Marc Mayrand
Encyclopedia
Marc Mayrand is a Chief Electoral Officer
of Elections Canada
, a position he has held since 2007.
Mayrand studied law at the University of Ottawa
and the London School of Economics
.
He taught briefly, then joined the national Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy in 1982, and stayed until 2007. He rose to the top job there in 1997.
In 2007, he was appointed Chief Electoral Officer of Elections Canada, an independent agency of the Parliament of Canada
responsible for supervising the election campaign financing and voting methods. He refused to alter the voting procedure to require Muslim women to remove the veil, as it was not in the Elections Act
as written by parliamentarians.
In 2011, he called on Parliament to revamp the current election laws, which include lifting the blackout
of television and radio election coverage in areas where polls are still open, due to the expansion of the use of social media, citing that "its very intelligibility and usefulness in a world where the distinction between private communication and public transmission is quickly eroding."
Chief Electoral Officer (Canada)
The Chief Electoral Officer is the person responsible for overseeing elections in Canada.The position of Chief Electoral Officer was created in 1920 by the Dominion Elections Act. The Chief Electoral Officer is appointed by a resolution of the Canadian House of Commons...
of Elections Canada
Elections Canada
Elections Canada is an independent, non-partisan agency reporting directly to the Parliament of Canada. Its ongoing responsibility is to ensure that Canadians can exercise their choices in federal elections and referenda through an open and impartial process...
, a position he has held since 2007.
Mayrand studied law at the University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
and the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
.
He taught briefly, then joined the national Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy in 1982, and stayed until 2007. He rose to the top job there in 1997.
In 2007, he was appointed Chief Electoral Officer of Elections Canada, an independent agency of the Parliament of Canada
Parliament of Canada
The Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...
responsible for supervising the election campaign financing and voting methods. He refused to alter the voting procedure to require Muslim women to remove the veil, as it was not in the Elections Act
Canada Elections Act
Canada Elections Act is an Act of the Parliament of Canada respecting the election of members of parliament to the Canadian House of Commons, repealing other Acts relating to elections and making consequential amendments to other Acts....
as written by parliamentarians.
In 2011, he called on Parliament to revamp the current election laws, which include lifting the blackout
Blackout (broadcasting)
Blackout usually relates to the broadcasting of sports events, television programming, that is prohibited in a certain media market.The purpose is theoretically to generate more revenue by obliging certain actions from fans, either by making them buy tickets or watch other games on TV...
of television and radio election coverage in areas where polls are still open, due to the expansion of the use of social media, citing that "its very intelligibility and usefulness in a world where the distinction between private communication and public transmission is quickly eroding."