CANELECTGEN 003/23: Federal by-election 19 Jun 23 in Notre-Dame-de-Grace-Westmount (Quebec), Oxford (Ontario), Portage-Lisgar (Manitoba) and Winnipeg South Centre (Manitoba)

Unclassified

Refs: a. Canada election act
b. Canforgen 021/19 CMP 011/19 081436z Feb 19, access to defence establishments during federal elections
c. Qr and o 19.44, political activities and candidature for office
d. CDS publication a-lg-007-000/af-001, federal, provincial and territorial electoral events

1. No silent hour response required
2. Writs ordering federal by-elections in the electoral districts of Notre-Dame-de-Grace-Westmount (Quebec), Oxford (Ontario), Portage-Lisgar (Manitoba) and Winnipeg South Centre (Manitoba) were issued on 14 May 23. Polling day is scheduled for 19 Jun 23
3. Any person who is a Canadian citizen and has attained the age of 18 on or before civilian polling day of 19 Jun 23 is entitled to vote in these by-elections if their ordinary residence was located in the electoral district of Notre-Dame-de-grace-Westmount (Quebec), Oxford (Ontario), Portage-Lisgar (Manitoba) or Winnipeg South Centre (Manitoba) on or before 14 may 23 and remains in that electoral district until 19 Jun 23
4. The place of ordinary residence of a CAF elector is determined the same way it is determined for every other Canadian elector, iaw section 8 of ref a
5. As a general rule, the place of ordinary residence of a person is the place that has always been, or that has been adopted as, his or her dwelling place, and to which the person intends to return when away from it. In other words, it is the place the person calls home
6. If a CAF elector is unable to determine where his or her place of ordinary residence is located using the general rule above, the following rules should also be used:
   1. A person can have only one place of ordinary residence and it cannot be lost until another is gained,
   2. Temporary absence from a place of ordinary residence does not cause a loss or change of place of ordinary residence,
   3. If a person usually sleeps in one place and has their meals or is employed in another place, their place of ordinary residence is where they sleep,
   4. Temporary residential quarters are considered to be a person s place of ordinary residence only if the person has no other place that they consider to be their residence, and
   5. The place of ordinary residence of a CAF elector currently posted outcan or deployed outside Canada is that person s last place of ordinary residence in Canada. The rules above should be used to determine where that person s place of ordinary residence was immediately before leaving Canada
7. CAF electors who are entitled to vote in the electoral districts of Notre-Dame-de-grace-Westmount (Quebec), Oxford (Ontario), Portage-Lisgar (Manitoba) and Winnipeg South Centre (Manitoba) and who wish to vote must do so in one of the following ways:
   1. By mail, within Canada or from abroad, or
   2. At the local Elections Canada office in the electoral district of Notre-Dame-de-grace-Westmount (Quebec), Oxford (Ontario), Portage-Lisgar (Manitoba) or Winnipeg South Centre (Manitoba), provided they make an application for registration and special ballot before 1800 hours on 13 Jun 23, or
   3. At the advance polling station associated with the elector s ordinary residence, from 9 Jun 23 to 12 Jun 23, or
   4. At the polling station associated with the elector s ordinary residence, on 19 Jun 23
8. To vote, a CAF elector must present proof of identity and home address. A list of authorized identification is available on the Elections Canada web site (www.elections.ca)
9. Forthwith after being informed that the writs have been issued for these by-elections, a co shall publish in routine orders a notice indicating that:
   1. Writs have been issued for by-elections in the electoral districts of Notre-Dame-de-grace-Westmount (Quebec), Oxford (Ontario), Portage-Lisgar (Manitoba) and Winnipeg South Centre (Manitoba), with polling day scheduled for 19 Jun 23
   2. Inform all mbrs of their unit of their eligibility to vote and available methods to cast a ballot
10. When received directly from elections Canada, display immediately in unit orderly rooms, the English and French notices featuring the map of the electoral districts of Notre-Dame-de-grace-Westmount (Quebec), Oxford (Ontario), Portage-Lisgar (Manitoba) and Winnipeg South Centre (Manitoba) and the important deadline dates.
11. Assist, where appropriate, CAF electors and civilian personnel outside Canada or on operational deployments in the return of their mail-in ballots.
12. CO’s must be familiar with CANELECTGEN 021/19 CMP 011/19 081436z Feb 19, ref b and section 3 of ref c which governs political activities on defence establishments and personal political activities of CAF members
13. CAF members are reminded of existing regulations concerning political activity which prohibit in particular their participation in political meetings on defence establishments and their active participation in the affairs of a political organization or party
14. Co s are responsible to ensure that any activity that takes place on a defence establishment, including a base or other unit under their command, does not affect the actual or perceived political neutrality of the CAF.
15. Ensure widest distribution of this message within the unit
16. Contact information for elections Canada is as follows:
    Elections Canada
    chief electoral officer
    c/o special voting rules administrator
    440 Coventry rd. Ottawa, Ontario K1K 2Y5
    fax: from Canada or the U.S. at 1-800-363-4796 and any other location
    at 613-998-8393
17. Any questions concerning the administration of the vote in these by-elections should be directed to elections Canada headquarters: from Canada or the U.S. at 1-866-552-6551 (fax 1-800-363-4796), and from other locations: 613-990-8574 (fax 613-998-8393), or by e-mail at forces@elections.ca