Liberals to reverse Tory voting rules, will allow citizens without ID to cast ballot

OTTAWA – The Liberal government is rolling back a number of controversial changes to Canada’s voting process.

Maryam Monsef, the minister for democratic institutions, has introduced legislation that will allow voters to use the voter information card as valid ID to cast a ballot.

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The government is also restoring the ability of voters to vouch for other citizens who lack identification, permitting them to vote, and restoring the chief electoral officer’s voter education mandate.

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The previous Conservative government tightened voting rules with its controversial Fair Elections Act, which critics said was aimed at suppressing the vote of people unlikely to support Conservative options.

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The new bill also expands the right to vote to more than a million Canadians living abroad.

It will also provide more independence to the commissioner of elections, who investigates election irregularities and fraud.