Compliance Agreements

COMMISSIONER OF CANADA ELECTIONS

CANADA ELECTIONS ACT

Compliance agreement

This notice is published by the Commissioner of Canada Elections, pursuant to section 521 of the Canada Elections Act, S.C. 2000, c. 9.

On December 15, 2004, the Commissioner of Canada Elections entered into a compliance agreement with the contracting party, of the city of Port Melton, province of British Columbia, Canada, pursuant to section 517 of the Canada Elections Act.

The contracting party contravened paragraph 489(1)(a) of the Canada Elections Act, by failing to allow an employee time off to vote in the federal election held on June 28, 2004, as prescribed by section 132 of the Act.

Prior to the conclusion of the agreement, the Commissioner of Canada Elections took into account that

• this appeared to be an isolated incident;
  
• there was a procedure in place to provide employees time off to vote, but it needed to be updated; and
  
• the contracting party has now updated the procedure so that all employees will be made aware of their rights under section 132 of the Canada Elections Act and to ensure that in future such rights are accorded to all employees.

In summary, the agreement required the contracting party to

• acknowledge the legal requirement to allow an employee time off to vote in accordance with section 132 of the Act;
  
• admit to the truthfulness of the facts and admit responsibility for the act that constituted the offence; and
  
• undertake to observe the requirements of the Act and to henceforth respect them.

 

Ottawa, December 10, 2004

RAYMOND A. LANDRY
Commissioner of Canada Elections