XPost: can.politics, bc.politics, ab.politics   
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   From: {~_~}@nyet.ca   
      
   Here's how Pierre Poilievre spins it:   
   ________________________________________   
      
   CP — Apr 9 2014   
      
   Baloney Meter: Poilievre and his new bill   
      
   OTTAWA - "Let us consider some examples of the new power the CEO seeks   
   for himself. First, he believes, and I quote from his recommendation,   
   that upon a request from the CEO, political parties be required to   
   produce all documents necessary to ensure compliance with the Canada   
   Elections Act. Let's examine this: it is difficult to imagine what power   
   the CEO seeks here that he does not already have."   
   — Democratic Reform Minister Pierre Poilievre to Senate committee, April 8.   
      
      
      
   It is a major reform of the country's election law that could shape how   
   Canadians choose their leaders. But Bill C-23, which the Conservative   
   government has dubbed the Fair Elections Act, has been steeped in   
   controversy since its inception.   
      
   Elections Canada has proposed a number of amendments to the legislation.   
   One of those proposals is to give the chief electoral officer the power   
   to compel political parties to produce documents — and demand invoices   
   and receipts — to show they followed the letter of the law.   
      
      
      * Here's the truth of it from Elections Canada and the Chief   
   Electoral Officer:   
      
      
   "The CEO still does not have any power to require a party to produce   
   documents evidencing its compliance with the Act, including its claimed   
   expenses," Elections Canada wrote in a submission to the government.   
      
   Parties must also have their financial returns approved by an auditor of   
   their choosing.   
      
   But Marc Mayrand recently told CBC that Elections Canada only gets an   
   "overall report" showing a party's campaign spending, but not documents   
   to support those expenses.   
      
   Democratic Reform Minister Pierre Poilievre counters that Mayrand   
   actually does have the ability to compel the handing over of documents —   
   by starving a party of cash.   
      
   Elections Canada pays back some of the election expenses of parties that   
   meet certain conditions.  After the last election, the Conservatives and   
   Liberals were each reimbursed about $9.7 million, while the NDP got back   
   a little more than $10 million, the Bloc Quebecois received nearly $2.7   
   million and the Green party got close to $1 million.   
      
   Poilievre points out that Mayrand, under section 435 (a) of the Canada   
   Elections Act, has the power to withhold reimbursement of a party's   
   election expenses until he is satisfied everything is in order.   
      
   "In other words, if he wants more information, he can simply ask for   
   it," Poilievre said Tuesday. "If he does not get that information, he   
   can refuse to authorize the party's reimbursement."   
      
   If a problem is found after the money has been repaid, Poilievre says   
   the chief electoral officer can inform the commissioner of Canada   
   Elections, who is in charge of investigating offences under Canada's   
   elections laws, of the allegation.   
      
   It would then fall to the commissioner to get a court order to obtain   
   any documents in question.   
   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^   
      
   The rules are different for candidates in elections. Unlike parties,   
   candidates must provide supporting documents — including bank   
   statements, deposit slips and cancelled cheques — with their campaign   
   returns, according to section 451 (2.1) of the Act. The chief electoral   
   officer may ask for more documentation if he is not satisfied, under   
   section 451 (2.2).   
      
   "No similar provision exists for political parties," Elections Canada   
   spokeswoman Diane Benson wrote in an email.   
      
   Pauline Beange, a professor at the University of Toronto's Scarborough   
   campus who will be testifying Wednesday at a hearing on C-23, says   
   there's some degree of truth to what both Poilievre and Mayrand are saying.   
      
   "In terms of the actual 'do they have power to compel?' Yes and no," she   
   said.   
      
   "Put it this way: they might not have the power to do it themselves, but   
   they have the power and ability to get it done."   
      
   Errol Mendes, a law professor at the University of Ottawa, says   
   withholding the reimbursement or seeking a court order aren't quite the   
   same as actually being able to force a party to provide documents.   
      
   "It's a brilliant diversionary tactic," he said.   
      
   The verdict? While the chief electoral officer can hold back a party's   
   reimbursement, and the commissioner can seek a court order, neither   
   actually has the power to directly compel a party to hand over documents.   
      
   For that reason, there's some baloney to Poilievre's claim.   
      
   ---   
      
   Methodology:   
      
   The Baloney Meter is a project of The Canadian Press that examines the   
   level of accuracy in statements made by politicians. Each claim is   
   researched and assigned a rating based on the following scale:   
      
   No baloney — the statement is completely accurate   
      
   A little baloney — the statement is mostly accurate but more information   
   is required   
      
   Some baloney — the statement is partly accurate but important details   
   are missing   
      
   A lot of baloney — the statement is mostly inaccurate but contains   
   elements of truth   
      
   Full of baloney — the statement is completely inaccurate   
      
   -   
   Sources:   
      
   Total Paid Election Expenses and Reimbursements, by Registered Political   
   Party – 2011 General Election   
      
   http://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=fin&dir=pol/remb&do   
   ument=table1_11&lang=e   
      
   Canada Elections Act   
      
   http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/e-2.01/FullText.html#h-138   
      
   Proposed Amendments to Bill C-23 Presented by the Chief Electoral   
   Officer to the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs on   
   March 6, 2014   
      
   http://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=med&dir=c23/pro&doc   
   ment=index&lang=e   
      
   Text of Bill C-23   
      
   http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Languag   
   =E&Mode=1&DocId=6404810&File=4   
      
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