{"id":42371,"date":"2021-02-27T08:37:35","date_gmt":"2021-02-27T13:37:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wawa-news.com\/?p=42371"},"modified":"2021-02-28T07:47:57","modified_gmt":"2021-02-28T12:47:57","slug":"ontario-taking-steps-to-make-it-easier-and-safer-to-participate-in-provincial-elections-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wawa-news.com\/index.php\/2021\/02\/27\/ontario-taking-steps-to-make-it-easier-and-safer-to-participate-in-provincial-elections-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Ontario Taking Steps to Make it Easier and Safer to Participate in Provincial Elections"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>The Ontario government is taking steps to make it easier and safer for people to vote, become a candidate and protect provincial elections against outside influence and interference. The Protecting Ontario Elections Act, 2021<\/em> would, if passed, help guard against threats such as the long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, under-regulated third-party advertising, irregular campaign spending and collusion.<\/p>\n

“We strongly believe that Ontario voters should determine the outcome of elections, not big corporations or unions, American-style political action groups or other outside influences,” said Attorney General Doug Downey. “That’s why we are proposing legislative action to protect Ontarians’ essential voice in campaigns and to make it easier to cast a vote safely in an advance poll or on election day. These amendments would help modernize Ontario’s electoral process and ensure it is updated to meet urgent challenges, including COVID-19.”<\/p>\n

The proposed reforms build on the Ontario legislature’s 2016 decision to ban corporate and union donations to political parties and help ensure individuals remain at the centre of the electoral process.<\/p>\n

To protect Ontario elections, 19 legislative amendments have been proposed to:<\/p>\n