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4w ago

Poilievre Proposes 0.5% Signature Rule as Ballot Grows to 132 Protest Candidates

He says a higher threshold would reduce ballot clutter to safeguard legitimate contenders

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre will be one of more than 100 candidates on the ballot in the upcoming federal byelection in the riding of Battle River-Crowfoot.
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Overview

  • Elections Canada data show 132 Longest Ballot Committee–backed entrants are on the Battle River–Crowfoot ballot, bringing the total field to 138 for the Aug. 18 byelection.
  • Pierre Poilievre called the tactic a “blatant abuse” and urged MPs to require signatures from 0.5 percent of a riding’s electors with exclusive endorsements to curb paper candidates.
  • Independent and third-party contenders warn that the crowded ballot drowns out serious campaigns and confuses voters navigating the slate.
  • The Longest Ballot Committee defends its protest as a means to force a citizens’ assembly to overhaul Canada’s first-past-the-post system and remove politicians from setting election rules.
  • The RCMP has reported that several candidates, including Sarah Spanier, have received concerning but non-criminal threats, prompting ongoing safety monitoring.