Political Contributions Regime Annual Report
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Statement of votes 10/23/06 9:33 AM Page 2 Political Contributions Regime Annual Report electionsnovascotia.ca 902-424-8584 1-800-565-1504 Toll-free January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009 902-424-7475 TTY for the hearing impaired Published June 2010 by the designated person (Chief Electoral Officer) pursuant to the Members and Public Employees Disclosure Act Political Contributions Regime Annual Report January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009 Published June 2010 by the designated person (Chief Electoral Officer) pursuant to the Members and Public Employees Disclosure Act Political Contributions Regime Annual Report January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009 This report is prepared pursuant to the Members and Public Employees Disclosure Act, S.N.S. 1991, c.4 as amended and the Political Contributions Disclosure Regulations made pursuant to that Act. This report is also available on the Elections Nova Scotia website or by contacting Elections Nova Scotia. Elections Nova Scotia 7037 Mumford Road, Suite 6 PO Box 2246 Halifax, NS B3J 3C8 Phone: 902.424.8584 TTY: 902.424.7475 Toll Free: 1.800.565.1504 Fax: 902.424.6622 Email: [email protected] www.electionsnovascotia.ca Refer to the Office of the Legislative Counsel website at http://www.gov.ns.ca/legislature/legc/ for electronic versions of the Members and Public Employees Disclosure Act and amendments to that Act which are contained in S.N.S. 2006,c.34; 2007,c.1; 2007,c.9 and 2009, c.19. Refer to the Registry of Regulations on the Department of Justice website at http://www.gov.ns.ca/just/ for an electronic version of the Political Contributions Disclosure Regulations, N.S. Reg. 369/2008. Political Contributions Regime Annual Report, January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1. Message from the Designated Person ............................................................................... 1 2. Elections Nova Scotia Review Process.............................................................................. 3 3. Recognized Parties ............................................................................................................ 7 Recognized Party Disclosure Statements: 3.1 Green Party of Nova Scotia ................................................................................. 9 3.2 Nova Scotia Liberal Party .................................................................................. 13 3.3 Nova Scotia New Democratic Party................................................................... 31 3.4 The Progressive Conservative Association of Nova Scotia ............................... 85 4. Recognized Parties Statement for Which Official Tax Receipts Issued ......................... 127 5. Electoral District Associations ........................................................................................ 137 Electoral District Association Disclosure Statements: 5.1 Green Party of Nova Scotia ............................................................................. 139 5.2 Nova Scotia Liberal Party ................................................................................ 143 5.3 Nova Scotia New Democratic Party................................................................. 159 5.4 The Progressive Conservative Association of Nova Scotia ............................. 173 6. Candidates..................................................................................................................... 189 Candidate Disclosure Statements: 6.1 June 9, 2009 Provincial General Election ........................................................ 191 6.2 October 20, 2009 Antigonish By-election......................................................... 445 6.3 October 20, 2009 Inverness By-election .......................................................... 455 Political Contributions Regime Annual Report, January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009 LIST OF TABLES Table 6-1: Candidate Loans, June 9, 2009 Provincial General Election.............................. 463 Table 6-2: Candidate Loans, October 20, 2009 Antigonish and Inverness By-elections ..... 467 APPENDICES Appendix A: Legislative References Appendix B: Annual Reporting Requirements and Filing Dates of Recognized Parties Appendix C: Electoral District Association Report Filing Dates Appendix D: Candidate Disclosure Statement Filing Dates Table D-1: Candidate Disclosure Statement Filing Dates, June 9, 2009 Provincial General Election Table D-2: Candidate Disclosure Statement Filing Dates, October 20, 2009 Antigonish By-election Table D-3: Candidate Disclosure Statement Filing Dates, October 20, 2009 Inverness By-election Appendix E: Elections Nova Scotia Circular 09-01, Candidate Loans Political Contributions Regime Annual Report, January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009 1. Message from the Designated Person June 30, 2010 Section 20A of the Members and Public Employees Disclosure Act (MPEDA) requires publication of annual disclosure statements of political contributions filed with the designated person under Part II of MPEDA. This third year of reporting under Nova Scotia’s new political contributions regime enacted in 2007 addresses reported political contributions to recognized parties, electoral district associations and candidates made during the 2009 calendar year. This is also the first time that a general election (June 9, 2009) as well as two by-elections (October 20, 2009) have occurred during a reporting year giving rise to the requirement that candidates in those elections report political contributions and candidate campaign loans during the elections. These factors add a level of complexity to the management, disclosure, review and reporting under the political contributions regime. This annual report also reflects the level of compliance (timeliness of filings and quality of reports filed) with MPEDA and its regulations by recognized parties, electoral district associations and candidates for the reporting year. Complete and timely disclosure and reporting as prescribed by MPEDA and the Political Contributions Disclosure Regulations are intended to provide transparency respecting the financial activities of recognized parties, electoral district associations and candidates. Timeliness of filing in a number of cases continues to be problematic; quality of reports filed is improving but considerable interaction between those reporting and Elections Nova Scotia is required to address quality issues in the reports. Elections Nova Scotia does not have the comprehensive mandate or the resources to undertake a detailed review of all the reports required to be filed. This annual report highlights the support provided by Elections Nova Scotia to official agents of candidates and recognized parties and the financial support available to electoral district associations to assist them in record keeping and in meeting their reporting obligations. The report reproduces the disclosure statements as originally filed (or as originally filed and subsequently amended) by the official agents of recognized parties, electoral district associations and candidates and identifies areas where the regime continues to present significant challenges. There are no prescribed standards for the quality of the information disclosed and, aside from the deregistration process applicable to recognized parties and electoral district associations under the Elections Act, there are no direct consequences under MPEDA for failure to fully comply within the time limits prescribed for filing reports. The fragmentation and gaps in the electoral finance legislation are a matter of consideration in the legislative review currently being conducted by Elections Nova Scotia as mandated by Resolution No. 645, passed by the House of Assembly in the fall of 2009. Political Contributions Regime Annual Report, January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009 Amendments to MPEDA (S.N.S. 2009, c.19) prohibiting political contributions except by individuals resident in Nova Scotia (which received Royal Assent on November 5, 2009) do not come into effect until January 1, 2010 and thus had no impact on reporting for the 2009 calendar year. Christine McCulloch, Q.C. Chief Electoral Officer and Designated Person under the Members and Public Employees Disclosure Act Political Contributions Regime Annual Report, January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009 2. Elections Nova Scotia Review Process 2.1 Political Contributions Rules The Members and Public Employees Disclosure Act (MPEDA), the Political Contributions Disclosure Regulations, the Elections Act and the Income Tax Act and the Deduction Regulations made under the Income Tax Act establish the rules under which a recognized party, electoral district association and a candidate can accept political contributions, make or give loans and issue tax receipts. The legislation also mandates reporting forms (Political Contributions Disclosure Regulations) or provides the Chief Electoral Officer with the authority to prescribe forms (Elections Act). The legislation also establishes reporting deadlines for filing reports. The March 2, 2007 amendments to MPEDA established contribution limits for the first time in Nova Scotia. An eligible contributor may contribute a maximum of $5,000 in each calendar year to each recognized party including affiliated electoral district associations and candidates. Since contributions are cumulative (all contributions from a single contributor must be added together) it is imperative that an official agent record the names and addresses of a contributor even if the contribution is under the