Questions and Complaints

• When Should I Complain?
• What details should I provide in a complaint about a possible Canada Elections Act contravention?

When Should I Complain?

The Commissioner of Canada Elections encourages anyone who believes an offence has been committed under the Act to contact the office. Individuals who wish to submit a complaint are urged to do so as soon as possible following the alleged offence and should provide as much detail as possible to support their allegation, including any supporting documents.

Under her mandate, the Commissioner can only address complaints related to federal elections. For this reason, the Commissioner cannot pursue complaints related to electoral events in other jurisdictions.

To assist you in the complaint process, please select a category that best describes your issue.

• Advertising (includes campaign signs)
• Automated Messages
• Ballots
• Campaign Expenses – Financial Reports and Returns
• Campaigning in public places
• Candidates on Polling Day
• Canvassing
• Disinformation
• Election signs
• Foreign Interference
• Householders
• Illegal voting
• Nomination and leadership contests
• Political financing
• Secrecy of the vote and influence in a polling site
• Status of Members of Parliament
• Technology (including artificial intelligence, bots and deepfakes)
• Time off work to vote
• Transmitting Results on Election Day
• Unauthorized use of computer
• Unsolicited Communications from Political Parties
• Use of MP Office Signs
• Voter intimidation and bribery
• Other
• Glossary

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What details should I provide in a complaint about a possible Canada Elections Act contravention?

To respond to complaints about alleged contraventions, the Commissioner of Canada Elections requires the following minimum information:

1. Your name, mailing address and telephone number.
2. Your e-mail address and fax number, if applicable.
   If you are submitting the complaint on behalf of another person or organization, please also include the name of that person or organization (the complainant) and their contact information (mailing address, telephone number, e-mail address and fax number, if applicable).
3. A factual description of the events, circumstances or actions that you believe gave rise to the alleged contravention.

Please include specific dates, places and/or documents that you believe are relevant. This information will enable the Commissioner to assess your complaint; without it, assessment of your complaint may be delayed.

Keep in mind:

• The passage of time may significantly affect the Commissioner's ability to deal with a complaint.

Anonymous Complaints

If you wish to submit a complaint anonymously, you can do so using our online form, which can be found in the Complaints section of our website.

It is essential to provide a detailed description of the allegations and all available information, as we will be unable to contact you.

You should submit factual and detailed information about:

• The person or entity who is the subject of the complaint;
• The events, circumstances and actions that you believe give or gave rise to the alleged contravention;
• Names of witnesses in relation to the allegations.

You should also provide a copy of all documents, records, pictures, posts, etc., related to the alleged contraventions.

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