Electcon&Expbklt25th Vol II
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Elections Saskatchewan Report of the Chief Electoral Officer Campaign Contributions and Expenditures Twenty-Fifth Provincial General Election November 5, 2003 Volume II Elections Saskatchewan Report of the Chief Electoral Officer Campaign Contributions and Expenditures Twenty-Fifth Provincial General Election November 5, 2003 OFFICE OF THE CHIEF ELECTORAL OFFICER SASKATCHEWAN February 8, 2005 The Honourable P. Myron Kowalsky Speaker of the Legislative Assembly 129 Legislative Building Regina, Saskatchewan S4S 0B3 Honourable Speaker: Pursuant to section 286 of The Election Act, 1996 (the “Act”), I am honoured to submit the Report of the Chief Electoral Officer respecting Campaign Contributions and Expenditures (Volume ll) for the Twenty-fifth Provincial General Election held on November 5, 2003. The Report complements the Statement of Votes (Volume l) subsequently tabled by Your Honour on July 29, 2004. This Volume presents the election financial activities of registered political parties and of candidates and the amounts so paid to chief official agents and business managers, pursuant to sections 264 and 265 of the Act. Also included is summary data for election related expenditures of Elections Saskatchewan. Respectfully submitted, Jean Ouellet Chief Electoral Officer 1702 PARK STREET TELEPHONE: (306) 787-4000 / 1-877-958-VOTE REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN FACSIMILE: (306) 787-4052 CANADA S4N 6B2 INTERNET: [email protected] SASKATCHEWAN Table of Contents Campaign Contributions and Expenditures Page Letter of Transmittal iii Official Report vii Appendix I Registered Political Parties, Party Leaders, and Chief Official Agents 1 Appendix II Name, Address and Occupation of Candidates and Name and Address of Business Managers 2 Appendix III Summary of Expenses Incurred and Reimbursements Paid: Registered Political Parties 8 Appendix IV Summary of Contributions Received, Expenses Incurred and Reimbursements Paid: Candidates and Business Managers 10 Appendix V Orders and Authorizations: Chief Electoral Officer 26 Appendix VI Comparative Summary of Expenses Incurred and Reimbursements Paid to Registered Political Parties for the years: 2003, 1999, 1995, 1991, 1986, 1982, 1978 and 1975 Provincial General Elections 36 Appendix VII Comparative Summary by Registered Political Party of Contributions Received, Expenses Incurred and Reimbursements Paid to Candidates for the years: 2003, 1999, 1995, 1991, 1986, 1982, 1978 and 1975 Provincial General Elections 38 Appendix VIII Comparative Summary by Registered Political Party of Candidates Nominated, of Candidates Returns Filed and of Candidates Reimbursed for the years: 2003, 1999, 1995, 1991, 1986, 1982, 1978 and 1975 Provincial General Elections 40 Appendix IX Elections Saskatchewan Expenditures 41 Appendix X Constituency Returning Officers 43 SASKATCHEWAN Official Report Background Central to the legitimacy of representative government is the integrity of the electoral system. Public confidence in the institution of government rests directly on the capacity of the electoral system to perform efficiently, reliably, impartially and in a timely manner. Pursuant to these objectives, The Election Act, 1996 (the “Act”) contains financial reporting provisions to ensure registered political parties and candidates achieve the transparency goals inherent in the Act. Of particular emphasis was the objective of heightened financial disclosure to enhance public confidence and political stakeholder accountability. Preliminary Remarks The Report of the Chief Electoral Officer respecting Campaign Contributions and Expenditures (Volume ll) complements the Statement of Votes (Volume l) of the Twenty-fifth Provincial General Election, which was tabled by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly on July 29, 2004. The Statement of Votes provides an overview of election administration and encapsulates the official voting results by polling division for the Province’s fifty-eight (58) constituencies. This reporting of Campaign Contributions and Expenditures depicts election financial activities of registered political parties and of candidates. More specifically, Volume ll sets out the amounts paid to chief official agents and business managers in respect of each registered political party and candidate, pursuant to sections 264 and 265 of the Act. Also included in this Volume is summary data for election administration related expenditures of Elections Saskatchewan. Election Expense Limits Election campaign activities of registered political parties and candidates are subject to certain expense limitations under the Act. In respect of spending, election expense limitations are imposed on the amounts that can lawfully be incurred by a party or candidate. A second limit regulates the reimbursement entitlement of a qualifying party or candidate (and reimbursement of auditor accounts). Expense limits are based on factors specific to which the expenses pertain (i.e., general election or by-election), on whether an election is held in a northern or southern constituency (“southern constituency” includes all constituencies with the exception of Athabasca or Cumberland) and on an established formula, adjusted each calendar year. Expense limit information is available in The Saskatchewan Gazette or at Elections Saskatchewan upon request. Registered Political Party and Candidate Financial Reporting In accordance with section 251 of the Act, audited Registered Political Party’s Return of Election Expenses, Form E-524, were required to be filed with the Chief Electoral Officer within six (6) months of polling day (June 5, 2003). Under section 261 of the Act, candidates were required to file an audited Candidate’s Return of Election Expenses, Form E-412, with their constituency returning officer, for subsequent forwarding to the Chief vii SASKATCHEWAN Official Report (Continued) Electoral Officer, within three (3) months of the candidate returned being declared elected (February 17, 2004). Pursuant to the Act, within thirty (30) days of receipt, the Province’s constituency returning officers publish, in prescribed form, a summary of all returns respecting candidate election expenses. On December 18, 2003, the New Democratic Party, Sask. Section, pursuant to The Controverted Elections Act, filed a petition in the Saskatchewan Court of Queen’s Bench seeking to set aside the electoral result for the constituency of Lloydminster (on August 13, 2004, the petition was withdrawn). This event did not affect the specified deadline under the Act for the filing of the Candidate’s Returns of Election Expenses. Candidate returns were receipted within the specified filing deadline for all but one candidate. The business manager of the Saskatchewan Liberal Association candidate in the constituency of Rosthern-Shellbrook did not file the required Candidate’s Returns of Election Expenses for his candidate. Election expenses returns for registered political parties were also filed in accordance with the specified deadline. i) Registered Political Parties The November 5, 2003, election acknowledged seven (7) political parties for purposes of fielding candidates. To maintain party registration, registered political parties must endorse at least ten (10) candidates in a general election pursuant to clause 227(1)(b) of the Act. Only six registered political parties fielded ten or more candidates for the Twenty-fifth General Election. On December 29, 2003, The Indigenous Party of Saskatchewan was deleted from the Register of Political Parties for its non-compliance with the provisions of clause 227(1)(b) of the Act. Appendix I of this Volume contains a listing of the names and abbreviations of the Province’s political parties, their respective leaders and chief official agents, as recognized in the Register of Political Parties maintained pursuant to section 231 of the Act1. A registered political party that endorsed candidates who obtained in the aggregate not less than fifteen (15) per cent of the valid votes cast in the election and whose chief official agent filed a Registered Political Party’s Return of Election Expenses, pursuant to section 264 of the Act, was entitled to receive a reimbursement of a portion of its election expenses from the Province’s General Revenue Fund. Under section 243 of the Act, each registered political party was entitled to spend $739,877.00 during the campaign. The amount reimbursed to a qualifying party was the lesser of either (a) $221,964.00 or (b) one third of its election expenses. The Act is specific in respect of payment of reimbursement of eligible election expenses to qualifying parties. As such, following receipt of an audited return, the Chief Electoral Officer conducts a preliminary review and thereafter forwards an interim payment of seventy-five (75) per cent of allowable election expenses claimed. Upon completion of a detailed compliance review, a final payment of twenty-five (25) percent of the total amount of eligible election expense is paid. Appendix III sets out a summary of eligible expenses incurred by the six registered political parties and the amounts paid in respect of the parties who qualified for reimbursement. Contributions made to political parties are not listed in the Registered Political Party’s Return of Election Expenses, but are set out in each Registered Political Party’s Fiscal Period Return, Form E-521, filed in accordance with section 250 of the Act. Comparative summary data for election expenses incurred by registered political parties in 2003 and seven (7) preceding general