Department of Justice

GOVERNMENT ASKS SUPREME COURT OF CANADA
TO STAY PRISONERS' VOTE

OTTAWA,May 23, 1997 -- The Attorney General of Canada announced today that he will ask the Supreme Court of Canada to stay the decision that struck down that part of the Canada Elections Act which prohibits prisoners serving a sentence of two years or more from voting in a federal election until the appeal is heard on its merits.

This means that the Government of Canada is asking the Court to suspend the eligibility of prisoners in federal institutions to vote in the June 2 federal election. Since the advance voting is going ahead today as planned, the Court will also be asked to declare that today's vote by federal inmates not be counted.

Counsel for the Attorney General were denied a stay by the Federal Court of Appeal on May 21, 1997. The appeal of the Federal Court Trial Division decision in December 1995 is not expected to be heard soon. In the meantime, the government wishes to ensure that the law in force prior to being struck down by the Federal Court, which denied prisoners serving a sentence of two years or more the eligibility to vote, is upheld for this election.

 Ref.:   Irène Arseneau             Glenn Joyal 
         Department of Justice      Department of Justice
         Communications Branch      (204) 984-5546  
         (613) 957-4207

         Gérald Chartier
         Department of Justice
         (204) 984-2232