Election Diary from Dissolution to Nomination Day
| Author | Gregory Tardi |
| Pages | 298-399 |
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14
ELECTION DIARY
FROM DISSOLUTION
TO NOMINATION DAY
DAY + 40 | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2019
(DAY 1 OF THE CAMPAIGN)
DEFINITION OF “ELECTION PERIOD”: is day was the first of the possible
major milestones in the general election. Pursuant to the definition
of “election period” in section and the calculation made according to
section (.)(c) of the Act, this was the earliest date on which the elec-
tion period may begin, by means of the issue of the writs of election. e
latest date is set by law as day + , meaning Sunday, September , .
General election — proclamation
57 (1) The Governor in Council shall issue a proclamation in order for a
general election to be held.
By-election — order
(1.1) The Governor in Council shall make an order in order for a by-elec-
tion to be held.
Contents
(1.2) The proclamation or order shall
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Election Diary from Dissolution to Nomination Day
(a) direct the Chief Electoral Ocer to issue a writ to the returning ocer
for each electoral district to which the proclamation or order applies;
(b) x the date of issue of the writ; and
(c) x the date for voting at the election, which date must be no earlier than
the 36th day and no later than the 50th day aer the day on which the writ
was issued [emphasis added].
General election
(2) In the case of a general election,
(a) the date of issue of the writ shall be the same for all electoral districts;
(b) polling day shall be the same for all electoral districts; and
(c) the proclamation shall x a date for the return of the writ to the Chief
Electoral Ocer, which date shall be the same for all of the writs.
Despite the anticipation, dissolution did not occur. Considering the
ability in law of the government to ask for dissolution from now on,
this was also the start of a period of intense public discussion of the
best time to go to the people. e sense of the Act is that until the actual
election period begins, the pre-election period continues.
SECTION 60(1): Pursuant to section () of the Act, as soon as possible
after receipt of the writ of election from the Chief Electoral Ocer, the
returning ocer of each electoral district must open an oce in a con-
venient place in the electoral district.
SECTION 17(1): Pursuant to section () of the Act, this is the first day
on which the Chief Electoral Ocer may adapt the Act or extend the
time for doing anything, for the purpose of enabling electors to exercise
their right to vote or enabling the counting of votes (see Wednesday,
November , , page ).
SECTION 93(1): Pursuant to section () of the Act, as soon as possible
after the issue of the writs of election, the Chief Electoral Ocer must
issue a preliminary list of electors for each polling division in each elec-
toral district.
SECTION 98(1): Pursuant to section (), the Chief Electoral Ocer must,
as soon as possible after the issue of the writs of election, determine the
date on which the revision of the preliminary list of electors begins.
SECTION 113: Pursuant to section of the Act, at the latest after the
issue of the writs of election, the Chief Electoral Ocer must deliver to
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ANATOMY F AN ELECTION
each returning ocer the election materials and the necessary instruc-
tions for the election ocers to exercise their powers and perform their
duties.
SECTION 186.1: Pursuant to section . of the Act, without delay after
the writs are issued, the special voting rules administrator must distrib-
ute to commanding ocers the election materials necessary to enable
special voting rules voting.
SECTION 335(1): Pursuant to section () of the Act, this is the start
of the period during which every broadcaster must make available
for purchase, by all registered parties for the transmission of political
announcements and other programming produced by or on behalf of
the registered parties, six-and-one-half hours of broadcasting time dur-
ing prime time on its facilities. Such broadcasting time is subject to the
regulations made under the Broadcasting Act and the conditions of e ach
broadcast licence.
SECTION 342(1): Pursuant to section () of the Act, immediately
after the issue of the writs for the next general election, the Broadcast-
ing Arbitrator must notify the Canadian Radio-television and Telecom-
munications Commission (CRTC) of every allocation under sections
and and every entitlement under section . e commission must,
in turn, notify every broadcaster and every network operator of every
such allocation and entitlement.
SECTION 346: Pursuant to section of the Act, this is the deadline
for the Broadcasting Arbitrator to send to the CRTC a set of Guidelines
for the allocation of or entitlement to broadcasting time under this Act
and other related matters. On this occasion, these Guidelines were issued
on September , the very day of the issue of the writs.
SECTION 516(1): Pursuant to section () of the Act, it is only during
an election period that, if the commissioner has reasonable grounds to
believe that a person has committed, is about to commit, or is likely to
commit an act or omission that is contrary to this Act, the commissioner,
after taking into account the nature and seriousness of the act or omis-
sion, the need to ensure fairness of the electoral process, and the public
1 www.elections.ca/abo/bra/bro/2019/2019Broad.pdf.
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