NDP will smack down illegal Conservative campaign spending and voter suppression

Enough already. The Conservatives have cheated in every election in the last decade and Tom Mulcair is going to make sure it never happens again.

Here’s a little refresher on Conservative election scandals: 2006 The Conservative Party was found guilty of breaking election laws by ignoring spending limits and funneling cash to hide it from Elections Canada. Senior Conservatives were in on it, including senators. (National Post, March 2, 2011) http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/what-the-the-in-and-out-spending-scandal 2008 Conservative MP Dean del Mastro went to jail for breaking election laws by overspending and knowingly falsifying documents. (CBC, June 25, 2015 http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/dean-del-mastro-sentenced-to-month-in-jail-4-months-house-arrest-for-election-overspending-1.3126992) 2011 Conservative Operative Michael Sona used misleading robocalls to send people to the wrong voting stations. He eventually went to jail for voter suppression and preventing people from casting their ballots. (CBC, Nov 19, 2014 http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/michael-sona-sentenced-to-9-months-in-jail-for-callous-robocalls-1.2839410) Conservatives have been gaming the system, and it’s time to put voters first. Tom Mulcair and the NDP will bring in legislation to make sure Canadian elections are fair and everyone gets the chance to cast a ballot that counts. NDP Plan 1. Make sure the penalty matches the crime with tougher penalties for electoral fraud. Increased fines and tougher sentencing guidelines to ensure the penalty reflects the seriousness of the crime. 2. Root out fraud with new powers for investigators. Ensure that Elections Canada has an independent investigation process and give them the power to compel testimony. 3. Voter ID laws that make it easier to vote – not harder. Repeal Conservative voting rules that put the right to vote at risk for people without a fixed address and others.