SUMMARY

The purpose of this enactment is to allow electors of an electoral district to vote in a recall election, no later than 3 months after a petition asking for a recall vote is signed by at least 25% of the number of electors who voted in the previous election for that electoral district.

Signatures may be collected during a period of 12 months after a proposal for the petition is filed with the Clerk of the House of Commons and published in the Canada Gazette. The petition may only be commenced after 12 months following the member's election and is invalid if a general election is called within 30 days after it is certified valid. Only one recall may be brought against a member in one Parliament. If less than 50% of voters in the recall election support the recall, the member is entitled to the reimbursement of actual and reasonable expenses as determined by the Chief Electoral Officer.

The recall election is held on the same basis as a by-election under the Canada Elections Act. The Governor in Council has the power to adapt forms and provisions of the Canada Elections Act in order to carry out a recall election.

The provision in the Canada Elections Act that prohibits candidates from entering into undertakings during the campaign is repealed.