The World Wide Web may be a wealth of information but on election day, the Web will go dark.
The Canada Election Act outlaws the publishing of election results until every poll across Canada is closed. That means websites, live audio and video streams and blogs will not be able to report election results until 11 p.m. Atlantic Standard Time.
Dana Doiron of Elections Canada says it's important to ensure the vote results are not known in areas where the voting is still underway.
Still, Doiron admits it's becoming more and more difficult to do in the so-called information age, where everybody with an Internet connection is a citizen journalist.
"The reason is to ensure that nothing that is reported in the East would have an influence on the way people vote in the West,'' said Doiron.
"Moreover, for a number of years westerners were peeved that before they even went to the polls they heard that it was all over. Therefore, they felt alienated from the process and that their vote really didn't matter.''
There have been people prosecuted for failing to follow the rules. Penalties can range from $1,000 fine and a year in jail to fines of $10,000 and two years in jail.
Last year, the Supreme Court of Canada upheld the law after a case that dated to 2000 went before the court.
In the 2000 federal election, Paul Charles Bryan published results from Atlantic Canada on the Internet despite being told not to by officials. He was charged, but argued the charges were unconstitutional under the Charter of Rights and Freedom, which protects freedom of expression. He won his argument at the British Columbia Supreme Court but lost at the British Columbia Court of Appeal.
Nigel Armstrong, The Guardian's web editor, says the newspaper's website will be abiding by all election laws.
He said the newspaper is planning extensive coverage online, but none of that will begin until 11 p.m.
"The Guardian will have results from across Prince Edward Island and across the country, provided by The Canadian Press,'' he said.
"The election ticker, on the left-hand side of our main web page under the heading Election '08 Results, will provide up-to-the-minute results nationally, as well as breakdowns by region, by province and by individual riding.
"These results on The Guardian's website will be leading edge, updating faster than broadcast networks which must show ridings one at a time,'' he added.
The Guardian has assembled a team of reporters and photographers who will be out across the Island, providing The Guardian's website with full coverage Wednesday.
The election results blackout affects not only newspapers. National television networks will not be allowed to broadcast results nationally. That means networks like CBC Newsworld and CTV Newsnet - that broadcast nationwide - will not be broadcasting results until 11 p.m.
But regional networks, like CBC, CTV and Global, will be broadcasting results locally in Atlantic Canada only. Their signals will be blocked out in the rest of the country.
The same is true in radio.
Scott Chapman of Newcap Radio in Charlottetown, which owns Ocean 100 and K-Rock, said they'll have to unplug the live stream of their radio signals on the Internet so that local results cannot be heard in other parts of the country.
"We're having to shut off our live stream on the website for both stations,'' he said. "We'll turn it back on once all the polls are closed.''
Poll watch:
Polls open on P.E.I. at 8:30 a.m. and will stay open until 8:30 p.m. Below is a list of when the polls close across the country (Atlantic time)
Newfoundland, 9 p.m.
Atlantic (Maritimes), 8:30 p.m.
Eastern (Quebec, most of Ontario), 10:30 p.m.
Central (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, part of Nunavut, northwestern Ontario), 10:30 p.m.
Mountain (Alberta, most of Northwest Territories, part of British Columbia), 10:30 p.m.
Pacific (Most of B.C. Yukon), 11 p.m.
Internet in Canada will be going dark to prevent leaks of election results
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Comments
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- Ken
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:43:24
There is no call to shut the internet down...that is censorship pure and simple and a dangerous precedent to boot.
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- lee
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:39:03
What a screwy story and misleading headline!!!
I know, aren't they all..
But the Web going dark - for Canada?
Ha ha ha ha - the story says websites and the like will not be able to report the election results.
Nonsense! There may be rules against it, but that is so different from not being able to - one is a legalistic wish, the other is a technical reality.
Don't mistake them! -
- J
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:38:43
What a simple problem to solve. Why does the government just not allow release of the RESULTS ... then they don't need to suppress free speach by reporters. This is a no brainer that no brain the gov't seems to be able to figure out. ... shutting down the internet ... that sounds like China.
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- American
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:38:26
Why shouldn't we get the results as they are coming in? What do the elections officials have to hide? It's a whole lot harder to cheat in the open in real time than it is to cheat behind closed doors with a three-hour delay. Ask the folks who counted the vote in Florida in 2000 or in Ohio, Iowa, or New Mexico in 2004, or the folks who counted the Democratic primary voted in New Hampshire and California this year. Don't let them bamboozle you with some east-coast-west-coast flim-flam. Leave all that for the rappers. Demand to see the numbers as they come in so you know they's right.
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- Oris
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:36:27
Am I missing something? I guess they'll block phone calls too?
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- Trevor
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:35:00
DL - spoken like a provincial easterner. People on the west coast deserve to feel their votes matter - and not have the election apparently settled even before the go vote.
It is a part of democracy. The United States has a similar policy It goes with having a country that spans several time zones. It does matter - a LOT to our western brothers and sisters. -
- Jon
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:32:26
@ Weak Democracy in pei
if you dont vote then you dont have the right to complain about anything.
ps - chretien won his majorities with 38% of people who bothered to vote -
- Vote Counter
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:31:55
I'd like to second Jerry's comment. I actually worked at the 2008 Federal Election. When I did the counting for my poll, a candidate representative from the Liberal party watched to ensure it was correct. We had a lot of forms to fill out, and everything is sealed. In particular, DROs keep one copy of the vote count sheet while the others are sent back.
At the ballot box level, it's probably no worry. In the area where all the ballot boxes are taken, it might be a little more risky because of the centralization, but everything is sealed before being brought back. If Canada ever switches to electronic voting, I'd really worry about it then, knowing how Diebold (makers of US voting machines) is. -
- John
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:31:53
A few people read this and asked if it affects the PEIinfo.com Election Chat tonight, it does not. There will be a blockout of all IP's from other areas in Canada therefore the chat will go on.
For more info visit www.peiinfo.com/forums -
- coco
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:26:09
many u.s. sites will be covering this....so look south....
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- Jerry
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:23:01
With the Canadian system (first past the post) it actually makes some sense to not know how everyone else voted until everyone HAS voted.
For example: Harper is going into majority range and those who have not voted realise what a disaster a Harper majority would be and vote strategically to try and keep total Reform seats down (that's what they are and Ill call them on it). This is a problem with our system and telling people out west how the people in the east have already voted just messes it up more. A proportional system would cure a lot of this and allow individuals to vote for who they think would govern best and many would not have to strategically vote to try and keep the worst out.
And a p.s. To anyone that thinks Harper could steal the election you have to know this. When I voted this morning I got a ballot with 5 names (and party affiliation) on it and THATS ALL. There is just one thing being voted on, not everything under the sun including dog catchers and plebiscites. No its one paper ballot and just one pencil mark is made to cast your vote.
Its pretty hard to rip this system off as all votes made must be accounted for. Spoiling a ballot would be difficult unless intentionally done and ambiguity (think hanging chad) is pretty much impossible. Even banana republics can get true results using simple paper ballots. This isnt America. -
- sick of the crap
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:16:30
Most people who dont bother voting,are sick and tired of being concerned or interested because they have learned that no matter who you vote for,nothing ever changes for the better to the common man.No matter who wins the election,nothing good will come for the average Canadian.So why waste our time? An outright boycott of the electorial process is the only way anything will ever change.And we are getting closer each year,as less and less people are voting.When the Government wants to actually make things better for the average Canadian,only then will people return to the polls.Most people's attitude is that they dont care about who is in power because nothing ever changes.And to those who say if you dont vote,then you have no right to an opinion,youre wrong.We have the right to complain about an unjust and polliticly incorrect voter system.
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- DL
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:16:16
Suppressing the internet....well....good luck with that!....what a colossal wait of money and energy in support of an absolutely stipid policy......
I have yet to have someone give me a good argument in support of the current practise of reporting the vote counts on the east side of the country before the polls close on the west coast.....this is not a mystery movie with a suspense-filled plot.....the only thing that matters in the final vote tallies, not the political pundits and media trying to analyse the significance of partial vote counts.....oh look at us....we are the first to project the winner of riding here and there .....
Also, I notice that the west coasters do not seem to mind that when thier polls close, the east coast votes are already tallied....so they just get the immediate...and final count.....no suspence....just the result......nothing protracted..... -
- Head shaker
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:16:13
Volume. Telephoning will have less volume than surfing, therefore less impact.
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- Head shaker
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:14:36
They are not shutting the Internet off, so don't worry. they are just warning they may prosecute if they see someone breaking the election laws.
And for those who don't vote (boycott or otherwise), I have two comments. Shut the H3!! up if someone you don't like gets in because you had the chance to have your say. the second is, every vote not cast makes mine more important because it is a larger percentage of the total.
If the smart people don't vote to protest, the election will be decided by idiots. -
- Thomas
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:05:44
Can't let the people know the election is being stolen, now can you?
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- Jimmy
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:05:44
Good luck with trying to restrict the Intrernet, if someone chooses to publish on a web site OUTSIDE of Canada. Web sites on servers OUTSIDE of Canada are NOT SUBJECT to Canadian laws.
And geographically restricting streams, which CBC and a couple of others imply they plan to do, won't work, becuase all someone would have to do is find an open proxy server to circumvent the restrictions, there are lists of open proxies all over the Net.
And someone in the allowed area could also rebroadcast the signal using a Peer-to-Peer TV service, such as TVAnts, with servers in China, no possible way to Canadian authorites to be able to trace anyone who did this. -
- Don't believe the Hype
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:51:47
Jon S, your arguement is neither 100% correct, nor does it paint an accurate picture. First of all, Chretian had over 41% of the popular vote in 1993. Yes in 1997, he only had 38.4%. However in 2000, his support was back to over 40%. And that was with another party on the scene taking votes. With the Reform Alliance merging with the conservative party, there is now one less party on the scene. One would expect it would now take more to form a majority.
As well it should be noted that voter turnout for 1993 was 70.9%, & 1997 was 67%. It was not until 2000 that turnout really dipped and hasn't eclipsed 65% since.
That being said, I completely agree that those who don't vote are both part of the problem, and lose their right to complain. And with that taken into account, you can say that whomever wins the elcetion has the support of whatever percentage of the popular vote they get.
I once read that Winston Churchill said, 'democracy is the worst form of government except for all the rest' -
- Ryan
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:51:30
The fruits of your typical, whining right-wing Westerner: Shut down the net!....tyrants and terrorists.
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- Gerald
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:46:48
In order to be fair the announcement of the election results should wait until all election results are counted across the country and the results of the election released when the last poll is counted. To shut down the internet is like trying to whistle in the wind, but thats how it goes when bureaucrats and judiciary are devoid of clear thinking.
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- Transplant
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:42:26
But regional networks, like CBC, CTV and Global, will be broadcasting results locally in Atlantic Canada only. Their signals will be blocked out in the rest of the country.
The same is true in radio ...
So what's to stop someone from emailing or telephoning the results to the blocked out areas?
The votes shouldn't even be counted till all polls are closed, but if they are, at the very least the results should be with-held till all polls are closed. -
- Weak Democracy
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:41:52
We are very likely going to see a government formed with the support of 35 per cent of the people casting ballots and only 60 percent of those that could vote will even bother, not to mention the thousands and thousands that are left off the registry in the first place. So we will have a government representing bout 1 out over every 5 Canadian Adults. 4 out of every 5 people will not support this government and they will operate our government as if we live in some sort or modern dictatorship. Ouch!
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- Trevor
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:38:44
So far a depressing number of people I have encountered today say they do not intend to go vote.
It should be a law that you MUST vote like in I believe it is in Australia or be fined. We are asked to do this only once every 5 or so years. If people will not do it out of pride and civic duty (an old fashioned word I know but I still believe in duty) then they must be FORCED. Some might just spoil their ballot but most will vote seeing as they are there.
Employers are required by law to allow employees time to go vote so there is no excuse.
I have no doubt all the apathetic (and pathetic) ones I encountered today will do more than their share of complaining about the government in years to come and it will be THEIR fault. EVERY VOTE MATTERS. -
- Kelly
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:36:33
And what is going to stop someone calling in the results and posting it on a web page hosted outside of Canada?
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- Nerak
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:35:42
I can listen to Edge 102 in Toronto online.
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- tp
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:35:32
Trevor, for a lot of voters that is exactly the problem: we are NOT asked to vote every five years. This is the third Federal election in the last four years.
Some people are frustrated at these expensive elections which are not for the advancement of Canada, or to serve the democratic process; rather, they are for the advancement of the interests of the party in power. -
- foxx
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:34:51
No problem, all Island conservatives will lose! Go Dion Go!
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- A. Magnus
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:34:35
It sounds more like the government of Canada will shut down the internet in order to falsify the election results until they get to remain in power. If you Canadians accept this then you're no better off than us slaves here in the U.S.
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- business will suffer
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:34:08
excuse me? Some of us have businesses to run. Some of us use the Internet to make phone calls. Geez. This is legal? Will election Canada reimburse me for lost sales? For the inability to bid on orders? for the inability to buy product?
