Turns Out John Oliver Didn't Actually Break The Law By Telling Canadians How To Vote

Elections Canada probably has better things to do, tbh.

Elections Canada says it won't fine or jail John Oliver for telling people not to vote for Stephen Harper today.

HBO

Oliver spent much of Sunday's Last Week Tonight talking about the Canadian election and why Americans should care about its outcome.

Oliver said Stephen Harper didn't deserve another term as prime minister, especially for "pandering to Islamophobes" with the fight over niqabs at citizenship ceremonies and the Barbaric Cultural Practices hotline.

He also made fun of the law barring foreigners from influencing how Canadians vote.

HBO

Section 331 of the Canada Elections Act says "no person who does not reside in Canada" can "in any way induce" a Canadian to "vote or refrain from voting for a particular candidate."

The law carries a maximum fine of $5,000 and six months jail time.

"If telling you not to vote for Stephen Harper is going to cost me $5,000, I'm gonna get my money's worth," he said.

HBO

Then he was joined on stage by a giant beaver, a moose getting a colonoscopy, and Mike Myers dressed as a Mountie before repeating that Canadians shouldn't vote for Stephen Harper's Conservatives.

On Monday, Elections Canada clarified that John Oliver was not in danger of spending six months in a Canadian jail.

Ishmael N. Daro

The federal agency told The Canadian Press there's no law against foreigners expressing an opinion about Canadian politics.

"The expression of personal political views by Canadians or non-Canadians as to which parties or candidates they support is not an offence under the Act," Elections Canada spokesman John Enright said.

"This also applies to Mr. Oliver."

He said the most important part of the law was about "inducing" Canadians to vote a certain way.

"To induce there must be a tangible thing offered," Enright said. "A personal view is not inducement."

So go ahead, foreigners. Feel free to tell Canadians how to vote. It's all good.

HBO / Via BuzzFeed Canada

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