Evidence of meeting #81 for Procedure and House Affairs in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was election.
A video is available from Parliament.
NDP
Alexandrine Latendresse NDP Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
My next question is about Bill C-50, and we will likely have the time to discuss it in detail later on.
We briefly talked about issues this bill could bring up if it came into effect before the October 19 election.
Do you think that could in fact be a problem?
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
I think we will discuss this a bit later, during the second part of the meeting.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joe Preston
I am going to hold you back there. We have a whole hour for that in the next hour, so let's stay with estimates and finish this part.
NDP
Alexandrine Latendresse NDP Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
It has to do with the estimates and the various challenges that will arise pertaining to the election.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joe Preston
I understand that there's a bit of a mix, but since we've set aside a whole hour for that, starting in just 15 minutes, I'll hold you off until then and you can be excited about your questions then.
Go ahead, Mr. Scott.
NDP
Craig Scott NDP Toronto—Danforth, ON
I want to follow up on my last question, Monsieur Mayrand. You indicated that the three agencies—the CRTC, the Commissioner of Canada Elections, and you at Elections Canada—in principle want seamlessness of communication once any one of you has received information that the other should know about.
But my understanding from previous elections is that there was a seamlessness of operational contact between your office and the commissioner's office when it came to bodies available to help with compliance, during the writ period especially. I'm wondering if you have assurances from the Commissioner of Canada Elections that, one way or the other, this system that worked is going to be replicated this time.
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
We will be physically separated, but we will have a small core team at headquarters here in Ottawa at Elections Canada. It will monitor all incidents that are reported, do a triage, and determine which ones should be going to the commissioner. I expect that there will be daily communication with the commissioner's office to make sure it is aware of the issues and that whatever information it needs is transmitted.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joe Preston
Thank you, Mr. Scott.
Mr. Richards, you're back on. You have four minutes, please.
Conservative
Blake Richards Conservative Wild Rose, AB
Thank you. We can return to where we were.
I'll make sure that I'm understanding things correctly, but let me just preface it a little bit first, because I didn't have a chance earlier. There have been a lot of media reports of large unions that have undertaken large campaigns, I think pre-writ, and I'm not sure if that carries over to the writ period, but I would assume that it would.
One that was reported in the media—I think over a year ago—indicated it was going to have about a $6.7-million spending campaign to try to prevent our party from being put back into office. Specific unions in Ontario, Quebec, and other places are spending money even outside of their own provinces specifically to—in their words—beat the Conservatives and also to specifically promote NDP or Liberal candidates in a number of ridings all across Quebec, Ontario, and I think in other provinces as well. It's pretty clear that there's a significant amount of spending being done there.
I know that as candidates we're required to report anything that specifically goes towards our re-election; even though it's spent pre-writ, it's to be reported to our campaigns. I think you're indicating that it wouldn't be required of a third party to do that. I'm just curious. Are you indicating that there's nothing that Elections Canada currently does to sort of monitor these kinds of things to determine whether they're appropriate and to determine whether they're following any rules, whether it be pre-writ or during the writ?
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
We will monitor to the extent possible. If we see a clear case of a third party spending and of taking an advocacy position during an election, we may ask questions. We may invite it to register and make it aware of the limit on its spending, and we will invite it also to file its return after the election.
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
That varies, but I believe it's around $300,000 nationally. That figure needs to be updated for the next general election.
Conservative
Blake Richards Conservative Wild Rose, AB
So if there is a union reporting a $6.7-million spending campaign towards an election, you would obviously be wanting to keep a pretty close eye on that and to determine whether it's following all the rules. I'm curious about what you do both pre-writ and during the writ to make sure that happens.
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
Pre-writ, one of the things that we will be doing shortly is issuing a guideline under the new provision of Bill C-23 regarding third parties, advising them of the rules, how they apply, how they should be administered, and what's expected from them. We'll do a bit of public consultation on that, but that will be broadly communicated to the public and third parties as we go. That's a new feature.
Again, we monitor during the election. I'm sure that candidates, as they see things happening, will bring them to our attention. I would welcome them to bring it to our attention or, if they think it's an offence, to the commissioner's attention.
Conservative
Blake Richards Conservative Wild Rose, AB
Just to get a sense as to what sorts of things there are, you mentioned that it's difficult for you to determine where someone is crossing the line and promoting a specific candidate or a specific party unless you can see some demonstrable, obvious connection where there's been an agreement made.
I'll throw out an example. Potentially, what if a union were to have paid employees for door-knocking or canvassing for a specific candidate? Would that be required to be reported by that candidate's campaign or that party's campaign? Or would that still be able to be third party spending?
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
Again, these are general rules that apply, whether it's a union employee or an employee of any other employer. If they're doing it on their own time, it's okay. If they're—
Conservative
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
Well, it has to be reported as an expense.
Conservative
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
Well, it's a non-monetary contribution in my mind—
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
Again, subject to all the circumstances being looked at, but to all appearances, it looks like a non-monetary contribution and it's—
Conservative
Blake Richards Conservative Wild Rose, AB
For the specific campaign they're working on, not from a third party?
Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
Yes, again, subject to all the circumstances, it could certainly be seen as a non-monetary contribution, so that's something that third parties have to be careful of.
Conservative
Blake Richards Conservative Wild Rose, AB
What other things would you be watching for from a third party in terms of making sure they aren't crossing the line into promoting specific candidates, things that should be booked as that candidate's expenses or the party's?