Members Statements - Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Mr. David Christopherson (Hamilton Centre, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, over two weeks ago the NDP motion giving the Chief Electoral Officer more power passed this Parliament unanimously. Mr. Mayrand believes these powers would, "substantially enhance transparency and accountability", but we are still waiting for the government to honour its vote and bring in the actual legislation that will give the CEO the power he needs to do his job.

To make matters worse, Conservatives are now playing games with the Chief Electoral Officer. Mr. Mayrand asked to come before Parliament and report on his investigation into allegations of coordinated voter suppression by Conservative operatives, but the Conservatives used their majority to force Mr. Mayrand to testify tomorrow on budget day when almost every journalist on the Hill will be locked up in a room without even their Blackberries.

Talk about the Prime Minister's dream democracy: an electoral process the Conservatives can manipulate, our Chief Electoral Officer with no powers and all the journalists locked up.