Proposed changes to Canada's Elections Act that would require voters to present identification at the polling station are "wrong-headed," Western Arctic MP Dennis Bevington says.

Bevington says the new rules would be hard on northerners in remote communities and may, in fact, discourage voting.

"I just think this is wrong-headed," the NDP MP said Wednesday. "It's kind of Big Brother. I don't like it on that front as well."

Bevington is also concerned the changes would provide political parties with too much information on voters, such as their ages.

"It has raised the ire of northerners — people in small communities across northern Canada, aboriginal people, older people that live a simple life in many communities across the North, who may not have a drivers licence, who may have a hunting licence — but that certainly doesn't have a photo on it," he said.

Help stop election fraud: Liberal

Under Bill C-31, voters would be required to show one piece of government-issued photo ID or two pieces without a photo before being allowed to vote.

The bill, introduced by the Conservatives and under debate this week, is aimed at reducing election fraud and maintaining the integrity of the national voters list.

However, Nunavut's Liberal MP, Nancy Karetak-Lindell, is in favour of the new rules, saying it will help deal with election fraud.

"We are dealing with this more and more all the time and it's not going to go away," she said Tuesday.

"I decided I'm going to support the legislation because it also gives me an opportunity to make sure that we work harder to help people be able to meet those requirements like a photo ID."