Post by : Meena Ariff

Elections Canada has admitted that the voting process in Nunavik during the recent spring federal election faced significant challenges due to insufficient planning and oversight. Consequently, several polling stations shut down earlier than planned.

Post-election, the agency recognized that numerous residents were unable to participate due to a shortage of personnel to maintain open polling locations.

A report released Thursday highlights that the returning officer failed to develop an effective plan and did not engage with local communities as needed. Even though the initial plan was flawed, it obtained approval from Elections Canada's main office.

The report indicates that essential community outreach efforts were not fulfilled, diminishing local participation and complicating the voting service delivery. Inadequate consultation with local leaders led to substantial difficulties in hiring poll workers.

The investigation revealed critical shortcomings in election preparation, with officials being uninformed about escalating issues.

As a result, numerous residents in Nunavik had limited or no access to voting facilities. Six communities did not offer any advance voting, while seven provided only limited services. On election day, two communities lacked any voting options, seven had restricted access, and just five were fully serviced.

Elections Canada noted that these challenges in Nunavik mirror broader issues and is working to improve accessibility for Indigenous voters, with around 90 percent of Nunavik's population being Inuit, many of whom speak Inuktitut.

During a visit to Kuujjuaq in September, Chief Electoral Officer Stéphane Perrault expressed his apologies to the Kativik Regional Government for the challenges constituents faced.

Officials met with leaders in four northern villages, where locals expressed frustration and confusion regarding the absence of clear voting procedures.

The recommendations of the report include enhanced community engagement, greater accountability for returning officers, and the establishment of a formal protocol for escalating issues. It also proposes the formation of specialized teams trained in northern and Indigenous contexts to support election planning more effectively.

Elections Canada has committed to putting these recommendations into action by the next spring.

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