Commissioner of Canada Elections announces nine administrative monetary penalties for Canada Elections Act violations

GATINEAU, QC, March 5, 2024 /CNW/ - The Commissioner of Canada Elections (CCE), Caroline J. Simard, announced today the publication of nine administrative monetary penalties (AMPs) to address violations under the Canada Elections Act (the Act). To maintain transparency, and as required by the Act, summaries of AMPs are published on the CCE's website.

Notices of Violation imposing AMPs were issued to:

• Two financial agents for deregistered electoral district associations who failed to provide the Chief Electoral Officer with the required financial returns within six months of the associations' deregistration.
• An official agent who failed to provide the Chief Electoral Officer with the Candidate's Electoral Campaign Return and other required documents in connection with the 2021 federal general election.
• An official agent who provided the Chief Electoral Officer with a Candidate's Electoral Campaign Return that did not substantially set out the information required under the Act.
• An official agent during the 2019 federal general election who provided the Chief Electoral Officer with an incomplete Candidate's Statement of Expenses.

A penalty was also imposed on the same official agent for failing to provide the Chief Electoral Officer with the Candidate's Electoral Campaign Return and other required documents within the required deadline for the 2019 federal general election.

• An official agent for a candidate in the 2019 federal general election who failed to provide the Chief Electoral Officer with a report on the payment of an unpaid claim or loan disclosed in the Candidate's Electoral Campaign Return submitted to the Chief Electoral Officer, within 30 days after the payment.
• A candidate in the 2019 federal general election who signed a declaration that he knew, or ought reasonably to have known, contained false or misleading information.
• An official agent during the 2019 general election who failed to comply with a term and condition of an undertaking signed with the Manager of the Compliance Unit as an alternative to paying an AMP.

AMPs are administrative tools of compliance that the Commissioner can use to address violations under the Act. They aim to promote compliance with the Act. More information about AMPs can be found in the Policy for the Administrative Monetary Penalty Regime.

The Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections is distinct from Elections Canada and the Commissioner carries out a different mandate. Elections Canada administers the Act and federal elections while the Commissioner is responsible for ensuring compliance with, and enforcement of, the Act and the Referendum Act.

For complaints and non-media-related enquiries please use our online form.

To receive updates from the CCE, subscribe to our email alerts

Follow us on X (previously Twitter), Facebook, LinkedIn and Youtube.

SOURCE Commissioner of Canada Elections