News Releases: Commissioner of Canada Elections

Commissioner of Canada Elections Accepts an
Undertaking from Unifor

Gatineau, May 22, 2020

The Commissioner of Canada Elections has accepted an undertaking from Unifor, to address events that took place during the election period for the 2019 federal general election. This is the first time the Commissioner has accepted an undertaking since this new compliance and enforcement measure was introduced as part of a series of amendments to the Canada Elections Act (the Act). The provisions enabling the Commissioner to accept an undertaking came into force in June 2019.

In October 2019, Unifor held an event during which it promoted the New Democratic Party candidate for the electoral district of Elmwood—Transcona. As a result, the costs incurred by Unifor for the event constituted partisan activity expenses under the Act. As a registered third party that incurred regulated expenses, Unifor acknowledged that it failed to consider these particular event costs as having been partisan activity expenses.

The full text of the undertaking is available on the Commissioner of Canada Elections’ website at: www.cef-cce.ca.

An undertaking is a pledge made by a person or entity that did not comply with a requirement of the Act. The undertaking is accepted by the Commissioner as a means of addressing situations of non-compliance. Undertakings may be entered into when a person or entity has committed a violation or when a notice of violation imposing an administrative monetary penalty has been served to a person or entity for a violation of the Act. Undertakings contain the terms and conditions that the Commissioner considers appropriate, which may include the payment of an amount, and are made public on the Commissioner’s website. Failure to comply with any terms or conditions of an undertaking may result in the Commissioner issuing a notice of violation imposing an administrative monetary penalty. More information about undertakings can be found at section 521.13 of the Act.

The Commissioner of Canada Elections is the independent officer responsible for ensuring compliance with, and enforcement of, the Canada Elections Act and the federal Referendum Act.

For information specific to this matter:

Commissioner of Canada Elections Media Relations
819-939-2278
or by email at communication@cef-cce.ca

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