Chartrand defends raffle for Métis voters

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This article was published 09/09/2021 (1716 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba’s Métis leader says while he is endorsing the Trudeau Liberals, his federation remains non-partisan and he defends the decision to give prizes to card-carrying Métis who vote in the election.

“There’s not a doubt, based on the evidence, that the Liberal government has the most I’ve-got-your-back style for the Métis,” said Manitoba Métis Federation president David Chartrand.

He appears in a flyer for Liberal Jim Carr, who is seeking re-election in Winnipeg South Centre.

This week, the federation announced it was offering prizes — everything from a car to video-game consoles — for Métis who say they voted.

The federation says anyone with a citizen card, or who is eligible for one, who posts a picture of themselves outside a polling station will be eligible to win PlayStation 5 consoles, or a Chevy Spark. Those who help five eligible voters get to a polling station can win flat-screen televisions.

“We have big numbers that come out, and we want to push those numbers even higher,” said Chartrand, who estimated about 65 per cent of eligible Métis vote.

He argued that Indigenous people in general need to show up at the polls to ensure governments address their issues outside of elections.

“I’m trying to tell the young people to go out and vote, and make sure people that are fed up and stressed because of COVID get out and vote.”

The giveaway seems to fall within federal election laws.

The Canada Elections Act bans bribes to incentivize someone to either vote or refrain from voting. It’s also illegal to accept such a bribe.

The Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections could not say whether a raffle could breach that law, as it does not define a bribe. But a spokeswoman noted that any conviction would have to include the motive to sway a vote.

“To determine whether something might fall within the definition of bribery set out by the (law) requires a broader examination, including, but not limited to, determining whether the person or entity alleged to have offered a bribe acted with a corrupt intent,” wrote Michelle Laliberté.

Her office investigates complaints, separate from Elections Canada, which administers elections.

Elections Canada noted that distinction, and said it understands a bribe would include raffles for anything beyond small rewards.

“Offering prizes of more than a nominal value in association with an election could fall under these prohibitions,” wrote agency spokeswoman Marie-France Kenny.

Meanwhile, Chartrand stressed the federation is not endorsing any party.

That’s similar to Manitoba Grand Chief Arlen Dumas advocating for a Liberal candidate in northern Manitoba, while the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs has resisted endorsing a party.

Both the assembly and federation don’t plan to endorse any party.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca