Canadians door knock in U.S., but outsiders barred from stumping in Canada

TORONTO — A group of Canadian lawyers is heading south this week to stump for Hillary Clinton ahead of the U.S. presidential election — an activity that would be illegal if Americans tried the same move during a federal campaign in Canada.

While American election laws in place since 1966 forbid political financial donations from foreigners, they do not bar outsiders from knocking on doors either to encourage voting or to extol the virtues of a candidate — as long as they make no monetary contributions and don’t get paid for their efforts.

Many Canadians, it seems, would take a somewhat dimmer view of finding an American campaigner at their door.

“I’d have the same reaction I have to the occasional American religious missionaries who knock on the door: Go clean up your own back yard,” said Deborah Jones-Kennedy, of Vancouver.  

Since the 1920s, however, Canadian rules have criminalized any active involvement by foreigners in our elections unless they are permanent residents.

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“No person who does not reside in Canada shall, during an election period, in any way induce electors to vote or refrain from voting, or vote or refrain from voting for a particular candidate,” the Canada Elections Act states under a section called “non-interference by foreigners.”

Penalty for violating the prohibition carries a maximum $5,000 fine and/or six months in prison — although it does not appear charges have ever been laid, said Michelle Laliberte with the Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections.

In 2012, the mostly Toronto-based lawyers canvassed for President Barack Obama in a suburb of Philadelphia — something they had done in Pittsburgh in 2008 as well. The doorway receptions were for the most part warm and welcoming.

This year, another group of Canadians — a dozen women — is also campaigning for Clinton, the Democrat candidate, in the key swing state of Florida. It’s about being neighbourly and helping political allies who “feel the same way we do,” Cheryl Conley-Strange, of Winnipeg, said.

Evan Switzer, who lives in southwestern Ontario, said physically crossing borders to help a foreign political party get elected sets a bad precedent.

“Its easy to shrug off when it’s Liberals and Conservatives but it can get messier as fringe groups get involved,” Switzer said.

“It doesn’t matter if we are allies, neighbours, or enemies. Despite the global reach, the election is ultimately an American election. Foreigners can discuss, comment, criticize and debate all they want, but to travel to the U.S. and directly interfere skews things.”

Nicole Caron, of Ottawa, said she understands why Canadians might want to jump into the U.S. fray — but it makes her uncomfortable.

“We Canadians want our neighbours in the U.S. to give their heads a shake re: Trump, and know Clinton has issues as well,” Caron said. “Yet, if Americans weighed in on our elections we would be insulted. For me, bottom line: No foreigners should interfere in another’s election.”

The Canadian involvement in the U.S. vote comes during a presidential campaign coloured by allegations that Russian President Vladimir Putin has worked nefariously on behalf of Republican candidate Donald Trump.

Some said the problem is that Canadians tend to be well informed about American politics — which, as a rule, can’t be said about Americans’ knowledge of the situation north of the border. Still, others say they would be open to American involvement in a Canadian campaign.

“I personally wouldn’t write them off or discount their opinion just because they’re not Canadian,” said Spencer Moore, who’s studying at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont. “I’ll listen to their points no matter where they’re from.”

Colin Perkel, The Canadian Press