The basic principle is that Elections Canada cannot be tied to any political party in a democracy. The people decide which party will lead the Government of Canada. It is not up to the Government of Canada to appoint returning officers as it did in the past. Lastly, we hope that the legislation will not only go forward but be enforced very stringently.
With respect to appointments, one suggestion has been the public postings approach. Postings would be in universities and many other places, and returning officers would be selected on the basis of their qualifications.