(le texte français suivra)
Dear [NAME],
As part of its post-election activities, Elections Canada is reaching out to the official agents of candidates in the general election of October 21, 2019 about their experiences with the electoral campaign return process, during and/or following the election.
As an official agent, you are uniquely able to provide informed opinions and insights on this process can be improved. We would like to invite you to contribute to this effort by participating in an upcoming online survey, hosted by a trusted third party, Environics Research.
In the next few days, you will receive an email invitation from Environics asking you to take part in this important survey. Your participation in the survey is voluntary, however we encourage you to take part as the results of the survey will be used to improve the electoral return process and the products and services we provide to candidates and official agents in future federal elections. The survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. Your responses are completely confidential.
If you have questions about this survey or wish to confirm its authenticity, please contact Erik Lairot, Project Manager at erik.lairot@elections.ca, or you can call Elections Canada's toll-free number at 1-800-463-6868 from Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time, to speak with an agent.
Thank you in advance for your support, and we look forward to your participation.
Tamara Kluke
Director, Political Financing and Audit
(le texte français suivra)
As mentioned in our recent email, Elections Canada has contracted Environics Research to conduct a survey of the official agents of candidates in the general election of October 21, 2019 about their experiences with the campaign electoral return process, during and/or following the election.
As an official agent, you are uniquely able to provide informed opinions and insights on how this process can be improved. The results of the survey will be used to improve the electoral return process and the products and services provided to candidates and official agents in future federal elections.
The survey will take 15 minutes to complete. Your participation in the survey is voluntary and your responses will be completely confidential.
Please click on the following link to complete the survey:
LINKIf you do not have time to complete the survey in one sitting, you can return to it by clicking again on the link above. Once the survey period closes on March 26, if you decide not to complete the entire questionnaire, your answers will not be retained.
If you have questions about this survey or wish to confirm its authenticity, please contact Erik Lairot, Project Manager at erik.lairot@elections.ca, or you can call Elections Canada's toll-free number at 1-800-463-6868 from Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time, to speak with an agent.
This study has been registered with the Canadian Research Insights Council's Research Verification Service so that you may validate its authenticity. If you would like to enquire about the details of this research, you can visit CRIC's website: www.canadianresearchinsightscouncil.ca/rvs/home/?lang=en and enter reference project code 20210225-EN037
Please select your preferred language for completing the survey. / Veuillez choisir la langue dans laquelle vous préférez répondre au sondage.
01 - English
02 - Français
Thank you for participating in this survey for official agents of candidates in the general election of October 21, 2019. Your input is important and your participation in this research is much appreciated.
This survey is being conducted on behalf of Elections Canada and the results will be used to guide decisions regarding communications products and services for the next federal election.
The survey should take no more than 15 minutes to complete, depending on your responses.
Your participation is voluntary and completely confidential. All your answers will remain anonymous and will be combined with responses from others. Any personal information collected is subject to the federal Privacy Act and will be held in strict confidence. By taking part in this survey, you consent to the use of your answers for research and statistical purposes. The anonymous database of all responses may be shared with external researchers under the strict condition that no personal information is ever distributed or made public.
If you wish to verify the legitimacy of this research or to register a complaint, please contact Erik Lairot, Elections Canada project manager, at erik.lairot@elections.ca, or you can call Election Canada's toll-free number at 1-800-463-6868 and speak to an Elections Canada agent from Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time. To get information about the survey industry or to ask technical questions about this survey, please contact Brenda Sharpe at Environics at brenda.sharpe@environics.ca.
This study has been registered with the Canadian Research Insights Council's Research Verification Service so that you may validate its authenticity. If you would like to enquire about the details of this research, you can visit CRIC's website www.canadianresearchinsightscouncil.ca/rvs/home/?lang=en and enter reference project code 20210225-EN037.
Please click on » to continue.
[RED = SKIP/BRANCH/PROGRAMMING LOGIC]1. Were you an official agent for a candidate who ran in the general election of October 21, 2019?
2. Was it your first time acting as an official agent for a candidate campaign?
3. For how many candidates did you act as official agent in the October 2019 election?
IF MORE THAN ONE CANDIDATE IN Q3 SHOW
In completing this survey, please think about your experiences in dealing with Elections Canada for the candidate with the most complex reporting requirements.
ASK ALL
4. Did your candidate take part in a nomination contest prior to running as a candidate in the general election?
5. Were you also the financial agent for the candidate's nomination campaign?
6. How clear was the obligation to open a bank account specifically for the candidate campaign?
7. What, if any, aspects of opening a bank account specifically for the candidate campaign were difficult?
Select all that apply
RANDOMIZE 01-03
8. Were you the official agent at the time the electoral campaign return was prepared and submitted?
9. Which method(s) did you use to submit the electoral campaign return?
Select all that apply
10. Did you attend training on how to complete and submit the return?
11. Overall, would you say that the process of completing (filling out) the electoral campaign return was…
12. Overall, would you say that the process of submitting the electoral campaign return was…
13. What, if any, aspects of completing and submitting the electoral campaign return were difficult?
Select any statements that apply
14. Did you use the Electronic Financial Return (EFR) software to prepare the return?
IF Q14 = 01 ASK Q15-19: To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about using the Electronic Financial Return (EFR) software to prepare the return?
Please select one response for each statement
SET UP AS GRID
RANDOMIZE 15-19
15. The instructions provided by Elections Canada on how to find this software were clear
16. The EFR software was not easy to install
17. The EFR software was easy to navigate
18. The instructions on how to use the EFR software and provide the submission file were not clear
19. It was easier to file the financial return using the EFR software than with the manual process
20. IF Q14 = 02: Why did you not use the Electronic Financial Return (EFR) software to prepare the return?
Select any that apply
21. Was the candidate's campaign required to file an external auditor's report with the electoral campaign return?
22. How easy or difficult was it to figure out whether an auditor's report was required with the electoral campaign return?
SHOW TO ALL: This next section asks for your opinion about some of the products and services Elections Canada makes available for candidate campaigns.
Did you use, or were you aware of, the following Elections Canada products and services?
Please choose one response for each resource
SET UP AS GRID
23. The Political Financing Handbook for Candidates and Official Agents
24. The Political Financing videos ("cartoons")
25. Electronic Financial Return (EFR) videos
26. Political Financing Newsletter
27. The Webex information session for official agents and candidates
28. The In-Classroom information sessions for official agents and candidates to start the campaign
29. The computer lab sessions for official agents and candidates to close the campaign
30. The Political Entities Support Network 1-800 #
31. Correspondence with Elections Canada (by email at political.financing@elections.ca or by mail)
ASK Q32 IF ANY 01 AT Q23-31
32. Which, if any, of these products did you find helpful?
SHOW ANY PRODUCTS USED (01 AT 23-31)
Select any that apply
33. What, if any, aspects of finding the products or services you were looking for on Elections Canada's Political Financing website were difficult?
Select any statements that apply
[ASK Q34-39 IF Q30 = 01]
To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about the service you received from the EC 1-800 number for political entities:
Please select one response for each statement
34. The Elections Canada employee was courteous
35. The Elections Canada employee was knowledgeable
36. I was satisfied with the ease of access to the service.
37. I received a response in a timely manner
38. In the end, I got what I needed
39. When you contacted Elections Canada through the 1-800 number for political entities, approximately how long did you wait before speaking with an Elections Canada employee?
Please select one response
[ASK Q40-43 IF Q31= 01]
SET UP AS GRID
To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about the service you received while corresponding by mail or email with Elections Canada:
Please select one response for each statement
40. The response was courteous
41. The response was informative
42. The response was timely
43. In the end, I received the information I needed
ASK ALL
44. Did you consult any sources other than Elections Canada to understand the financial and reporting provisions of the Canada Elections Act as they relate to candidates and how they applied in your situation?
[ASK Q45 IF Q44 = 01]
45. What sources did you consult?
Select any that apply
ASK ALL
46. Are there any other products or services Elections Canada could have provided that would have made serving as an official agent easier for you?
[OPEN-ENDED]
ASK ALL
47. Have you been contacted by Elections Canada for clarifications or additional information since the electoral return was filed?
48. How did Elections Canada contact you?
Select any that apply
To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about your interaction with Elections Canada after the return was filed:
Please select one response for each statement
SET UP AS GRID
49. The Elections Canada employee was courteous
50. The Elections Canada employee was knowledgeable
51. The Elections Canada employee clearly described the steps needed to complete the task
52. The Elections Canada employee provided sufficient time to complete the task
53. It was easy to submit the requested information
54. The Elections Canada employee responded to my questions in a timely manner
55. The Elections Canada employee followed up regularly after the initial contact until the task was complete
SHOW TO ALL: This next section asks for your opinion of the steps for closing the campaign.
ASK ALL
For each of the following steps for closing the campaign, please indicate how easy or difficult it was to complete:
Please select one response for each step
56. Fulfilling all reporting obligations before closing the campaign
57. Completing and submitting the statement of surplus
58. Disposing of any surpluses
59. Closing the campaign bank accounts
SHOW TO ALL: Finally, here are some questions to help us analyze the results of this survey.
60. In which age category do you belong?
Select one only
61. How do you identify your gender?
62. What language do you speak most often at home?
MULTIPLE RESPONSE PERMITTED
63. Which is the highest level of education that you have completed?
Select one only
64. Which of the following categories best describes your current employment status? Are you:
Select one only
65. Is there anything else not covered in this survey you would like to share about your experience as an official agent for the general election of October 21, 2019?
[OPEN-ENDED]
66. Would you be willing to be contacted by Elections Canada to provide feedback as Elections Canada develops new products and services for candidates and official agents?
IF YES RECORD NAME AND EMAIL
Please provide your name and email so EC can contact you for your feedback. Your contact information will be provided to EC in a separate file and will not be linked to your survey responses.
Name: ___________
E-mail: ___________
This concludes the survey. This survey was conducted on behalf of Elections Canada. In the coming months the report will be available from Library and Archives Canada. We thank you very much for taking the time to participate and for your thoughtful feedback; it is greatly appreciated.
If you have any reason to believe your personal information is not being handled in accordance with the Privacy Act, you have a right to complain to the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.
Toll-free: 1-800-282-1376
TTY: (819) 994-6591
Web: Go to www.priv.gc.ca and click "Report a concern"
RECORD:
67. Type of device used to complete survey