The electoral packages previously sent to MNO voters for the Region 5 by-election have been invalidated because Canada Post has destroyed close to 100 of the ballots that had already been sent back by voters. In addition, the return envelopes in these packages will not be honoured by Canada Post and so will not, if placed in the mail, be turned over to the Electoral Officers. Therefore, all Region 5 voters including those who have already voted will be receiving new electoral packages. Anyone in possession of the previous electoral package is asked to destroy it and use the new package instead.
Canada Post advised that they destroyed the ballots because they had cancelled the MNO’s Business Mail Reply contract which was used in the May 2012 Election. I am advised that Canada Post neither informed the MNO of the cancellation nor did they have proper authorization to cancel the contract. Nevertheless, this cancellation invalidated all the postage paid envelopes that contained the ballots. I am also advised that the MNO has since signed a new Business Mail Reply contract with Canada Post, so, that the postage paid envelopes in the new packages will be returned to the Electoral Officers. We regret the inconvenience this causes but unfortunately these events left us with no alternative.
Sincerely,
Paul Devillers,
Chief Electoral Officer