PDF May 2002 Issue

VOL. 4 • NO. 1 • MAY 2002 www.elections.ca Reform of Election Financing: Canada, Great Britain and the United States The Next Readjustment of Federal Electoral Boundaries A Profile of Thérèse Casgrain: Suffragist and First Female Party Leader Electoral Insight is prepared by Elections Canada and is pub- lished biannually. Electoral Insight is intended for those interested in electoral and related matters, including Contents parliamentarians, officials of international and domestic VOL. 4 • NO. 1 • MAY 2002 electoral management bodies, election officers and acade- mics. The opinions expressed are those of the authors; they do not necessarily reflect those of the Chief Electoral Officer 1 The Chief Electoral Officer’s Message of Canada. Submissions of articles and photos that might be of interest Reform of Election Financing to Electoral Insight readers are welcome, although publica- 2 tion cannot be guaranteed. If used, submissions will be 2 Election Financing in Canada edited for length and clarity as necessary. Tim Mowrey and Alain Pelletier Please address all contributions and letters to the Editor, Many reforms have been made at the federal, provincial and territorial Electoral Insight, Elections Canada, 257 Slater St., Ottawa, levels, but more accountability and transparency is still needed Canada K1A 0M6. 9 Soft Money, Issue Advocacy and the U.S. Campaign Finance Law EDITORS WAYNE BROWN Richard Briffault ALAIN PELLETIER As campaign costs rise dramatically, Congress passes new legislation addressing unregulated donations and the definition of election-related spending EDITORIAL COMMITTEE WAYNE BROWN 15 The British Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act MARC CHÉNIER Guy Lachapelle and Céline Roehrig ANDRÉ CYR FRANCE DEMIANENKO After a long history of very few rules, Britain’s new Act puts stricter controls ERIK LAIROT on some financial donations and their influence, and imposes limits on KAREN LEVESQUE expenditures ANDRÉ PATRY ALAIN PELLETIER LOUISE PINEAU 22 Readjustment of Federal Electoral Boundaries HERSCHELL SAX Herschell Sax It’s that time again. Preparations have begun for the next round of changes GRAPHIC DESIGN ACCURATE resulting from the 2001 census PRODUCTION STAFF 26 Choice of an Electoral System INDRA ANCANS Marc Chénier JEAN-GUY BERGERON PIERRE CREMER An update on challenges to Canada’s first-past-the-post system TERESINHA DA SILVA JEAN DESLAURIERS Thérèse Casgrain: Suffragist, First Female Party Leader, and Senator GINETTE GRONDIN 30 MARIE-JOSÉE GUERTIN Wayne Brown DEBORAH KERR She led the campaign to get Quebec women the right to vote and became CÉCILE LAMIRANDE the first woman elected leader of a political party in Canada PIERRE LEMIEUX LYNE MATHIEU PAUL MORISSET 35 Electoral News in Brief SUZANNE PAQUET-BERGERON GENEVIÈVE RIVARD 42 Electoral Facts Wayne Brown and Alain Lalonde A look at what the parties, candidates and third parties could and did spend FOR MORE INFORMATION, in the 2000 and 1997 federal elections CONTACT ELECTIONS CANADA: TELEPHONE: 1 800 463-6868 WEB SITE: www.elections.ca © ELECTIONS CANADA 2002 ISSN 1488-3538 EC 91824 THE COVER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Eleanor Milne, Chris Fairbrother and Marcel Joanisse PRINTED IN CANADA The Vote (1979-1980) Indiana limestone, 121.9 x 182.8 cm, House of Commons, Ottawa The base stone of The Vote, a sculpture on the east wall of the House of Commons chamber, shows four heads with flowing hair whose mouths shape, in song, the first syllables of Canada’s national anthem, “O-Ca-na-da”. THE CHIEF ELECTORAL OFFICER’S MESSAGE Reform of Election Financing ransparency is one of the most important pillars of representative democracy. It guarantees the bond of T confidence between the people and its representatives. This confidence will be more solidly established if the public’s right to know about electoral financing is served and respected. Canadians have the right to know who is influencing the electoral process, or attempting to influence the electoral process, and how Jean-Pierre Kingsley Chief Electoral Officer of Canada it is being done. While the Canada Elections Act already contains a number of disclosure provisions, the election financing system used at the federal level still allows weaknesses in accountability regarding contributions to party nomination and leadership campaigns and the financial activities of local party associations. In November 2001, I submitted to Parliament my report following the 37th general election, Modernizing the Electoral Process, which contains recommendations designed to reflect the needs of an increasingly mobile, informed and diverse population and to stay abreast of the new and changing realities of Canadian society. More specifically, many of the recommendations are designed to serve the public’s right to know the details of election financing and to encourage a more level playing field for candidates and political parties. Some of the measures would also make the electoral process more accessible and efficient and improve the management of the administrative processes involved in conducting elections. The recommendations are based on the work of the Royal Commission on Electoral Reform and Party Financing (1992), the lessons learned from the 1993, 1997 and 2000 general elections, and recent, broad-ranging consultation with electors, candidates, the Advisory Committee of Political Parties, returning officers and the academic community. My report also reflects the eleven years I have spent at the helm of Elections Canada and my considered reflections on the measures that are necessary to reflect the spirit of equality on which the Canada Elections Act is based. More information about my recommendations is presented in this edition and can also be viewed by visiting the Elections Canada Web site (www.elections.ca). Around the world, legislators have addressed the election financing issues in different ways, reflecting the values and culture of each country. This fifth edition of Electoral Insight reviews the election financing regulations in Canada, Great Britain and the United States, and highlights their different methods of dealing with money in elections and public confidence in the electoral process. In March, President George W. Bush signed into law comprehensive changes to the campaign finance regulations in the United States. In Great Britain, the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act came into force in February of last year to regulate election financing of political parties. In Canada, the basis of the current regime applicable for both candidates and political parties was adopted in 1974. I trust the articles in this edition will encourage discussion. I welcome your comments and suggestions for new topics to explore. Jean-Pierre Kingsley ELECTORAL INSIGHT MAY 2002 1 REFORM OF ELECTION FINANCING ElectionElection FinancingFinancing IN CANADA TIM MOWREY Introduction POLICY AND RESEARCH OFFICER, he principles of transparency, fairness, and participation are fundamental ELECTIONS CANADA AND to a modern electoral process. The history of election financing in TCanada and the recent rounds of reform show a pattern of trends that ALAIN PELLETIER cross federal, provincial, and territorial borders: trends toward electoral CO-EDITOR, ELECTORAL INSIGHT, laws and policies that increase transparency, ensure fairness, and pro- AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, POLICY AND RESEARCH, mote participation. Pursuit of these principles is evident in the basic ELECTIONS CANADA features of most election financing regimes in Canada: registration of election participants; election expenses limits and limits on sources of contributions; disclosure of financial transactions; regulation of advertis- ing, broadcasting and publication of opinion polls; and public funding of the electoral process. 2 ELECTORAL INSIGHT MAY 2002 Brief History provisions in the Yukon occurred in 1999.) electoral process was essential, and sought to Canada’s first election financing regime was Nunavut borrowed the Election Act of enhance the integrity of the process by established in 1874, with the passage of the the Northwest Territories for its first reforming election financing. Many election Dominion Elections Act (DEA). The DEA was election in 1999. administrators, both federal and provincial, the result of the highly publicized “Pacific In partial response to the Quebec legisla- have built upon the Royal Commission’s Scandal” involving Prime Minister Sir John A. tion, and also due in part to rising recommendations. For example, the Chief Macdonald and the promoters of the campaign costs, two federal committees Electoral Officer of Manitoba referenced Canadian Pacific Railway, who were providing were established between 1963 and 1970 to the Royal Commission when making recom- large campaign contributions to the federal analyze election financing at the federal mendations to the Legislative Assembly in Conservative Party in return for government level. The Barbeau Committee (which 1999.1 Similarly, the Chief Electoral Officer favours. The DEA included provisions gov- reported in 1966) and the Chappell of Canada has used the Royal Commission’s erning the reporting of campaign expenses Committee (which reported in 1972) made report to support many of his recommen- and a requirement for the appointment of an extensive recommendations concerning dations to Parliament. For information about official agent for each candidate. election finance regulations. In 1974, the Chief Electoral Officer’s most recent rec- After these modest first steps, which 100

Load more