The elections before the election

We are conditioned to head to the polls every four years or so to cast our ballots and elect our representatives at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels of government. But while the choices we make then are important, much happens behind the scenes to get those people on the ballot.

At the provincial and federal levels, the election dates are pre-set, but circumstances can cause a general election anytime. The federal election is the next officially scheduled election for us in Markham and Stouffville, but in preparation, the major parties are revving up their electoral machines, with members of parties soon nominating candidates to represent them in the next election. This nomination process is an important but not well-understood part of our democratic process. It potentially offers you a powerful say in who will ultimately get elected as one of a few hundred who may vote in a nomination versus tens of thousands who vote in general elections.

The nomination process is also a source of controversy. While Elections Canada, an independent and non-partisan agency of Parliament, provides some rules for the nomination process, much of the process is left in the hands of the parties themselves to decide how it all works. While the three main parties (Conservative, Liberal, and NDP) have written and published guidelines, they are malleable and have no central oversight outside a party executive.

The recent and ongoing Foreign Interference Commission public tribunal has been looking at ways nefarious actors could infiltrate our electoral process. For that reason, Elections Canada has floated the idea of stricter controls in the future to ensure a level and secure playing field. This inquiry has highlighted flaws in the system but has also confirmed the importance of the grassroots process.

Parties are not required to have a local vote, and generally, incumbents are spared any public challenge. Parties can also just designate a preferred individual even if there is no incumbent, but they generally allow members of each local riding association to vote on a slate of candidates at a nomination meeting before an election. If you meet their membership criteria, you can help decide. It’s as simple as that.

The parties determine the membership criteria. Both the Conservatives and Liberals allow 14-year-olds and up to vote in nomination, making it a great opportunity for young people to get involved in the political process.

Conservatives require a $15 member fee and permanent residency, while Liberals have no fee to join and allow anyone who ordinarily lives in Canada or is a Canadian Citizen to vote—a point of contention in the above-mentioned tribunal.

Candidates must be cleared to run by party officials by meeting strict criteria that generally include criminal background checks, credit checks, in-depth scrutiny of social media, support from current members, declarations of character, a history of party affiliation and fees paid to the party, among other checks.

Locally, this will be a very interesting time. While there doesn’t seem to be a deeply organized NDP riding association in Markham-Stouffville, candidates for the Liberal and Conservatives are starting to line up for a nomination call as the seat will not have an incumbent in the next election with current MP Helena Jaczek retiring before the next vote.

Conservatives in Markham-Unionville will likewise be voting soon for a candidate to face current MP Paul Chiang, while the electoral table in Markham-Thornhill is set to pit current MP Mary Ng against Lionel Loganathan, who has already won the nomination for the Conservatives.

With these nomination races pending, this is a good time to get involved at a powerful, grassroots level. Join your party and vote in the election before the election.