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2011 Legislative Session: 3rd Session, 39th Parliament

FIRST READING

The following electronic version is for informational purposes only.

The printed version remains the official version.

MR. BOB SIMPSON

BILL M 209 – 2011

ELECTION FINANCE AMENDMENT ACT, 2011

Contents

Repeal

Ineligible contributors

Limits on contributions

Repeal

This Act amends the Election Act by restricting political contributions exclusively to individuals registered as voters in British Columbia and places a limit of $1,000 on contributions in a given calendar year, with minor exceptions. These changes to British Columbia's election finance laws reflect the democratic principle of `one person, one vote', prohibiting political contributions from corporations, trade unions and other associations. Ensuring donations only come from individuals removes the perception of a conflict of interest or preferential treatment by a candidate or political party toward large financial supporters.

HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia, enacts as follows:

Election Act

Section 186 of the Election Act, R. S. B. C. 1996, c. 106, is amended in subsections (1) and (2) by striking out " individual or organization " and substituting " individual ";

Section 186 is amended by adding:

Ineligible contributors

186.1

(1) No person or entity other than an individual who is a registered voter in British Columbia in accordance with

section 29 of this Act shall make a political contribution as defined in

section 180 of this Act.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to contributions made under

section

Section 187 is amended by adding:

Limits on contributions

187.2

(1) No individual shall make contributions that exceed

(a) $1,000 in total in any calendar year to a particular registered political party;

(b) $1,000 in total in any calendar year to the registered associations, nomination contestants and candidates of a particular registered political party;

(c) $1,000 in total in any calendar year to a candidate who is not the candidate of a registered political party.

(d) $1,000 in total to the leadership contestants in a particular leadership contest.

Exceptions

(2) The following contributions shall not be taken into account in calculating contributions for the purposes of subsection (l):

(

a) contributions that do not exceed $1,000 in total by a nomination contestant or candidate of a registered party out of his or her own funds to his or her own campaign as a nomination contestant or candidate;

(

b) contributions that do not exceed $1,000 in total by a candidate for a particular election who is not the candidate of a registered party out of his or her own funds to his or her own campaign; and

(

c) contributions that do not exceed $1,000 in total by a leadership contestant in a particular leadership contest out of his or her own funds to his or her own campaign.

Deemed to be contributions

(3) For the purposes of this Act, contributions made to a leadership contestant within 18 months after a leadership contest are deemed to be contributions for that contest.

Section 190 is amended

(

a) in subsection (1) by repealing items (d) (e); and

(

b) by repealing subsection (2).

Explanatory Note

This Act amends the Election Act by restricting political contributions exclusively to individuals registered as voters in British Columbia and places a limit of $1,000 on contributions in a given calendar year, with minor exceptions. These changes to British Columbia's election finance laws reflect the democratic principle of `one person, one vote', prohibiting political contributions from corporations, trade unions and other associations. Ensuring donations only come from individuals removes the perception of a conflict of interest or preferential treatment by a candidate or political party toward large financial supporters.

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c) Queen’s Printer, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada