Ottawa

Somebody to blame

Conservative MP Maurice Vellacott says Elections Canada is “significantly responsible” for the confusion, but the Canadian Press notes that Elections Canada asked parties to refrain from calling voters with polling station information.

In its statutory report following the 2011 campaign, released last August, Elections Canada highlighted the incident in a separate box. “Because a polling site can be replaced by another at the last minute, and to ensure that electors always have access to the most accurate information regarding their location, Elections Canada indicated to political parties that the list supplied should only be used for internal purposes and that parties should not direct electors to polling sites,” said the report.

All parties were instructed to tell voters to check Elections Canada’s website or their voter information card for poll locations “to prevent electors from being directed to incorrect polling sites.” “Some political parties did not comply with this request,” said the report.

Meanwhile, the Conservatives are demanding that the Liberals release their phone records. But while the Liberals are happy to do so, the Conservatives aren’t willing to do likewise.

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