Winnipeg South Centre by-election to have most candidates in Canadian history
The upcoming Winnipeg South Centre by-election will have the largest number of candidates in Canadian election history, as part of an effort to point out the flaws in our electoral system.
A Winnipeg-based electoral reform group orchestrated the unprecedented number of candidates.
"I think this is a great way to get more of a diverse, disengaged population to be more engaged," said independent candidate Christopher Clacio.
A total of 46 candidates are running for the federal seat. Clacio is among the many independent candidates filling out the by-election ballots alongside the Conservative, Green, Liberal, and NDP parties.
Like many of the registered independents, Clacio does not live in the riding. Some of the candidates don't even live in Manitoba. Under the Elections Act, anyone can run as a candidate in any riding in Canada, regardless of where they actually live.
It's an aspect of the elections system being exploited by The Longest Ballot Committee, a voter activist group - with organizers based in Winnipeg - that aims to satirize the voting process.
The purpose of the stunt is to elevate the issue of electoral reform, while highlighting deficiencies in Canada's current "first past the post" voting system.
"If you have a very close race and let's say the winner wins by a few hundred votes. He goes on to represent that riding as if 100 per cent of the riding voted for him or her," said Glen MacDonald, another independent candidate who lives in Toronto.
MacDonald believes if that result happens in too many ridings, it can lead to a negative, cascading effect that distorts representation in Ottawa.
"This is not about promoting one party over another," he said. "What this is about is promoting democracy and making sure we have accurate representation in this country."
The previous record for most candidates in Canada was during a 2022 Ontario election. At that time, Elections Canada created a special, two-column ballot which will also be used in the Winnipeg South Centre by-election.
Despite the high number of candidates, pollsters say the seat formerly held by the late Jim Carr will likely go to the Liberal candidate.
"Ben Carr has his father's last name of course because his father was well known and a cabinet minister," said Curtis Brown with Probe Research. "And it has a tradition for voting for a long time for Liberals."
Brown added that a strong show of NDP support in the riding could splinter the vote, lowering the chances of a Liberal win.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Canada Post cracks down on Nunavut loophole to get free Amazon Prime shipping
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
'It was violent': Police tear down U of A pro-Palestinian encampment Saturday morning
Multiple people at the protest camp torn down at the University of Alberta campus Saturday say police's actions against protesters were "violent" and "disproportionate."
Trucker's body found in trailer in Newfoundland after failed police search in Ontario
Ontario Provincial Police are facing tough questions about their search for a missing Newfoundland trucker whose rig was found two weeks ago in Ontario, then sent back to Newfoundland, where his body was found Monday in the trailer.
An apartment block collapses in a Russian border city after heavy shelling, injuring over a dozen
An apartment block partially collapsed in the Russian border city of Belgorod on Sunday, leaving at least 19 injured. Officials blamed Ukrainian shelling and said there were also likely deaths.
German men with the strongest fingers compete in Bavaria's 'Fingerhakeln' wrestling championship
Despite the threat of dislocated fingers and strained muscles, over 150 Bavarian men came together Sunday to compete in Germany’s unique national championship of “Fingerhakeln,” or finger wrestling.
Millions of Canadians have been exposed to potentially toxic chemicals, and they're not going anywhere
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
Michael Cohen: A challenging star witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial
He once said he would take a bullet for Donald Trump. Now Michael Cohen is prosecutors' biggest piece of legal ammunition in the former president's hush money trial.
Feds 'committed to doing more,' but minister offers no timeline for Canadian Disability Benefit boost
Amid significant criticism from advocates, Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities Minister Kamal Khera is defending her government's long-promised, newly unveiled Canada Disability Benefit, calling the funds an "initial step," but without laying out a timeline for future expansion of the program.