ODIHR sends assessment team for Canadian elections

WARSAW, 16 January 2006 - The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has deployed a team of experts to assess the 23 January general elections in Canada, at the invitation of the Canadian Foreign Ministry.

The team is led by ODIHR senior election expert Vadim Zhdanovich of Russia.

The purpose of the visit is to assess the overall election framework in Canada with regard to OSCE commitments, international standards and best practices for holding democratic elections.

The ODIHR assessment team plans to meet relevant governmental authorities, election administrations, and to discuss election issues with candidates or candidate representatives, political parties, civil society and the media. It also plans to visit polling stations on election day.

The team, which will be staying in Canada from 14 to 25 January, will be deployed in Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal and Edmonton. It includes 10 experts from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Germany, France, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the USA.

A final report will be issued some weeks following the assessment.