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End of election blackout a good move, experts say

End of election blackout a good move, experts say

Recent changes to the Canada Elections Act have removed the long-standing practice of blacking out the reporting of results on election night, which means that Canadians living in parts of Western Canada will now be able to see results from the East Coast prior to casting their ballot.

This election will be the first time that this new policy will be put into action. Previously, the early transmission of election results, from across different times zones, was banned by the federal government for fear of having citizens potentially vote strategically, or even not at all.

Maximum penalties for violating the old rules surrounding transmitting results could have resulted in up to five years in prison or a $25,000 fine, according to Elections Canada.

Digital experts say that the change, which was one part of the controversial Fair Elections Act, is a good move that was sorely needed.

“It was ridiculous that Canadians faced penalties merely for sharing results and information online,” says David Christopher, communications manager with OpenMedia.ca, a non-partisan Vancouver organization that specializes in digital policy.

“Lifting the ban recognizes the reality that we’re now living in a digital age, and information needs to be allowed to flow freely.”

Michael Geist, a law professor and Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-Commerce Law at the University of Ottawa agrees. He says the old system was out of step with the current fast-paced flow of information and created, in many cases, unnecessary legal challenges with regards to Twitter and Facebook posts.

Because this will be the first campaign with the new rules in place, it is not clear exactly what impact this change could have on any election results. Nevertheless, democracy watchers are encouraged that Canadians will be able to tweet and post about election results online without fear of penalty.

“This [change] is positive as it encourages a national political conversation,” says Jane Hilderman, executive director of Samara, a Toronto-based organization that encourages civic engagement. “The [change] enriches our political culture rather than restricting it in a rather arbitrary way with modern communication tools.”

Election Day is Oct. 19.