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 August 22, 2002, the Commissioner of Canada Elections entered into a compliance agreement with the contracting party, of the city of Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada, pursuant to section 517 of the Canada Elections Act.

In this agreement, the contracting party, a registered third party for the purposes of the general election held on November 27, 2000, acknowledges failing to file an election advertising report in the prescribed form with the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada within four months after polling day for that election, contrary to subsection 359(1) of the Canada Elections Act, thereby contravening paragraph 496(1)(f) of the Act.

Prior to the conclusion of the agreement, the Commissioner of Canada Elections has taken into account that the contracting party filed a report on election advertising with the Chief Electoral Officer on August 9, 2002, indicating that no election advertising expenses were incurred during the election, thereby fulfilling his obligations under the Act. Further, the Commissioner of Canada Elections considered the fact that the contracting party contributed to the works of a registered non-partisan charitable organization, the Arthritis Society of Alberta, as a recognition of the seriousness of the matter.

In summary, the agreement required the contracting party to:

• admit the truthfulness of the facts as well as his responsibility for the omission that constitutes the offence;
  

• recognize the importance of the principle of transparency of election financing;
  

• undertake to henceforth respect the requirements of the Act concerning election financing.
  

Ottawa, September 4, 2002

Raymond A. Landry
Commissioner of Canada Elections