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

Click to play video: 'Federal government announces seven major reforms to Fair Elections Act'
Federal government announces seven major reforms to Fair Elections Act
WATCH ABOVE; Federal government announces seven major reforms to Fair Elections Act – Nov 24, 2016

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.

READ MORE: Ranked ballots in Canada? Liberals not necessarily advantaged by switch to voting system

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.

WATCH: Trudeau backing away from promise of electoral reform 
Click to play video: 'Trudeau backing away from promise of electoral reform'
Trudeau backing away from promise of electoral reform

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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READ MORE: Elections watchdog: Cap campaigns, seek broad support for changing laws

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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.

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