Information General enquiries

Address Elections Canada 30 Victoria Street Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0M6

Telephone 1-800-463-6868 (toll-free in Canada and the United States) 001-800-514-6868 (toll-free in Mexico) 613-993-2975 (from anywhere in the world)

For people who are deaf or hard of hearing: TTY 1-800-361-8935 (toll-free in Canada and the United States)

Fax 613-954-8584 1-888-524-1444 (toll-free in Canada and the United States)

Website elections.ca

Email [email protected]

Media information

Telephone 1-877-877-9515 819-939-1900 TTY 1-800-361-8935

Fax 613-954-8584

28 Organizational Contact Information 2020–21 Departmental Plan

Appendix: Definitions

appropriation (crédit) Any authority of Parliament to pay money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

budgetary expenditures (dépenses budgétaires) Operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, organizations or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.

core responsibility (responsabilité essentielle) An enduring function or role performed by a department. The intentions of the department with respect to a core responsibility are reflected in one or more related departmental results that the department seeks to contribute to or influence.

Departmental Plan (plan ministériel) A report on the plans and expected performance of a department over a 3-year period. Departmental Plans are tabled in Parliament each spring.

departmental priority (priorité ministérielle) A plan or project that a department has chosen to focus and report on during the planning period. Departmental priorities represent the things that are most important or what must be done first to support the achievement of the desired departmental results.

departmental result (résultat ministériel) A consequence or outcome that a department seeks to achieve. A departmental result is often outside departments’ immediate control, but it should be influenced by program-level outcomes.

departmental result indicator (indicateur de résultat ministériel) A factor or variable that provides a valid and reliable means to measure or describe progress on a departmental result.

departmental results framework (cadre ministériel des résultats) A framework that consists of the department’s core responsibilities, departmental results and departmental result indicators.

Departmental Results Report (rapport sur les résultats ministériels) A report on a department’s actual accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results set out in the corresponding Departmental Plan.

Office of the Chief Electoral Officer 29 2020–21 Departmental Plan

experimentation (expérimentation) The conducting of activities that seek to first explore, then test and compare, the effects and impacts of policies and interventions in order to inform evidence-based decision-making, and improve outcomes for Canadians, by learning what works and what doesn’t. Experimentation is related to, but distinct form innovation (the trying of new things), because it involves a rigorous comparison of results. For example, using a new website to communicate with Canadians can be an innovation; systematically testing the new website against existing outreach tools or an old website to see which one leads to more engagement, is experimentation.

full-time equivalent (équivalent temps plein) A measure of the extent to which an employee represents a full person-year charge against a departmental budget. Full-time equivalents are calculated as a ratio of assigned hours of work to scheduled hours of work. Scheduled hours of work are set out in collective agreements.

gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS+]) An analytical process used to assess how diverse groups of women, men and gender-diverse people experience policies, programs and services based on multiple factors including race, ethnicity, religion, age, and mental or physical disability.

government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales) For the purpose of the 2020–21 Departmental Plan, government-wide priorities refers to those high-level themes outlining the government’s agenda in the 2015 Speech from the Throne, namely: Growth for the Middle Class; Open and Transparent Government; A Clean Environment and a Strong Economy; Diversity is Canada's Strength; and Security and Opportunity.

horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale) An initiative in which two or more federal organizations are given funding to pursue a shared outcome, often linked to a government priority.

non-budgetary expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires) Net outlays and receipts related to loans, investments and advances, which change the composition of the financial assets of the Government of Canada.

performance (rendement) What an organization did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the organization intended to achieve, and how well lessons learned have been identified.

performance indicator (indicateur de rendement) A qualitative or quantitative means of measuring an output or outcome, with the intention of gauging the performance of an organization, program, policy or initiative respecting expected results.

30 Appendix 2020–21 Departmental Plan performance reporting (production de rapports sur le rendement) The process of communicating evidence-based performance information. Performance reporting supports decision-making, accountability and transparency. plan (plan) The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how an organization intends to achieve its priorities and associated results. Generally a plan will explain the logic behind the strategies chosen and tend to focus on actions that lead up to the expected result. planned spending (dépenses prévues) For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to those amounts presented in the Main Estimates.

A department is expected to be aware of the authorities that it has sought and received. The determination of planned spending is a departmental responsibility, and departments must be able to defend the expenditure and accrual numbers presented in their Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports. program (programme) Individual or groups of services, activities or combinations thereof that are managed together within the department and focus on a specific set of outputs, outcomes or service levels. program inventory (répertoire des programmes) Identifies all of the department’s programs and describes how resources are organized to contribute to the department’s core responsibilities and results. result (résultat) An external consequence attributed, in part, to an organization, policy, program or initiative. Results are not within the control of a single organization, policy, program or initiative; instead they are within the area of the organization’s influence. statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives) Expenditures that Parliament has approved through legislation other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose of the expenditures and the terms and conditions under which they may be made. strategic outcome (résultat stratégique) A long-term and enduring benefit to Canadians that is linked to the organization’s mandate, vision and core functions.

Office of the Chief Electoral Officer 31 2020–21 Departmental Plan

target (cible) A measurable performance or success level that an organization, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period. Targets can be either quantitative or qualitative.

voted expenditures (dépenses votées) Expenditures that Parliament approves annually through an Appropriation Act. The vote wording becomes the governing conditions under which these expenditures may be made.

32 Appendix 2020–21 Departmental Plan

Endnotes

i Canada Elections Act, https://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/e-2.01/index.html

ii Canada Elections Act, https://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/e-2.01/index.html

iii Federal Elections Fees Tariff of the Canada Elections Act, https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=res&dir=loi/fel/trf&document=index&lang=e

iv GC InfoBase, https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ems-sgd/edb-bdd/index-eng.html#start

v Canada Elections Act, https://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/e-2.01/index.html

vi Canada Elections Act, https://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/e-2.01/index.html

vii Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act, https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/E-3/

viii GC InfoBase, https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ems-sgd/edb-bdd/index-eng.html#start

ix GC InfoBase, https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ems-sgd/edb-bdd/index-eng.html#start

x GC InfoBase, https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ems-sgd/edb-bdd/index-eng.html#start

xi Elections Modernization Act, https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/annualstatutes/2018_31/FullText.html

xii Canada Elections Act, https://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/e-2.01/index.html

xiii Referendum Act, https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/r-4.7/index.html

xiv GC InfoBase, https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ems-sgd/edb-bdd/index-eng.html#start

xv GC InfoBase, https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ems-sgd/edb-bdd/index-eng.html#start

xvi GC InfoBase, https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ems-sgd/edb-bdd/index-eng.html#start

xvii GC InfoBase, https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ems-sgd/edb-bdd/index-eng.html#start

Office of the Chief Electoral Officer 33

2020–21 Departmental Plan

xviii GC InfoBase, https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ems-sgd/edb-bdd/index-eng.html#start

xix Elections Modernization Act, https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/annualstatutes/2018_31/FullText.html

xx An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act(political financing), https://www.parl.ca/legisinfo/BillDetails.aspx?billId=8978368&Language=E

xxi Elections Modernization Act, https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/annualstatutes/2018_31/FullText.html

xxii An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act, https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/annualstatutes/2007_10/page-1.html

xxiii 2018–19 Main Estimates, https://www.canada.ca/en/treasury-board-secretariat/services/planned-government-spending/government- expenditure-plan-main-estimates.html

xxiv Canada Elections Act, http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/E-2.01/

xxv Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act, http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/E-3/

xxvi Referendum Act, http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/R-4.7/

xxvii Raison d’être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do, https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=res&dir=rep/rpp/dp2020&document=rais&lang=e

xxviii Operating context and key risks, http://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=res&dir=rep/rpp/dp2020&document=opcon&lang=e

xxix Legislative amendments, https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=res&dir=rep/rpp/dp2020&document=legislation&lang=e

xxx Judicial decisions, https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=res&dir=rep/rpp/dp2020&document=judicial&lang=e

xxxi GC InfoBase, https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ems-sgd/edb-bdd/index-eng.html#start

xxxii Operating context and key risks, https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=res&dir=rep/rpp/dp2020&document=opcon&lang=e

xxxiii Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy, https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=res&dir=rep/rpp/dp2020&document=green&lang=e

xxxiv Details on transfer payment programs, https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=res&dir=rep/rpp/dp2020&document=tpp&lang=e

34 Endnotes 2020–21 Departmental Plan

xxxv Gender-based analysis plus, https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=res&dir=rep/rpp/dp2020&document=gba&lang=e xxxvi Legislative amendments, https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=res&dir=rep/rpp/dp2020&document=legislation&lang=e xxxvii Judicial proceedings, https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=res&dir=rep/rpp/dp2020&document=judicial&lang=e xxxviii Report on Federal Tax Expenditures, http://www.fin.gc.ca/purl/taxexp-eng.asp

Office of the Chief Electoral Officer 35 Excerpts related to the OCEO from 2019-20 Supplementary Estimates B Publication

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