The August Law: "If they know you won't like it, they'll do it in August (or a national holiday)"

I and my friends have looked at each other over the past few days and asked "When the heck did they pass that voter ID legislation?" We're not clueless Fox-watchers, we should have seen this.

Off to Elections Canada I went with my little butterfly net, and caught this:

Legislation introduced several significant changes to the Canada Elections Act in 2007. Below is a link to the Federal Electoral Legislation, which includes the Canada Elections Act, updated with the changes as of December 22, 2007, brought about by bills C-31, C-18 and C-16.

Aha!

They go on to tell us:

The highlights of these bills include:

Bill C-31

* Before voting, electors must prove their identity and residential address by providing one piece of government-issued photo identification showing their name and residential address, or two pieces of identification authorized by the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada, each of which establishes their name and at least one of which establishes their residential address. To vote, an elector may instead take an oath and be vouched for by another elector whose name is on the list of electors for the same polling division, and who has the necessary piece(s) of identification to establish his or her identity and residential address.
* Operational changes have been adopted to improve the accuracy of the National Register of Electors, facilitate voting and enhance communications with the electorate.
* A candidate's representative may be informed, on the prescribed form, of the identity of every elector who has exercised his or her right to vote, excluding electors who registered on the day of the vote.

Bill C-18

* If an elector or voucher provides a piece of identification that does not prove his or her residence, he or she is considered to have proved it if the address on the piece of identification is consistent with information related to the elector or voucher that appears on the list of electors.

Bill C-16

* Subject to an earlier dissolution of Parliament, a general election must be held on the third Monday in October in the fourth calendar year following a previous general election, with the first general election to be held on Monday, October 19, 2009.
* The Chief Electoral Officer may recommend an alternate day if the day set for polling is not suitable.

Can any of you tell me why, if the set election date in C-16 is elective, why the voter ID thing is not also elective?

In the world of dogs, a "disqualifying fault" is a flaw which eliminates a dog from competition, regardless of whatever other good points he may exhibit.

Steve's disqualifying fault is his readiness and eagerness to play the One Rule Game.

That rule is, "I win."

No-one who plays that game, gets my vote.

Noni