An advocacy-protest group known as the Longest Ballot Committee has set a new record by registering 132 candidates for the upcoming federal byelection in Battle River-Crowfoot, Alberta. This byelection features prominent candidates, including the federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who is vying for a seat in Parliament.
According to Elections Canada, the Longest Ballot Committee surpassed its previous record of 91 candidates, which was only broken last week when they initially reached 100 candidates. As of Monday afternoon, the total number of registered candidates from all parties, including Independents, stood at 138. The registration process remains open for another week, with a cutoff date set for July 28.
Since its inception in 2022, the Longest Ballot Committee has played a significant role in assisting numerous candidates to register across various contests in provinces like Ontario, Quebec, and Manitoba. The primary objective of the committee is to advocate for the establishment of a citizens' assembly to develop a new electoral system. They argue that political parties are often reluctant to implement changes that would make the government more representative of a diverse electorate.
However, the committee's actions have sparked criticism. Detractors contend that the initiative undermines democracy by presenting voters with long and unwieldy candidate lists, many of which consist of "paper candidates" who have little chance of winning. Dillon Anderson, one of the 132 candidates supported by the committee, has expressed that the group's intentions aim at reforming Canada. He stated, “We need to work towards reforming Canada. Politicians shouldn’t be in charge of their own election rules.”
Anderson described the assistance he received from volunteers within the committee, who helped him gather necessary signatures in the riding, further emphasizing that the collective effort is gaining traction among Canadians who recognize the need for democratic reform.
In the previous April general election, Conservative Damien Kurek secured victory in the Battle River-Crowfoot riding. However, he stepped down last month to pave the way for Poilievre to contest in the byelection, following Poilievre's loss of his long-held seat in Carleton during the same election.
Poirievre has expressed criticisms toward the long ballot initiative, suggesting that it diminishes the essence of the democratic process. The byelection has also become a contentious topic recently, particularly after Independent candidate Sarah Spanier revealed that she has halted door knocking due to receiving death threats relating to her opinions on sensitive issues such as transgender rights.
Additionally, on the same day, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) released information indicating that several candidates have encountered negative and, in some instances, potentially threatening comments on social media platforms. Sergeant Jeremy Houle commented that while the threatening messages directed at various candidates did not meet the threshold of criminality, they were indeed concerning.
