Government of Canada / Gouvernement du Canada
Symbol of the Government of Canada

Search

Canada Elections Act (S.C. 2000, c. 9)

Full Document:  

Act current to 2024-03-06 and last amended on 2023-06-22. Previous Versions

PART 16Communications (continued)

Political Broadcasts (continued)

Marginal note:Convening of representatives

  •  (1) The Chief Electoral Officer shall hold a meeting of two representatives of each registered party represented in the House of Commons at that time, or if Parliament is dissolved, at the time of dissolution, designated in writing by their party leader, for the purpose of holding consultations to choose a Broadcasting Arbitrator. The meeting shall be held within

    • (a) 90 days after polling day at a general election; or

    • (b) 14 days after the day on which the Broadcasting Arbitrator dies, becomes incapacitated, resigns or is removed from office, if that day is not during the election period of a general election.

  • Marginal note:Chairperson

    (2) The Chief Electoral Officer shall designate the Chairperson at the meeting referred to in subsection (1) and at all subsequent consultations.

  • Marginal note:Report

    (3) The representatives of the registered parties referred to in subsection (1) shall make a report signed by each of them to the Chief Electoral Officer of the results of their consultations no later than

    • (a) six weeks after a meeting referred to in paragraph (1)(a); and

    • (b) four weeks after a meeting referred to in paragraph (1)(b).

Marginal note:Vacancy during election period

 In the event of the death, incapacity, resignation or removal of the Broadcasting Arbitrator during the election period of a general election, the Chief Electoral Officer shall appoint a new Broadcasting Arbitrator without delay.

Marginal note:Broadcasting time provided to registered parties

  •  (1) In the period beginning on the issue of the writs for a general election and ending at midnight on the day before polling day, every broadcaster shall, subject to the regulations made under the Broadcasting Act and the conditions imposed on it under section 9.1 of that Act, make available, for purchase by all registered parties for the transmission of political announcements and other programming produced by or on behalf of the registered parties, six and one-half hours of broadcasting time during prime time on its facilities.

  • Marginal note:When broadcaster affiliated with network

    (2) If a broadcaster is affiliated with a network, the part of the broadcasting time to be made available under subsection (1) that may be determined by agreement between the broadcaster and the network operator shall be made available by the network operator during the portion of the broadcaster’s prime time broadcasting schedule that has been delegated to the control of the network operator.

Marginal note:Request for meeting

  •  (1) The Broadcasting Arbitrator shall convene a meeting of representatives of all registered parties to consult on the allocation of broadcasting time made available under section 335 within 30 days after the receipt of a written request from the chief agent of a registered party, or six months after the Broadcasting Arbitrator takes office, whichever is earlier.

  • Marginal note:Time of request

    (2) The written request may not be made until the Broadcasting Arbitrator has been in office for 60 days.

  • Marginal note:Chairperson

    (3) The Broadcasting Arbitrator shall act as Chairperson at any meeting referred to in subsection (1).

Marginal note:No allocation

  •  (1) A registered party shall not be allocated broadcasting time if, after receiving notice of the meeting referred to in subsection 336(1), the party

    • (a) indicates in writing to the Broadcasting Arbitrator that it does not wish to be allocated broadcasting time; or

    • (b) fails to communicate to the Broadcasting Arbitrator its intentions regarding the allocation of the broadcasting time and fails to have its representative attend the meeting.

  • Marginal note:Agreement on allocation

    (2) Unanimous agreement of the registered parties on the allocation of the broadcasting time is binding on all registered parties.

  • Marginal note:Broadcasting Arbitrator decides when no agreement

    (3) If unanimous agreement is not reached within four weeks after the meeting referred to in subsection 336(1), the Broadcasting Arbitrator shall allocate the broadcasting time, and that allocation is binding on all registered parties.

Marginal note:Factors in allocation

  •  (1) Subject to subsections (3) to (5), in allocating broadcasting time, the Broadcasting Arbitrator shall give equal weight to

    • (a) the percentage of seats in the House of Commons held by each of the registered parties at the previous general election; and

    • (b) the percentage of the popular vote at the previous general election of each registered party.

    The Broadcasting Arbitrator shall in addition give half the weight given to each of the factors referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b) to the number of candidates endorsed by each of the registered parties at the previous general election, expressed as a percentage of all candidates endorsed by all registered parties at that election.

  • Marginal note:Allocation where merger of parties

    (2) Subject to subsections (3) to (5), in allocating broadcasting time in the case of the merger of two or more registered parties, the Broadcasting Arbitrator shall

    • (a) in determining the percentage of seats held by a merged party at the previous general election for the purpose of paragraph (1)(a), include the total number of seats held by the merging parties;

    • (b) in determining the percentage of the popular vote of a merged party at the previous general election for the purpose of paragraph (1)(b), include the total number of votes obtained by the merging parties; and

    • (c) for the purpose of giving the half-weight under subsection (1), assign to the merged party the number of candidates endorsed by the merging party that had the greatest number of candidates at that election.

  • Marginal note:No allocation in excess of 50%

    (3) In no case shall the Broadcasting Arbitrator allocate more than 50% of the total of the broadcasting time to a registered party.

  • Marginal note:Allocation of time in excess of 50%

    (4) If the calculation under subsection (1) would give more than 50% of the total of the broadcasting time to a registered party, the Broadcasting Arbitrator shall allocate the excess amount to the other registered parties entitled to broadcasting time on a proportionate basis.

  • Marginal note:Discretion re allocation

    (5) If the Broadcasting Arbitrator considers that an allocation determined in accordance with subsection (1) would be unfair to a registered party or contrary to the public interest, the allocation may be modified, subject to subsections (3) and (4), in any manner that the Broadcasting Arbitrator considers appropriate.

  • Marginal note:Notification of allocation

    (6) The Broadcasting Arbitrator shall, as soon as possible, give notice in writing of every allocation of broadcasting time made by the Broadcasting Arbitrator or by the registered parties to

    • (a) every registered party; and

    • (b) every political party that became an eligible party either before or after the allocation.

    The notice shall advise an eligible party referred to in paragraph (b) that it has 30 days after the receipt of the notice to request that broadcasting time be made available to it, for purchase, under section 339.

Marginal note:New parties entitled to broadcasting time

  •  (1) Subject to subsection (4), every eligible party referred to in paragraph 338(6)(b) that makes a request as described in subsection 338(6) within the time referred to in that subsection is entitled to purchase broadcasting time in an amount equal to the lesser of

    • (a) the smallest portion of broadcasting time to be made available under section 335 allocated to a registered party under sections 337 and 338, and

    • (b) six minutes.

  • Marginal note:Parties not entitled to time

    (2) An eligible party referred to in paragraph 338(6)(b) is not entitled to have any broadcasting time made available to it under this section if the party

    • (a) indicates in writing that it does not wish any broadcasting time under this section; or

    • (b) fails to make a request as described in subsection 338(6) within the time referred to in that subsection.

  • Marginal note:Broadcasting time provided to new eligible parties

    (3) In addition to the broadcasting time to be made available under section 335, and within the period referred to in that section, every broadcaster shall, subject to the regulations made under the Broadcasting Act and to the conditions imposed on it under section 9.1 of that Act, make available, for purchase by every eligible party entitled to broadcasting time under this section, broadcasting time in the amount determined under this section for the eligible party for the transmission of political announcements and other programming produced by or on behalf of the eligible party during prime time on that broadcaster’s facilities.

  • Marginal note:Maximum of 39 minutes

    (4) The maximum amount of broadcasting time available for purchase by eligible parties under this section is 39 minutes and, once that amount of broadcasting time is reached, all entitlement under this section shall be altered or established to be of whatever number of minutes or portions of minutes is necessary so that all eligible parties requesting time under this section receive the same amount of time within the 39-minute limit.

Marginal note:Reallocation in case of deregistration

  •  (1) If a registered party to which broadcasting time has been allocated under this Part is subsequently deregistered, the Broadcasting Arbitrator, within two weeks after publication in the Canada Gazette of the notice of deregistration, shall convene the representatives of the remaining registered parties and eligible parties to which broadcasting time has been allocated for the purpose of reallocating that party’s broadcasting time.

  • Marginal note:Reallocation in case of loss of eligibility

    (2) Where an eligible party to which broadcasting time has been allocated under section 339 subsequently ceases to be an eligible party, the Broadcasting Arbitrator, within two weeks after the cessation of eligibility, shall convene the representatives of the remaining registered parties and eligible parties to whom broadcasting time has been allocated for the purpose of reallocating that party’s broadcasting time.

  • Marginal note:Exception

    (3) If the deregistration or cessation of eligibility referred to in subsection (1) or (2), respectively, occurs after the issue of the writs for a general election, the broadcasting time that was allocated to the deregistered party or to the party that has ceased to be eligible shall not be reallocated.

  • 2000, c. 9, s. 340
  • 2003, c. 19, s. 5

Marginal note:Reallocation in case of merger

 If two or more registered parties merge after an allocation of the broadcasting time to be made available under section 335, the Broadcasting Arbitrator shall without delay convene the representatives of the registered parties, including the merged parties, for the purpose of reallocating the broadcasting time allocated to all registered parties.

Marginal note:Broadcasters to be notified

  •  (1) The Broadcasting Arbitrator shall notify the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission of every allocation under sections 337 and 338 and every entitlement under section 339 as soon as possible after it is made or requested and the Commission shall notify every broadcaster and every network operator of every such allocation and entitlement without delay after it is made and again immediately after the issue of the writs for the next general election.

  • Marginal note:Information to parties

    (2) The Broadcasting Arbitrator shall, on request, provide all registered parties and all eligible parties referred to in paragraph 338(6)(b) with the names and addresses of all broadcasters and network operators.

Marginal note:Annual review

  •  (1) In each of the calendar years after the calendar year in which an allocation of broadcasting time has been made under sections 337 and 338 or an eligible party has requested and has become entitled to broadcasting time under section 339, the Broadcasting Arbitrator shall convene and chair a meeting of the representatives of all registered parties to review the allocation or entitlement.

  • Marginal note:Reduction to six and one-half hours

    (2) If, at a meeting referred to in subsection (1), it is determined that the total broadcasting time allocated or requested exceeds six and one-half hours, the Broadcasting Arbitrator shall reduce the allocated or requested time to six and one-half hours on a proportionate basis and that reduction shall be final and binding on all registered parties and eligible parties.

Marginal note:Definitions

  •  (1) The definitions in this subsection apply in subsections (2) and (5).

    commercial time

    commercial time means any period of two minutes or less during which a broadcaster normally presents commercial messages, public service announcements or station or network identification. (temps commercial)

    program time

    program time means any period longer than two minutes during which a broadcaster does not normally present commercial messages, public service announcements or station or network identification. (durée de l’émission)

  • Marginal note:Notice of preference by party

    (2) Each registered party and each eligible party entitled to purchase broadcasting time under this Act shall, not later than 10 days after the issue of the writs for a general election, send a notice in writing to each broadcaster and each network operator from whom it intends to purchase broadcasting time, setting out its preference as to the proportion of commercial time and program time to be made available to it and the days on which and the hours during which that time as so proportioned is to be made available, but at no time shall that party obtain broadcasting time before the 5th day after the notice is received by the broadcaster or network operator.

  • Marginal note:Consultation to reach agreement

    (3) Every broadcaster or network operator who receives a notice under subsection (2) shall, within two days after its receipt, consult with representatives of the registered party or eligible party that sent the notice for the purpose of reaching an agreement on the requests contained in it.

  • Marginal note:When no agreement

    (4) If no agreement is reached under subsection (3) within two days after the commencement of the consultation required by that subsection, the matter shall be referred to the Broadcasting Arbitrator who shall decide on the requests without delay and give notice of his or her decision to the broadcaster or network operator and to the representatives of the registered party or eligible party that made the requests.

  • Marginal note:Factors in decision

    (5) In making a decision under subsection (4), the Broadcasting Arbitrator shall take into account the following principles:

    • (a) that each registered party and each eligible party should have the freedom and flexibility to determine the proportion of commercial time and program time to be made available to it and the days on which and the hours during which that time as so proportioned should be made available; and

    • (b) that any broadcasting time to be made available to a registered party or eligible party should be made available fairly throughout prime time.

  • Marginal note:Decision binding

    (6) A decision of the Broadcasting Arbitrator under subsection (4) is final and binding on the registered party or eligible party, as the case may be, and the broadcaster or network operator.

 

Date modified: