The Case Against Voting Machines in Ontario Elections
Cyberattacks are on the rise in Canada. They hit hospitals, cities, and government offices. Even the best-protected systems fail. If hackers can cripple payroll systems and lock down hospitals, they can break into voting machines.
Security is the biggest risk. Hackers attack Toronto’s networks and government servers. Voting machines would be an even bigger prize. Foreign and domestic enemies would try to rig the results or shake public trust. A single breach could throw an election into doubt.
Reliability is another problem. Ontario’s digital systems fail often. Banks, hospitals, and public services have all gone dark because of glitches and cyberattacks. If it happens during an election, votes could be lost or changed. Paper ballots don’t have that problem. They can’t be hacked. They can be counted by hand. They leave a trail.
People already distrust institutions. Asking them to trust machines that have failed in other areas is a mistake. The current system works. It is secure. It is simple. There is no good reason to replace it with a riskier option.
Elections decide the fate of nations. Digital systems are too weak, and the price of failure is too high. Keep paper ballots. Keep elections safe. Keep democracy strong.
A small list of Canadian Failures for Cyber
Total Estimated Cost: At least $4.5 billion
Total People Affected: 15 million+ (excluding unknown values)
2014: Target Canada’s ERP Implementation Failure
Target’s expansion into Canada was marred by an unsuccessful Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation. The flawed system led to inventory inaccuracies and supply chain issues, contributing to the company’s withdrawal from the Canadian market in 2015. (See Medium: “Target in Canada — An Example of an ERP Failure”)
2016: Phoenix Pay System Implementation
The Canadian federal government’s launch of the Phoenix pay system resulted in widespread payroll issues, affecting nearly half of Canada’s public servants through underpayments, overpayments, and non-payments. By July 2018, it was reported that the cost to taxpayers to fix Phoenix’s problems could reach a total of $2.2 billion by 2023. (See Wikipedia: “Phoenix Pay System”)
April 2023: DDoS Attacks on Canadian Government Websites
Multiple Canadian government websites, including those of the Prime Minister’s Office and Statistics Canada, experienced Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, rendering them inaccessible to visitors. (See Transport Canada: “Cybersecurity Incidents at Transport Canada”)
April 2023: Cyberattack on Cornwall Community Hospital
Cornwall Community Hospital in Ontario suffered a cyber incident that disrupted its IT systems, affecting patient services and operations. (See KonBriefing: “Cyber Attacks in Canada”)
April 2023: Cyberattack on Port Authorities
Websites for port authorities in Halifax, Montreal, and Quebec were targeted in cyberattacks, leading to temporary service disruptions. (See KonBriefing: “Cyber Attacks in Canada”)
April 2023: Cyberattack on Ville d’Alma
The city of Alma in Quebec experienced a cyberattack that paralyzed its websites and servers, impacting municipal services. (See KonBriefing: “Cyber Attacks in Canada”)
April 2023: Cyberattack on Canadian Nurses Association
The Canadian Nurses Association faced a cyberattack that compromised its IT infrastructure, affecting communications and member services. (See KonBriefing: “Cyber Attacks in Canada”)
April 2023: Cyberattack on Constellation Software Inc.
Toronto-based Constellation Software Inc. reported a cyber incident, with a ransomware group claiming responsibility for the attack. (See KonBriefing: “Cyber Attacks in Canada”)
February 2023: Cyberattack on Toronto-Dominion Bank
The Toronto-Dominion Bank experienced a cyberattack, reportedly by Russian hackers, affecting its online services. (See KonBriefing: “Cyber Attacks in Canada”)
February 2023: Cyberattack on Indigo Books & Music
Indigo, a major Canadian bookstore chain, suffered a cyberattack that disrupted its online operations and led to potential data breaches. (See PacketLabs: “The Biggest Cyberattacks in Canada”)
March 2023: Cyberattack on City of Toronto
The City of Toronto confirmed unauthorized access to its data, with the Clop ransomware group claiming responsibility. (See KonBriefing: “Cyber Attacks in Canada”)
March 2023: Cyberattack on Black & McDonald
Engineering firm Black & McDonald faced a cyberattack affecting its operations, including contracts for military bases and power plants. (See KonBriefing: “Cyber Attacks in Canada”)
April 2023: Cyberattack on Uniboard Canada
Uniboard Canada, a manufacturer of wood products, was targeted in a cyberattack, impacting its IT systems and operations. (See KonBriefing: “Cyber Attacks in Canada”)
April 2023: Cyberattack on Groupe Cloutier
Financial service provider Groupe Cloutier experienced a cybersecurity incident, affecting its IT infrastructure and client services. (See KonBriefing: “Cyber Attacks in Canada”)
April 2023: Cyberattack on London Drugs
London Drugs, a pharmacy chain, reported a cybersecurity incident affecting its systems and customer services. (See KonBriefing: “Cyber Attacks in Canada”)
April 2023: Cyberattack on Cégep régional de Lanaudière
The Cégep régional de Lanaudière in Quebec suffered a cyberattack that paralyzed its IT systems, disrupting educational services. (See KonBriefing: “Cyber Attacks in Canada”)
May 2023: Cyberattack on Newfoundland Broadcasting Company
The Newfoundland Broadcasting Company experienced a cyberattack, affecting its broadcasting operations and services. (See KonBriefing: “Cyber Attacks in Canada”)
May 2023: Cyberattack on Pharmascience
Montreal-based pharmaceutical company Pharmascience was targeted in a cyberattack, impacting its IT infrastructure and operations. (See KonBriefing: “Cyber Attacks in Canada”)
June 2023: Cyberattack on Toronto District School Board (TDSB)
The Toronto District School Board launched an investigation into a suspected cyberattack on its IT systems, affecting educational services. (See KonBriefing: “Cyber Attacks in Canada”)
June 2023: Cyberattack on Mercku
Kitchener-based router maker Mercku’s support portal was hacked, leading to phishing attempts targeting its customers. (See KonBriefing: “Cyber Attacks in Canada”)
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