An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act (demographic information)

Bill S-283 was a Senate Private Member's Bill amending the Canada Elections Act (S.C. 2000, c. 9) to require the Chief Electoral Officer to collect optional demographic information from voters and candidates during federal elections, in order to assess representation of historically underrepresented groups (Indigenous peoples, racialized Canadians, women, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ2S+ voters). The 2021 federal election saw approximately 28 percent of MPs elected as women (98 of 338) and approximately 14 percent of MPs racialized per Equal Voice and Library of Parliament data. The bill aligned with the 2019 Senate Modernization Committee recommendation on representation data and the federal Department for Women and Gender Equality Act framework. Did not pass third reading.