Canada Elections Act

Marginal note:Appointment of field liaison officers

• 23.2 (1) The Chief Electoral Officer may appoint a field liaison officer in respect of a given geographical area in accordance with the process established under subsection (2) and may remove him or her only in accordance with the procedure established under that subsection.

• Marginal note:Qualifications

  (2) The Chief Electoral Officer shall prescribe the qualifications for the appointment of persons as field liaison officers and shall establish for field liaison officers an external appointment process as defined in subsection 2(1) of the Public Service Employment Act on the basis of merit and a fair procedure for their removal on the grounds set out in subsection (9).

• Marginal note:Meaning of merit

  (3) The appointment of a person as a field liaison officer is made on the basis of merit if the Chief Electoral Officer is satisfied that the person meets the essential qualifications for the work to be performed and has regard to

  • (a) any additional qualifications that the Chief Electoral Officer considers to be an asset for the work to be performed; and

  • (b) any current or future operational requirements.

• Marginal note:Period of appointment

  (4) A field liaison officer shall be appointed for the period determined by the Chief Electoral Officer.

• Marginal note:Re-appointment

  (5) The Chief Electoral Officer may re-appoint any field liaison officer who has performed the functions of a field liaison officer in a satisfactory manner, regardless of whether or not other persons are considered for the appointment.

• Marginal note:Continuation in office

  (6) A field liaison officer may, with the Chief Electoral Officer’s approval, continue in office after the expiry of the period referred to in subsection (4) until the field liaison officer is re-appointed or another person is appointed to the office.

• Marginal note:Responsibilities

  (7) A field liaison officer is responsible, under the Chief Electoral Officer’s general direction, in respect of the geographical area to which they are assigned, for

  • (a) providing support to returning officers;

  • (b) acting as an intermediary between the returning officers and the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer; and

  • (c) on the Chief Electoral Officer’s request, providing support in relation to the appointment of returning officers.

• Marginal note:No partisan conduct

  (8) No field liaison officer shall knowingly engage in politically partisan conduct and in particular shall not make a contribution to a nomination contestant, a candidate or a leadership contestant or belong to or make a contribution to, be an employee of or hold a position in, a registered party, an eligible party or an electoral district association.

• Marginal note:Removal from office

  (9) The Chief Electoral Officer may remove from office any field liaison officer who

  • (a) is incapable, by reason of illness, disability or otherwise, of satisfactorily exercising their powers or performing their duties under this Act;

  • (b) fails to competently exercise a field liaison officer’s powers or competently perform a field liaison officer’s duties under this Act or to comply with an instruction of the Chief Electoral Officer issued under paragraph 16(c); or

  • (c) contravenes subsection (8), whether or not the contravention occurs in the exercise of their powers or the performance of their duties under this Act.