Conservative leader alleges non-citizens may have voted but admits there's no hard evidence
Advocate for marginalized communities warns against measures that make it harder to vote
The B.C. Conservatives are calling into question the province's election outcome, alleging — without hard evidence their leader admits — that non-Canadian citizens may have voted.
John Rustad says he wants to see more stringent requirements to prevent voter fraud, but some are worried about the effect on already marginalized communities.
"We actually think there are many people who have voted who may not be Canadian citizens. We have heard of hundreds of these potential cases of issues," Rustad said.
On Thursday, Rustad presented 45 cases of what he said are voting "irregularities" as his party tried to sow doubt in the provincial election results.
Those results saw the NDP squeak through with a bare majority following a judicial recount in Surrey-Guildford, where Garry Begg beat his B.C. Conservative challenger by 22 votes
Rustad admitted he doesn't have evidence to prove non-Canadians voted.
"That's something that we can't prove. Because obviously, no one is going to put up their hand and say, please have me eligible for a fine and put me in jail. No one wants to come forward because they're worried about what may happen in terms of fine or potential jail time," he said.
"I think what I'd like to see is suspend the penalties of the Election Act for a 90-day period to allow for people to be able to come forward and tell us what has gone on."
Rustad wants voters to prove they are Canadian before marking ballots, calling for the inclusion of a "C" on people's driver's licences or health cards.
Upkar Singh Tatlay, executive director of Engaged Communities Canada Society, works with underserved communities.
"I really hope that whatever is happening is by no means eroding the opportunity for people to vote and participate in the future. I think oftentimes these populations, those who are at risk and marginalized, often do get a lot of finger-pointing," he said.
"We should have inclusive voting practices for everyone. Making sure those who are at risk and marginalized have access to the opportunity to vote and share their concerns and make sure that their voices are heard."
There are no Canadian electoral rules requiring voters to prove citizenship.
Since 2008, British Columbians have been able to vote without ID — if someone vouches for them.
Hamish Telford, a political scientist at the University of the Fraser Valley, said those changes were made to encourage voting.
"If you put restrictions on it and make it more difficult to vote — that you have to bring in proof of address or proof of citizenship — that may disenfranchise people," he said.
Stewart Prest, a political science professor from UBC, says he's worried the claims about non-citizens voting "may start to create an atmosphere of suspicion around anyone who doesn't quote-unquote look like they belong here."
Elections B.C. says there were only two cases in the 2020 election where non-citizens voted because they misunderstood the rules. In those cases, they were given a warning and removed from the voters list.
"There's significant penalties for making a false statement, saying they're eligible when they're not. This would include a fine of up to $20,000 or a term in prison of up to two years or both.
In total, the B.C. Conservatives have presented 45 ballots that have raised suspicion.
That includes 22 cases where people allegedly voted in the wrong riding and one case where a person voted twice.
Honveer Singh Randhawa, the Conservative candidate in the Surrey-Guildford riding, has filed a complaint to Elections B.C., which focuses on 21 mail-in ballots from residents of a mental health and addiction home where the party's candidate alleges interference from a staff member.
Randhawa intends to file a petition to the B.C. Supreme Court challenging the results in that riding. The deadline to file that petition is Feb. 8, 90 days after the judicial recount was finalized.
Speaking to Power and Politics host David Cochrane, B.C. Premier David Eby said Rustad's claims are part of a continuing pattern of bringing "American-style politics" to British Columbia.
Elections B.C. says it will review the allegations before deciding to launch an investigation.
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