Campaign%20Finance%20for%20the%202009%20General%20Election

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• Campaign Finance for the 2009 General Election

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Election Finance for the General Election

• Election expenses
• Spending limits
• Political contributions
• Prohibited sources
• Tax receipts
• Election advertising
• Reports

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Election Expenses

• Section 183
• Value of property or services, used during the 60
  day pre-campaign period and the 29 day campaign
  period to promote or oppose a candidate or a
  registered political party
• Used is key
• When the item was purchased, paid for or received
  as a contribution is not relevant

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Spending Limits

• 2 periods
• 60 day pre-campaign period
• Campaign period
• Separate limits for each period
• 1.1 million 4.4 million for parties
• 70,000 70,000 for candidates
• Registered constituency associations incur
  election expenses only on behalf of candidates
  with candidate financial agent permission
  subject to candidate limits

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Political Contributions

• Section 180
• Money and fair value of donated goods and
  services
• Membership fees for a political party or
  constituency association
• Fees for political party conferences, workshops
  conventions
• Some fundraising function income
• Some loans

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Prohibited Sources

• Unregistered political parties
• Unregistered constituency associations
• Charitable organizations
• Federal political parties
• Federal electoral district associations

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Tax Receipts

• Only for money
• Registered political parties registered
  constituency associations any time
• Candidates - only for political contributions
  received after Certificate of Candidacy and
  before Writ returned

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Election Financing Reports

• Parties which ran candidates
• Constituency associations with candidates
• Candidates
• 90 days after GVD August 10, 2009
• Audited if total election expenses or political
  contributions 10,000 or more

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Election Advertising Defined

• Section 228
• During 60 day pre-campaign period and campaign
  period
• Promotes or opposes, directly or indirectly, a
  registered political party or a candidate
• Includes taking a position on issues associated
  with parties or candidates
• Does not include..

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Not Election Advertising

• News, editorials, interviews, columns, letters,
  debates, speeches or commentaries published
  without charge in a bona fide periodical on a
  radio or tv program
• Distributing or promoting a book, for no less
  than fair value, if the book was to be made
  public regardless of the election
• Transmitting a document directly by a person or
  group to their members, employees or shareholders
• Individuals transmitting personal political views
  on a non-commercial basis via the internet, text
  or phone

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Election Advertising by Parties Candidates

• Authorized by John Smith, financial agent,
  604-123-1234
• Not required for
• Clothing
• Novelty items such as buttons, badges, wrist
  bands
• Small items of nominal value intended for
  personal use, such as pens, mugs, magnets
• Expenses subject to election expenses limit
• Report in election financing report

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3rd Party Advertisers

• During 60 day pre-campaign period and campaign
  period
• Must be registered
• Must be independent of political parties,
  constituency associations, candidates agents
• Limits
• 3,000 in relation to a single ED, and
• 150,000 overall
• Disclosure reports required if 500 or more