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

Offences under Division 4 of Part 18 (Nomination Contestants)

Marginal note:Strict liability offences — summary conviction

• 497.3 (1) Every person is guilty of an offence who

  • (a) being a registered party or registered association, contravenes subsection 476.1(1) (failure to notify of nomination contest);

  • (b) being a nomination contestant, contravenes section 476.3 (failure to appoint financial agent);

  • (c) being a nomination contestant, contravenes section 476.5, 476.6 or 476.61 (failure to comply with requirements re: appointment of financial agent);

  • (d) being a nomination contestant, contravenes subsection 476.63(1) or (2) (failure to report changes in nomination contestant information);

  • (e) being the financial agent of a nomination contestant, contravenes section 476.65 (failure to satisfy bank account requirements);

  • (f) being a nomination contestant or the financial agent of one, contravenes subsection 476.68(1) (exceeding nomination contest expenses limit);

  • (g) being a nomination contestant or the financial agent of one, contravenes subsection 476.7(1) or (2) (failure to pay recoverable claim within three years or paying without authorization);

  • (h) being the financial agent of a nomination contestant, contravenes subsection 476.75(1), (2), (5) or (7) (failure to provide nomination campaign return or related documents);

  • (i) being the financial agent of a nomination contestant, fails to comply with a requirement of the Chief Electoral Officer under subsection 476.75(4);

  • (j) being a nomination contestant, contravenes subsection 476.75(8) (failure to send declaration re: nomination campaign return to financial agent) or subsection 476.81(1) (failure to provide Chief Electoral Officer with declaration re: nomination campaign ret­urn);

  • (k) being the financial agent of a nomination contestant, contravenes subsection 476.75(10) or (15) (failure to provide report on payment of claim);

  • (l) being the financial agent of a nomination contestant, contravenes subsection 476.75(11) or (12) (failure to provide updated version of statement of unpaid claims);

  • (m) being the financial agent of a nomination contestant, fails to comply with a requirement of the Chief Electoral Officer under subsection 476.75(14);

  • (n) being the financial agent of a nomination contestant, contravenes section 476.76 (failure to pay the value of contributions that cannot be returned);

  • (o) being a nomination contestant, contravenes subsection 476.77(1) (failure to appoint auditor);

  • (p) being a nomination contestant, contravenes subsection 476.77(4) or (5) or section 476.78 (failure to comply with requirements re: appointment of auditor);

  • (p.1) being a nomination contestant, contravenes subsection 476.82(1) or (3) (failure to send written statement or advise financial agent);

  • (q) being the financial agent of a nomination contestant, contravenes subsection 476.83(3) (failure to provide corrected or revised document within specified period);

  • (r) being a nomination contestant or the financial agent of one, contravenes subsection 476.85(3) (failure to provide corrected or revised document within 30-day period or any extension of that period);

  • (s) being the financial agent of a nomination contestant, contravenes paragraph 476.9(b) (providing document that is substantially incomplete); or

  • (t) being the financial agent of a nomination contestant, contravenes subsection 476.92(2) or (3) or section 476.93 (failure to dispose of surplus nomination campaign funds).

• Marginal note:Offences requiring intent — dual procedure

  (2) Every person is guilty of an offence who

  • (a) being a registered party or registered association, knowingly contravenes subsection 476.1(1) (failure to notify of nomination contest);

  • (b) being a person, knowingly contravenes section 476.62 (acting as financial agent when ineligible to do so);

  • (c) being a person or entity other than the financial agent of a nomination contestant, knowingly contravenes subsection 476.66(1) (acceptance of contribution while ineligible);

  • (d) being a person or entity other than the financial agent of a nomination contestant, knowingly contravenes subsection 476.66(2) (while ineligible, accepting provision of goods or services or transfer of funds or transferring funds);

  • (e) being the financial agent of a nomination contestant, knowingly contravenes subsection 476.66(3) (accepting prohibited contribution);

  • (f) being a person or entity, knowingly contravenes subsection 476.66(4), (5) or (6) (paying or incurring nomination campaign expenses while ineligible);

  • (g) being a nomination contestant or the financial agent of one, knowingly contravenes subsection 476.68(1) (exceeding nomination contest expenses limit);

  • (h) being a person or entity, contravenes subsection 476.68(2) (circumventing nomination contest expenses limit);

  • (i) being the financial agent of a nomination contestant, knowingly contravenes subsection 476.75(1), (2), (5) or (7) (failure to provide nomination campaign return or related documents);

  • (j) being the financial agent of a nomination contestant, knowingly fails to comply with a requirement of the Chief Electoral Officer under subsection 476.75(4);

  • (k) being a nomination contestant, knowingly contravenes subsection 476.75(8) (failure to send declaration re: nomination campaign return to financial agent) or subsection 476.81(1) (failure to provide Chief Electoral Officer with declaration re: nomination campaign return);

  • (l) being the financial agent of a nomination contestant, knowingly contravenes subsection 476.75(10) or (15) (failure to provide report on payment of claim);

  • (m) being the financial agent of a nomination contestant, knowingly contravenes subsection 476.75(11) or (12) (failure to provide updated version of statement of unpaid claims);

  • (n) being the financial agent of a nomination contestant, knowingly fails to comply with a requirement of the Chief Electoral Officer under subsection 476.75(14);

  • (o) being the financial agent of a nomination contestant, knowingly contravenes section 476.76 (failure to pay the value of contributions that cannot be returned);

  • (p) being a person, knowingly contravenes section 476.79 (acting as auditor when ineligible to do so);

  • (q) being the financial agent of a nomination contestant, knowingly contravenes subsection 476.83(3) (failure to provide corrected or revised document within specified period);

  • (r) being a nomination contestant or the financial agent of one, knowingly contravenes subsection 476.85(3) (failure to provide corrected or revised document within 30-day period or any extension of that period);

  • (r.1) being a nomination contestant, contravenes section 476.891 (sending false or misleading declaration);

  • (s) being the financial agent of a nomination contestant, contravenes paragraph 476.9(a) or knowingly contravenes paragraph 476.9(b) (providing document that contains false or misleading information or that is substantially incomplete); or

  • (t) being the financial agent of a nomination contestant, knowingly contravenes subsection 476.92(2) or (3) or section 476.93 (failure to dispose of surplus nomination campaign funds).

Offences under Division 5 of Part 18 (Candidates)

Marginal note:Strict liability offences — summary conviction

• 497.4 (1) Every person is guilty of an offence who

  • (a) being a candidate, contravenes subsection 477.1(1) (failure to appoint official agent);

  • (b) being a candidate, contravenes subsection 477.1(2) (failure to appoint auditor);

  • (c) being a candidate, contravenes section 477.42 (failure to appoint a replacement official agent or auditor);

  • (d) being an official agent, contravenes section 477.46 (failure to satisfy bank account requirements);

  • (e) being a candidate, an official agent or a person authorized under paragraph 477.55(c), contravenes subsection 477.52(1) (exceeding election expenses limit) or, being a candidate, an official agent, a person authorized under paragraph 477.55(c) or a third party, contravenes subsection 477.52(2) (colluding to circumvent election expenses limit);

  • (f) being a candidate or an official agent, contravenes subsection 477.54(1) or (2) (failure to pay recoverable claim within three years or paying without authorization);

  • (g) being an official agent, contravenes subsection 477.59(1), (2), (5) or (7) (failure to provide electoral campaign return or related documents);

  • (h) being an official agent, fails to comply with a requirement of the Chief Electoral Officer under subsection 477.59(4);

  • (i) being a candidate, contravenes subsection 477.59(8) (failure to send declaration re: electoral campaign return to official agent) or subsection 477.63(1) (failure to provide Chief Electoral Officer with declaration re: electoral campaign return);

  • (j) being an official agent, contravenes subsection 477.59(10) or (15) (failure to provide report on payment of claim);

  • (k) being an official agent, contravenes subsection 477.59(11) or (12) (failure to provide updated version of statement of unpaid claims);

  • (l) being an official agent, fails to comply with a requirement of the Chief Electoral Officer under subsection 477.59(14);

  • (m) being an official agent, contravenes section 477.61 (failure to pay value of contribution that cannot be returned);

  • (m.1) being a candidate, contravenes subsection 477.64(1) or (3) (failure to send written statement or advise official agent);

  • (n) being an official agent, contravenes subsection 477.65(3) (failure to provide corrected or revised document within specified period);

  • (o) being a candidate or the official agent of one, contravenes subsection 477.67(3) (failure to provide corrected or revised document within 30-day period or any extension of that period);

  • (p) being an official agent, contravenes paragraph 477.72(1)(b) (providing document that is substantially incomplete);

  • (q) being an official agent, contravenes subsection 477.81(2) or (3) or section 477.82 (failure to dispose of surplus electoral funds);

  • (r) being a registered agent or financial agent, contravenes section 477.85 (improper or unauthorized transfer of funds);

  • (s) being an official agent, contravenes subsection 477.88(2) (failure to return unused income tax receipts);

  • (t) being a candidate, contravenes subsection 477.9(1) (accepting prohibited gift or other advantage);

  • (u) being a candidate, contravenes subsection 477.9(5) (failure to provide statement within required period);

  • (v) being a candidate, contravenes subsection 477.92(3) (failure to provide corrected or revised statement within 30-day period or any extension of that period); or

  • (w) being a candidate, contravenes paragraph 477.95(b) (providing incomplete statement).

• Marginal note:Offences requiring intent — dual procedure

  (2) Every person is guilty of an offence who

  • (a) knowingly contravenes subsection 477.44(1) or (2) (ineligible person acting as official agent or auditor);

  • (b) being a person or entity other than an official agent, knowingly contravenes subsection 477.47(1) or (2) (accepting contributions or providing receipts for them);

  • (c) being a person or entity other than an official agent, knowingly contravenes subsection 477.47(3) (while ineligible, accepting provision of goods or services or transfer of funds or providing goods or services or transferring funds);

  • (d) being a person or entity other than an official agent, knowingly contravenes subsection 477.47(4) (paying electoral campaign expenses);

  • (d.1) being a person or entity other than a candidate, an official agent or a person authorized under paragraph 477.55(c), knowingly contravenes subsection 477.47(5) (incurring electoral campaign expenses);

  • (d.2) being a candidate, knowingly contravenes subsection 477.47(5.1) (failure to obtain written authorization to incur election expense or incurring it contrary to authorization);

  • (e) being a person or entity other than a candidate or official agent, knowingly contravenes subsection 477.47(6) (paying certain expenses);

  • (f) [Repealed, 2018, c. 31, s. 343]

  • (g) being a candidate, an official agent or a person authorized under paragraph 477.55(c), knowingly contravenes subsection 477.52(1) (exceeding election expenses limit);

  • (h) being a candidate, an official agent, a person authorized under paragraph 477.55(c) or a third party, contravenes subsection 477.52(2) (colluding to circumvent election expenses limit);

  • (h.1) being a person authorized under paragraph 477.55(c), knowingly contravenes subsection 477.551 (entering into contract in relation to electoral campaign without authorization);

  • (i) being an official agent, knowingly contravenes subsection 477.59(1), (2), (5) or (7) (failure to provide electoral campaign return or related documents);

  • (j) being an official agent, knowingly fails to comply with a requirement of the Chief Electoral Officer under subsection 477.59(4);

  • (k) being a candidate, knowingly contravenes subsection 477.59(8) (failure to send declaration re: electoral campaign return to official agent) or subsection 477.63(1) (failure to provide Chief Electoral Officer with declaration re: electoral campaign return);

  • (l) being an official agent, knowingly contravenes subsection 477.59(10) or (15) (failure to provide report on payment of claim);

  • (m) being an official agent, knowingly contravenes subsection 477.59(11) or (12) (failure to provide updated version of statement of unpaid claims);

  • (n) being an official agent, knowingly fails to comply with a requirement of the Chief Electoral Officer under subsection 477.59(14);

  • (o) being an official agent, knowingly contravenes section 477.61 (failure to pay value of contribution made by unknown contributor);

  • (o.1) being a candidate, knowingly contravenes subsection 477.64(1) or (3) (failure to send written statement or advise official agent);

  • (p) being an official agent, knowingly contravenes subsection 477.65(3) (failure to provide corrected or revised document within specified period);

  • (q) being a candidate or the official agent of one, knowingly contravenes subsection 477.67(3) (failure to provide corrected or revised document within 30-day period or any extension of that period);

  • (q.1) being a candidate, contravenes section 477.711 (sending false or misleading declaration);

  • (r) being an official agent, contravenes paragraph 477.72(1)(a) or knowingly contravenes paragraph 477.72(1)(b) (providing document that contains false or misleading statement or one that is incomplete);

  • (s) being an official agent, knowingly contravenes subsection 477.81(2) or (3) or section 477.82 (failure to dispose of surplus electoral funds);

  • (t) being a registered agent or financial agent, knowingly contravenes section 477.85 (unauthorized or improper transfer of funds);

  • (u) being a candidate, knowingly contravenes subsection 477.9(1) (accepting prohibited gift or other advantage);

  • (v) being a candidate, knowingly contravenes subsection 477.9(5) (failure to provide statement within required period);

  • (w) being a candidate, knowingly contravenes subsection 477.92(3) (failure to provide corrected or revised statement within 30-day period or any extension of that period); or

  • (x) being a candidate, contravenes paragraph 477.95(a) (providing statement containing false or misleading information) or knowingly contravenes paragraph 477.95(b) (providing incomplete statement).