Rifleman62 said:
Some examples of current media bias:
https://bcblue.wordpress.com/
- Video: CBC’s Mary Walsh calls PM Stephen Harper “Stasi Steve” and “Herr Harper”
- Trudeau confirms Liberals would start spying on Canadians, Media Party go silent
Seems to me that the CBC is now a third party advertiser under the Elections Act. Since they dress themselves to one specific candidates, the spending limit is $3,000 in his riding. How much does two minutes on the CBC costs?
A complaint to the Chief Electoral Officer should be filed, IMHO.
Elections Act relevant extracts:
PART 17
THIRD PARTY ELECTION ADVERTISING
Marginal note
efinitions
349. The definitions in this section apply in this Part.
“election advertising”
« publicité électorale »
“election advertising” has the same meaning as in section 319.
“election advertising expense”
« dépenses de publicité électorale »
“election advertising expense” means an expense incurred in relation to
(a) the production of an election advertising message; and
(b) the acquisition of the means of transmission to the public of an election advertising message.
“expenses”
« dépenses »
“expenses” means
(a) amounts paid;
(b) liabilities incurred;
(c) the commercial value of property and services, other than volunteer labour, that are donated or provided; and
(d) amounts that represent the difference between an amount paid or a liability incurred for property and services, other than volunteer labour, and the commercial value of the property and services, when they are provided at less than their commercial value.
“group”
« groupe »
“group” means an unincorporated trade union, trade association or other group of persons acting together by mutual consent for a common purpose.
“third party”
« tiers »
“third party” means a person or a group, other than a candidate, registered party or electoral district association of a registered party.
Marginal note:Spending limit
350. (1) Subject to section 351.1, a third party shall not incur election advertising expenses of a total amount of more than $150,000 in relation to a general election.
Marginal note:Spending limit — electoral district
(2) Not more than $3,000 of the total amount referred to in subsection (1) shall be incurred to promote or oppose the election of one or more candidates in a given electoral district, including by
(a) naming them;
(b) showing their likenesses;
(c) identifying them by their respective political affiliations; or
(d) taking a position on an issue with which they are particularly associated.
Marginal note:Expenses re party leader
(3) The limit set out in subsection (2) only applies to an amount incurred with respect to a leader of a registered party or eligible party to the extent that it is incurred to promote or oppose his or her election in a given electoral district.
Marginal note:Spending limit — by-election
(4) Subject to section 351.1, a third party shall not incur election advertising expenses of a total amount of more than $3,000 in a given electoral district in relation to a by-election.
Marginal note:Uncancellable spending
(4.1) If a general election is held on a date other than one set out in subsection 56.1(2) or section 56.2, or if a by-election is held, a third party does not incur an election advertising expense if, on the issue of the writ or writs, it is not able to cancel the transmission of that advertising.
Marginal note:Third party inflation adjustment factor
(5) The amounts referred to in subsections (1), (2) and (4) shall be multiplied by the inflation adjustment factor referred to in section 384 that is in effect on the issue of the writ or writs.
Marginal note:Election period longer than 37 days
(6) If an election period is longer than 37 days, then the amounts referred to in subsections (1), (2) and (4) are increased by adding to them the product of
(a) one thirty-seventh of the amount referred to in subsection (1), (2) or (4), as the case may be, and
(b) the number of days in the election period minus 37.
2000, c. 9, s. 350; 2014, c. 12, s. 78.
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