Ottawa, Ontario – Voter turnout will increase in Canada thanks to the Government of Canada’s Increasing Voter Participation Act, said Tilly O’Neill Gordon Member of Parliament for Miramichi.

“Voter participation has been declining over the years,” said O’Neill Gordon. “Our government made a commitment in its 2010 Throne Speech to increase voter participation by giving Canadians more opportunities to vote and today’s announcement does just that.”

This afternoon, Minister of State for Democratic Reform, Steven Fletcher, introduced the Increasing Voter Participation Act. If passed, it would give Canadians two additional voting days, one of which will be the Sunday before election day where every polling station in the country would be open. The second additional advance voting day will be the Sunday eight days before election day creating a continuous four-day period for advance voting.

“Our government has always been committed to improving our democratic institutions, “said O’Neill Gordon.  “By giving Canadians additional voting opportunities more Canadians will be able to get and participate in the democratic process.”