provides for the cancellation of an election due to flood, fire or other disaster. How does section 59 work in the context of a general election?
• Cancelling an election in any given electoral district is done only as a very last resort. • Authority to withdraw a writ (and the process to be followed) is found in section59 of the Canada Elections Act. • It has to be impracticable to carry out the election (“pratiquement impossible” in the French version). • By reason of a flood, fire or other disaster (“calamité” in French). • If the Chief Electoral Officer reaches the view that a writ has to be withdrawn, a certificate will be delivered to the Governor in Council in which the Chief Electoral Officer attests to the impracticability of carrying out the election by reason of a flood, fire or other disaster, and naming the district(s) affected by this certification. • Section 59 provides that, on receipt of the certificate, the Governor in Council (the Governor General on the recommendation of Cabinet) may order the withdrawal of the writ for any electoral district for which the Chief Electoral Officer has certified that it is impr
