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2014 Legislative Session: 3rd Session, 40th Parliament

FIRST READING

The following electronic version is for informational purposes only.

The printed version remains the official version.

MR. MIKE FARNWORTH

BILL M 209 – 2014

FAIRNESS IN FINANCING LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS ACT, 2014

This Act amends the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act to eliminate union and corporate donations in municipal election campaigns, restricting campaign contributions solely to individuals to ensure greater fairness in local government elections.

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

Section 26 of the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act is amended by deleting the text shown as struck out and adding the text shown as underlined:

Restrictions on making campaign contributions

(1) An individual or organization must not do any of the following:

(

a) make a campaign contribution to a candidate or elector organization other than by making it to the financial agent or an individual authorized in writing by the financial agent to receive such contributions;

(

b) make an anonymous campaign contribution that has a value of more than $50;

(

c) make a number of anonymous campaign contributions to the same candidate in relation to one or more election campaigns of the candidate for elections that are being held at the same time if, in total, the campaign contributions would be equal in value to more than $50;

(

d) make a number of anonymous campaign contributions to the same elector organization in relation to one or more elections campaigns of the elector organization for elections that are being held at the same time if, in total, the campaign contributions would be equal in value to more than $50;

(

e) make a campaign contribution, other than an anonymous campaign contribution that is permitted under this Act, without disclosing to the individual receiving the campaign contribution the information required to be recorded under

section 29 [campaign contribution information that must be recorded] ;

(

f) make a campaign contribution with money, non-monetary property or services of another individual or organization;

(

g) make a campaign contribution indirectly by giving money, non-monetary property or services to an individual or organization

(

i) for the individual or organization to make as a campaign contribution, or

(ii) as consideration for that individual or organization making a campaign contribution.

(2) Except as permitted by regulation, an elector organization must not make a campaign contribution of money to its own campaign or to the campaign of a candidate who is or is intended to be endorsed by the elector organization.

(3) Only individuals may make campaign contributions.

(3) (4) An individual or organization that contravenes this

section commits an offence.

2 The

Schedule is amended by striking out, in the definition of "contributor class" , paragraphs (

b) to (g).

Explanatory Note

This Act amends the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act to eliminate union and corporate donations in municipal election campaigns, restricting campaign contributions solely to individuals to ensure greater fairness in local government elections.

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