Elections

Elections Canada and the Conservative Party of Canada

Greg Farries — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:50:02 -0600

Hillary and Obama Beat Up on NAFTA and Canada

Greg Farries — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:51:43 -0700

Mason has a point (or at least the start of one)

Harold Jansen — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 13:24:42 -0700

NDP leader Brian Mason is proposing an end to corporate and union donations to political parties in Alberta. Mason is pitching this as something that would eliminate (or at least reduce) corruption in Alberta. I'm not entirely convinced that this will make much of a difference on that front, but Mason is correct in pointing to the deficiencies in Alberta's party finance laws. Compared to other provinces in Canada (and to the federal government), Alberta has very little in either regulation of spending or in public reimbursements that would help to make political parties more competitive and able to communicate with the public. A ban on corporate and union donations might be part of the solution, but it needs to be part of a more comprehensive review of how we regulate party and election finance in this province.

Incidentally, this also points to the relative lack of discussion about the democratic deficit in Alberta so far in the election. Alberta's democractic institutions are in sorry shape, but Mason's foray into this field has been the only discussion of this thus far. I'm thinking this doesn't resonate particularly well with voters, who seem more preoccupied with what government does, not how it does it or why how government does things affects what it does (if you follow me).

2008 Alberta General Election

Jay Makarenko — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 10:07:38 -0700

On March 3, 2008, Alberta voters returned the Progressive Conservative Party to power for the eleventh consecutive time. The election was a landslide win for the PC Party, whom improved both their seat total in the legislature and their share of the popular vote from the 2004 general election. The victory was viewed as a strong endorsement for Premier Ed Stelmach, whom had replaced former party leader and Premier Ralph Klein in 2007. The election was also a major disappointment for the other major political parties, whom saw substantial losses in their seat totals and electoral support. This article provides background information on the 2008 Alberta general election, including the previous general election, party standings prior to dissolution of the legislature, pre-election polls, leader biographies and platforms of the major political parties in the election, and a summary of the election results.

Alberta Election Backgrounder

Previous elections, party standings, pre-election polls

Alberta PC Party: 2008 Election Overview

Leader bio and election platform for the PC Party

Alberta Liberal Party: 2008 Election Overview

Leader bio and election platform for the Liberals

Alberta New Democrats: 2008 Election Overview

Leader bio and election platform for the NDP

Wildrose Alliance Party: 2008 Election Overview

Leader bio and election platform for the Alberta Alliance

Minor Parties in the 2008 Alberta Election

List and links to minor political parties in the election

Results of the 2008 Alberta General Election

Progressive Conservatives win a majority government

Sources and Links to More Information

List of article sources and links to more on this topic

Alberta Election Backgrounder

Previous elections, party standings, pre-election polls

2004 General Election Results

The last general election was held in 2004, with then-Premier Ralph Klein and the Progressive Conservative Party winning a massive majority government. The Liberal Party came in second, forming the Official Opposition in the Alberta legislature.

Below are each party’s total seat counts and popular vote tallies for the 2004 Alberta general election.

Results of 2004 Alberta General Election
Political Party	% Vote	Seats	Status
PC Party	47	62	Government
Liberal Party	29	16	Opposition
NDP Party	9.8	04	-
Alberta Alliance	9	01	-

For more information on the 2004 Alberta general election:

Mapleleafweb: 2004 Alberta General Election

Party Standings Prior to the 2008 General Election

Prior to the calling of the 2008 general election, the party standings in the provincial legislature were as follows:

Results of 2004 Alberta General Election
Political Party	Seats	Status
PC Party	60	Government
Liberal Party	16	Opposition
NDP Party	04	-
Wildrose Alliance*	01	-
Independent	01	-
Vacant	01	-

*New party resulting from a merger of the Alberta Alliance Party and the Wildrose Party.

The changes to party standings since the 2004 general election were the result of several factors. In 2006, MLA Dan Backs was asked to leave the Liberal Party caucus, and subsequently sat as an independent in the legislature. In 2007, two PC MLAs resigned their seats; former Premier and party leader Ralph Klein and MLA Shirley McClellan. By-elections were held in the same year, with Liberal Craig Cheffins winning Klein’s former seat and PC Jack Hayden winning McClellan’s. Finally, in 2007 PC MLA Gary Mar resigned his seat to become the Alberta Envoy to Washington, DC. His seat was left vacant.

Pre-Election Public Opinion Polls

Public opinion polls conducted early in 2008 have shown a strong lead for the incumbent Progressive Conservative Party. A Strategic Counsel poll, released on January 17, placed the PC Party at 58 percent support, the Liberals at 19 percent, the NDP at 9 percent and the Alberta Alliance at 5 percent. A Leger Marketing poll, released on January 24, also showed a strong, albeit smaller, lead for the Progressive Conservatives. That poll placed the PC Party at 32 percent support, the Liberals at 18 percent, the NDP at 7 percent, and the Alberta Alliance at 6 percent.

For more information the results of these public opinion polls:

Strategic Counsel Poll: January 17, 2008 (PDF)
Leger Marketing Poll: January 24, 2008 (PDF)

Alberta PC Party: 2008 Election Overview

Leader bio and election platform for the PC Party

Ed Stelmach: Alberta Progressive Conservative Leader

The Honourable Ed Stelmach is Alberta’s 13th Premier. He was elected leader of the Progressive Conservative Party on December 2, 2006 and sworn in as Premier on December 14, 2006. He has been a Member of the Alberta Legislative Assembly since 1993.

Stelmach’s leadership win came as a surprise considering his campaign for the PC leadership was less prominent than that of party insider Jim Dinning and the socially conservative Ted Morton. He placed third in the first round of voting in November 2006. A week later he emerged as leader after the second round of voting, thanks to the endorsements of three candidates dropped after the first round. Stelmach replaced outgoing party leader and Premier Ralph Klein.

Following his election as party leader, Stelmach announced a new cabinet that included all of the leadership contenders who had supported him in the second round of voting. The new cabinet was criticized for being dominated by white males and for not containing enough MLAs from Calgary.

Stelmach’s initiation into politics began with his election to the Lamont County Council. The following year he became Reeve, a position he held for five years. During that time, he served as the Lamont Council’s representative on the local school board and on the Health Unit Association of Alberta. He ventured into political politics in 1993, winning the Alberta PC nomination in the riding of Vegreville-Viking. He was subsequently re-elected in Vegreville-Viking and later in the new riding of Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville in the 1997, 2001, and 2004 provincial elections.

He held four cabinet posts under Premier Klein’s government: in 1997 Stelmach became Minister of Agriculture, Food and Development; in May 1999, he was shuffled to the Infrastructure Ministry and later became Minister of Transport; and in 2004, he became the Alberta Intergovernmental Affairs Minister, a position he held until he resigned in June 2006 to become a party leadership candidate. Stelmach has also served on several provincial committees as Caucus Whip and Deputy Caucus Whip.

Born on May 11, 1951, Stelmach was raised in Lamont County in Northern Alberta on the homestead his Ukrainian grandparents established in 1898. He enrolled in a pre-law program at the University of Alberta, but returned home to assume responsibility for the family farm following a tragedy. Since returning home in 1973, he has developed the family farm business. Stelmach still lives there with his wife Marie. They have four grown children and one grandchild. He is the first Alberta premier of Ukrainian descent.

Stelmach is an active community member. He has served on the board of the Archer Memorial Hospital and Nursing Home and as a director for the Andrew Co-Op Association, the Lamont District 4-H Council and the Andrew 4-H Beef Club.

Progressive Conservative 2008 Election Platform

The Alberta Progressive Conservative website provides the Party’s statement of principles. Highlights of the statement include:

Role of the individual: The Party respects the rights of the individual, but is mindful of the responsibilities that come accompany those rights. By accepting responsibility and acting on their own initiative, individuals will achieve their full potential as contributors to prosperous communities.
Importance of the family: The Party recognizes the family, as defined by its individual members, as being paramount to the development of social responsibility and a sense of self-worth.
Free enterprise economy: The Party believes that the creation of wealth and jobs can best be achieved by a free enterprise economy. The Party is committed to fostering policies that encourage and respect entrepreneurship and innovation.
Fiscal and economic responsibility: The Party is committed to promoting a diversified economy that will provide for maximum employment, as well as fiscal planning that will protect priority programs while minimizing taxation.
Alberta as a healthy society: The Party believes that Albertans should have access to affordable and sustainable health care when they are ill or infirm. The Party also believes in the value of individual responsibility for personal wellness.
Stewardship of the environment: The Party is committed to sustaining the quality of the province’s air, water, soil, wildlife and natural environment. This includes ensuring that growth and development takes place in an environmentally sensitive manner for current and future generations.
Alberta as equal partners in Confederation: The Party is committed to maintaining sovereignty over provincial matters, believing that a strong and vibrant Alberta is a cornerstone of a strong and united Canada.

For more information on the Party’s statement of principles:

Alberta Progressive Conservative Party: Statement of Principles

Also on their website, the PC Party provides a policy statement for the 2008 election.

For the full text of the PC Party platform:

Alberta Progressive Conservatives: Policy Statements

In that statement, the Party identifies three key priorities:

Building Albertans’ quality of life
Creating and protecting Albertans’ opportunities
Greening Alberta’s growth

In the context of these three key priorities, the Party goes on to highlight several changes it has already made as government.

In the areas of families and health, the Party notes that it has increased childcare subsidies; funded the creation of additional childcare spaces; approved funding for new hospitals in Sherwood Park and Grande Prairie, the Edmonton clinic, and the South Calgary Health Campus; and approved $280 million for 832 continuing care beds to meet the needs of an aging population.

In education, the Party highlights that it has undertaken the largest schools project in Canada, which will construct over 22,000 new K-12 student spaces in the next two years. The Party has also provided block funding to address the backlog of needed renovations to older schools. Other education related initiatives include resolving the issue of the Alberta teachers’ pension plan shortfall and preventing a teachers’ strike for five years; creating 1000 new spaces for post-secondary education students in energy, the environment, and economic studies; and creating 6000 new apprenticeship seats.

In regard to social policy, the Party has introduced an aggressive plan to reduce crime and to make communities safer, including hiring more police and prosecutors; increasing treatment beds for alcoholism, drug addiction, and mental illness; and supporting victims of crime and abuse. The Party has also developed a plan to end homelessness in Alberta within ten years, and has created a $285 million fund to invest in municipal housing projects, help tenants facing unaffordable rents, and support the homelessness. The Party has also increased funding to women’s shelters and sexual assault centres, and increased monthly payments to disabled persons under the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) program.

In environmental policy, the Party has introduced Alberta’s New Climate Change Pan, which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 200 megatons by 2050. The Party has also removed the cap on wind power to encourage the development of more non-renewable wind energy; initiated studies on the feasibility of carbon capture and storage as a means of disposing carbon dioxide emissions; and provided grants to promote the bio-energy industry.

In regard to infrastructure, the Party has provided $11.3 billion over ten years to municipalities so they can plan in advance to manage growth; delivered a twenty-year strategic plan to catch up on high priority infrastructure projects; and committed an average of $6 billion annually to build, maintain, and repair schools, hospitals, highways, urban transit, universities, colleges, parks, and senior care facilities.

In economic and energy policy, the Party has initiated a $100 million plan to encourage rural development. The Party has also adjusted the amount of royalties the oil and gas sector will pay Albertan, ensuring that the province receives proper compensation as owners of the resources. The Party has also implemented the Ethane Extraction Policy to ensure that more natural gas is processed into petrochemicals in Alberta.

Alberta Liberal Party: 2008 Election Overview

Leader bio and election platform for the Liberals

Kevin Taft: Alberta Liberal Leader

Kevin Taft entered provincial politics in March 2001 when he was elected as MLA for the riding of Edmonton-Riverview. He became party leader in March 2004 following the resignation of then-leader Ken Nicol. Under his leadership, the Alberta Liberal Party’s organization and finances have improved. To date, Taft has served on several legislative committees, including the Standing Committee on Public Accounts. During his time as an MLA he has held various critic portfolios, including Finance, Health & Wellness, Aboriginal Affairs & Northern Development, and Municipal Affairs and Restructuring and Government Efficiency.

Before entering politics, he worked as a researcher and consultant for the Government of Alberta through his company, Taft Research and Communications. He has authored three bestselling books. Published in 2007, Democracy Derailed is about the state of affairs of government in the province of Alberta. In 2000, Taft and Calgary journalist Gillian Steward co-authored Clear Answers: The Economics and Politics of For-Profit Medicine. In 1997, Taft published Shredding the Public Interest, which accuses the Progressive Conservative government of unnecessarily cutting funding for public services. It spent 12 weeks on The Financial Post’s bestseller list and was subsequently chosen as"Alberta Trade Title of the Year" by the Book Publisher’s Association of Alberta.

Taft is a committed Westerner. He was born on September 9, 1955 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, but grew up in Edmonton, Alberta. He attended Strathcona Composite High School, and then earned a Bachelor of Arts of in Political Science and Master’s degree in Community Development from the University of Alberta. He graduated with a Ph.D. in Business from the University of Warwick in England. Taft lives with his wife Jeanette Boman, whom he married in 1982, and their two sons. They reside in the same neighbourhood where Taft was raised.

He is a former soccer coach and dedicated hockey fan. Taft plays Oldtimers’ games and frequents the local outdoor rink where he previously served as Manager of Rink Maintenance.

Liberal Party 2008 Election Platform

The Liberal platform is outlined in a party document titled It’s Time. A Real Action Plan for Alberta. Central to this policy statement are five key commitments:

Eliminate health care premiums immediately
Re-regulate the electricity industry to lower power bills for Albertans
Invest 30 percent of annual energy royalties (as opposed to spending the funds)
Cap greenhouse gases in five years, through an active partnership with the energy industry
Ensure that Albertans have the hospitals and training for health care professions they need.

In addition to these five commitments, It’s Time provides a broad set of promises across a wide range of issues. Highlights of these promises are as follows:

In the area of health care, the Party promises to focus on addressing health workforce shortages in the province and to reduce waiting times by constructing more hospitals, creating specialized surgical centres within the public system, and ensuring more efficient use of health care professionals. The Party is also committed to establishing predictable funding levels for health care, which will be annually adjusted to reflect population growth, inflation and aging, as well as implementing a public pharmacare program to reduce the cost of prescription drugs.

For more on the Party’s health care policies:

Alberta Liberal Party: Alberta Liberal Action Plan for Health Care (PDF)

In the area of government finances, the Party is committed to maintaining permanently low levels of taxation by building the Alberta Heritage Savings and Trust Fund into a massive, long-term income fund for Alberta. The Part also pledges to eliminate the province’s infrastructure debt by 2014.

For more on the Party’s policies on government finances:

Alberta Liberal Party: Alberta Liberal Action Plan for Prosperity and Energy (PDF)

In regard to economic policy, the Party promises to create a low cost environment for business by permanently keeping levels of taxation low, enacting a Red Tape Review (similar to the one in British Columbia) to aid small business, and eliminating health care premiums. The Party also promises to strengthen the Alberta economy by encouraging the building of bitumen upgraders in Alberta, to keep the economic benefits of the energy industry within the province. The Party also promises to help the forestry industry by examining a tax credit for the purchasing of machinery for efficiency and environmental performance, streamlining forestry regulations and supporting the development of biomass products that use wood fibre.

For more on the Party’s economic policies:

In social policy, the Party is committed to breaking the cycle of poverty by developing a ‘living wage’ policy that is sufficient to allow workers to support their families; make changes to the welfare system to encourage people on social assistance to move beyond poverty, such as allowing some benefits to remain until they are firmly established in the workplace; and reviewing the housing component of Alberta Works social assistance to bring it in line with the current reality of the Alberta housing market. In the context of Aboriginals, the Party advocates quick, fair, and effective resolution of land claims; increased funding for Aboriginal Friendship Centres; improvement of Aborignal health care and education; and the establishment of urban-Aboriginal health centres. In regard to seniors, the Party is committed to making the Alberta Seniors Benefit inflation-proof by tying it to the Alberta Consumer Index, increasing the number of dental procedures covered under the Dental Assistance for Seniors Program, and improving the province’s system of senior centres.

For more information on the Party’s social policies:

In the area of environmental policy, the Party is promises to address climate change by establishing an absolute cap on greenhouse gas emissions; providing incentives to develop carbon capture and storage technology; promote cleaner renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind and geothermal power; redirect the Natural Gas Rebate Program towards energy efficiency and conservation programs; and establishing a Premier’s Strategic Council on Climate Change to create and implement a comprehensive climate change policy for the province. Other environmental initiatives include greater protection of the province’s water and watershed; greater regulation of coalbed methane development; and implementation of a province-wide waste management strategy.

For more information on the Party’s environmental policies:

Alberta Liberal Party: Alberta Liberal Action Plan for the Environment (PDF)

The Party is also promising substantial democratic reform. Some specific initiatives include the institution of fixed election dates; creation of a Citizen’s Assembly on Electoral Reform to study other ways of electing Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs); enacting whistleblower legislation; and improving review of government finances by strengthening the role of the Auditor General of Alberta and the legislature’s Public Accounts Committee.

For more on the Party’s commitments for democratic reform:

Alberta Liberal Party: Alberta Liberal Action Plan for Open, Accountable Government (PDF)

Alberta New Democrats: 2008 Election Overview

Leader bio and election platform for the NDP

Brian Mason: Alberta New Democratic Leader

Brian Mason was first elected as an MLA for Edmonton Highlands (now Edmonton Highlands-Norwood) in a 2000 by-election; on March 12, 2001 he was re-elected in the provincial general election. Mason was subsequently appointed House Leader of the New Democrat Caucus and Critic responsible for Human Resources, Finance, and Agriculture. On July 13, 2004 Mason replaced Raj Pannu as the Interim Leader of the Alberta New Democratic Party. On September 18, 2004 he was selected as the new leader of the New Democratic Party at a leadership convention in Edmonton.

A particularly active MLA, Mason has served as a member of the Standing Committees on Law and Regulations, and Public Accounts, as well as the Special Standing Committee on Members’ Services.

Before being elected to the Alberta Legislature, Mason served as the City of Edmonton’s Councillor for Ward 3. He was first elected in October 1989, and during his 11 years on City Council Mason earned a reputation as a strong and effective representative for his constituents. He remained in municipal politics until Alberta NDP leader Pam Barrett resigned in 2000.

Mason was born on October 12, 1953 in Edmonton, Alberta. He completed post-secondary studies at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. From 1977-79, he served as Executive Director of the Federation of Alberta Students (FAS). Afterwards, Mason worked as a bus driver for Edmonton Transit Services. He has lived in Edmonton Highlands-Norwood for 20 years with his wife Karin and their two sons. Mason is focused on issues such as affordable housing, fair royalties for Albertans, energy deregulation, high automobile insurance rates, education funding, and treatment of senior citizens.

New Democratic Party 2008 Election Platform

The Alberta New Democrats website states the Party’s four key priorities, which are meant to “put the needs of regular Albertans first, with real solutions to make life more affordable for everyday people” (Alberta New Democratic Party, Out 4 Priorities).

The first of these priorities centres on reducing the cost of living for Albertans. Specific policies include eliminating health care premiums; reasonable tuition for students; safe, affordable care for seniors; and affordable housing by instituting rent controls and limiting the conversion of rental properties into condos.

The second priority is to ensure that Albertans receive full value royalties in the energy industry. The Party promises to follow the example set by Alaska and replace Alberta’s bargain basement royalty system with a plan that benefits regular people and delivers a full share for the resources they own.

The Party is also committed to implementing a green energy plan for the province. This involves making Alberta a leader in green energy by using royalty revenue to develop solar, wind, and geothermal alternatives in Alberta and to invest in green energy research and economic development for the future.

The Party’s fourth priority is to eliminate the influence of money from the province’s democratic system. In this context, the Party would introduce legislation to out an end to political donations to political parties from unions and corporations.

The Party’s website has also released a more detailed 2008 election policy statement across a wide range of issues. Highlights of the policy statement are as follows.

For a full statement of the NDP’s 2008 election platform:

Alberta NDP: Our 4 Priorities

In health care, the Party has promised to fight against the introduction of for-profit health care in Alberta. Additionally, the Party has promised to deal with rising health care costs and shortages of services by focusing on innovation and efficiency within the public system. This includes establishing the Alberta Pharmaceutical Savings Agency, which would control drug costs by buying bulk and by relying more heavily on generic drugs where possible; shortening wait times by setting targets for health regions and by increasing funding for long-term care, which will allow for the transfer of seniors from hospitals to appropriate long-term care settings; and creating community-based primary care clinics to divert patients out of the emergency room.

In economic policy, the Party has promised to better manage the province’s growth by developing a labour retention strategy so that businesses can run at full capacity; better controlling the pace of development in the oil-patch; supporting increased oil royalties, using some of the funds to promote a green energy industry; and building and maintaining critical infrastructure necessary for the province’s economic growth and social services.

In social policy, the Party is committed to fighting poverty by gradually raising the minimum wage to $10 per hour, and indexing it to the cost of living thereafter; implementing rent guidelines and close loopholes around condo conversions to protect rental tenants; ensuring that provincial contracts and grants enable organizations to provide a living wage to employees. The Party is also promising to reduce childcare fees and increase the number of affordable spaces available; establishing an integrated childcare plan; increasing funding for women’s shelters; and eliminating wage discrimination in the public sector. The Party is also committed to fighting crime by implementing community policing; increasing the number of police officers; and effectively addressing the roots of crime through measures to reduce poverty, affordable housing, and recreation opportunities for kids at risk.

In environmental policy, the Party promises stronger greenhouse gas emission regulations and enforcement in the oil-patch; a water management plan to ensure that current and future needs are balanced; a moratorium on additional resource development on lakeshores and lake beds; a Green Energy Plan to support green energy projects and move the province away from coalpower; and a land-use framework that curbs urban sprawl and safeguards farmland and habitats in the vicinity of cities.

In education, the Party is committed to improving the quality of the province’s primary, secondary, and post-secondary systems. In regard to primary and secondary education, initiatives include imposing caps on class sizes; ensuring schools have the necessary support staff; funding full-day kindergarten and half-day junior kindergarten for vulnerable children; eliminating fees and fundraising for learning essentials, such as computers; phasing out private schools and bringing charter schools under the jurisdiction of school boards; and providing breakfast and lunch programs. In the context of post-secondary education, the Party promises to reduce tuition fees to 1999-2000 levels and fully fund a tuition freeze thereafter; reduce student loan interest rates; increase the availability of post-secondary and trade spaces in the province; and support initiatives to build additional student housing.

Wildrose Alliance Party: 2008 Election Overview

Leader bio and election platform for the Alberta Alliance

Paul Hinman: Wildrose Alliance Party Leader

Paul Hinman is the leader of the Wildrose Alliance Party, and the only member of the party to be elected to the Alberta legislature. Hinman was born in Edmonton, Alberta in 1959 and is the grandson of E.W. Hinman, who served as a Cabinet minister in the provincial government of Earnest Manning during the 1950s. Prior to entering politics, Hinman worked in the agricultural industry as a farmer, cattle breeder, and feedlot operator.

Hinman was associated with the Alberta Alliance Party since its founding in 2002, as vice president of policy, deputy leader, and then leader. He was first elected to the Alberta legislature in 2004 for the riding of Cardston-Taber-Warner. In 2008, the Alberta Alliance Party merged with the Wildrose Party, forming the Wildrose Alliance Party. Hinman was selected as its first leader. Hinman has also participated in federal politics, serving as a board member for the Conservative Party of Canada for the electoral district of Lethbridge. He was also an active member of the former Reform Party of Canada.

Wildrose Alliance 2008 Election Platform

The Wildrose Alliance website provides a general statement of the Party’s political stance, which is as follows:

“The Wildrose Alliance believes that this province’s prosperity was built on the innovation and effort of individual Albertans and not by government. For this reason, the Wildrose Alliance will fight for less tax, a smaller, more responsive government, principled values and the freedom to develop Alberta as economic leader.”(Wildrose Alliance, The Wildrose Alliance Policies)

In addition to this general statement, the Party also provides a detailed summary of its policies in key areas, including health care, the economy, democratic reform, education, the environment, and social justice and issues. The following highlights some of the Party’s key policies in these areas.

For more on the Wildrose Alliances’s policies:

Wildrose Alliance Party: The Wildrose Alliance Policies

In the area of health care, the Party commits to fully endorsing the five principles of the Canada Health Act, which are: Public Administration, Comprehensiveness, Universality, Portability, and Accessibility. In the context of public health care funding, the Party promises to eliminate health care premiums and ambulance charges; increase funding for home care and other out-of-hospital care services; restore funding for chiropractic and physiotherapy services; fully fund and implement a mental health strategy; and to hold a referendum to prioritize health care spending. In regard to health care delivery, the Party promises to develop and implement a decentralized model for health care services, which encourages local accountability and community participation. This includes abolishing the current system of government-appointed regional health boards, and replacing them with democratically elected local hospital boards. In addition, the Party will allow all hospitals and other health care facilities to compete with one another, in order to promote efficiency and choice in health care delivery.

For more on the Party’s health care policies:

Wildrose Alliance Party: Health Care Policies

In the area of the economy, the Party will recognize agriculture as one of Alberta’s most important industries and will work to strengthen the industry. Within the context, the Party promises to support the family farm; work towards a freer market system of agriculture; develop an effective and financially viable long-term agricultural safety-net program; allow farmers to sell grain independently of the Canadian Wheat Board; and will eliminate all indirect taxes and tariffs on farm inputs, as well as reducing provincially controlled input costs for farmers. The Party will also support free and profit-orientated enterprise and a limited role for government in the economy. As such, the Party will institute privatization of Crown corporations and phase out all government subsidies to businesses and industries. The Party will also support continuing the free market approach to energy production and will strive to reduce the industry’s cost of doing business in Alberta.

For more on the Party’s economic policies:

Wildrose Alliance Party: Economic Policies

In the area of government finances, the Party promises to institute a mandatory yearly balanced budget provision for the Province, and will use surplus funds to pay debts owed by the Government of Alberta. The Party also promises to limit growth in government spending to the rates of inflation and population growth; to make major capital spending and land-use decisions openly in the Legislature (as opposed to behind closed doors); and will institute complete financial disclosure of all provincial finances. In regard to taxation, the Party is committed to instituting a flat tax for personal income tax; requiring approval provincial and municipal tax increases through a binding referendum; phasing out taxes on investment and productivity to stimulate economic growth; and eliminating many nuisance taxes and user-fees. Other key promises include reforming the Alberta Heritage Savings and Trust Fund after the Alaska Permanent Fund, and working with the federal government to gain a more equitable distribution of federal transfer payments.

For more on the Party’s policies on government finance:

Wildrose Alliance Party: Economic Policies

In the area of federalism, the Party is committed to gaining greater autonomy for Alberta within Canada. Specific policies include opting out of the Canada Employment Insurance Program and replacing it with an Alberta Employment Insurance Program; withdrawing from the Canada Pension Plan and creating an Alberta Pension Plan; assuming provincial control over national parks in Alberta; and asserting provincial (as opposed to federal) control over immigration. Other policies related to federalism include working to remove inter-provincial trade barriers, establishing an Alberta police force to end provincial reliance on the federal Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP); reforming the Canadian Senate after the Triple-E model; and recognizing that all Canadians have equal status under the Canadian Constitution. The latter position means opposing any Constitution amendment which grants special privileges or status to one group in Canada (such as recognition of Quebec as a distinct society).

For more on the Party’s policies on federalism:

In regard to social issues, the Party is committed to supporting the family as the cornerstone of society and to protect and enhance the family institution. The Party will recognize and protect parental authority and responsibility. Moreover, the Party promises to address key issues within the family, such as family violence and abuse, through increased funding and training for social agencies and workers.

The Party is also committed to the recognition that Alberta is a diverse ethnic society with a uniquely distinct Albertan culture, and that responsibility for individual ethnic group maintenance rests solely with those who wish to support their heritage (and not the government). The Party also promises to negotiate with First Nations whom wish to institute municipal-style of self-government. Other key social policies include the elimination of homelessness within the Party’s first term; reform of the welfare system to assist individuals to realize their full potential and re-establish self-esteem; support the right to own, enjoy, and use firearms in a responsible manner; ensure sufficient funding for municipal policing to allow for effective policing and protection in the province; and introduce initiatives for young offenders grounded on the notion that juveniles must take responsibility for their actions and understand the impacts of their crimes on victims.

For more on the Party’s social policies:

In regard to democratic reform, the Party promises a wide range of policies aimed at improving accountability, transparency, and citizen participation. These include holding open Cabinet meetings at least once a month, which will be broadcasted on the Internet; giving Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) a greater role by reforming the Legislative committee system and allowing government MLAs to vote freely (as opposed to voting according to the Party’s preferences); restricting the tenure of a premier to two (four-year) terms; holding a Citizen’s Assembly on electoral reform to examine alternative models for electing MLAs; instituting a system by which citizens can recall elected officials; and instituting elections for all government boards and commissions.

For more on the Party’s democratic reform policies:

Wildrose Alliance Party: Democratic Reform Policies

In the area of the environment, the Party is committed to improving air quality, ensuring clean drinking water, and greater conservation of sensitive ecological areas. Specific policies include researching methods to improve indoor air quality; instituting a Clean Water Act to ensure Albertans have safe drinking water; protecting provincial parks and ecological reserves; requiring government to meet high environmental standards in their operations; requiring Ecological Assessments for all large projects in the province; and establishing an Alberta environmental ombudsman and elected Ecological Impact Assessment Review Panels to monitor environmental impacts and halt projects. The Party also promises to oppose any implementation of the international Kyoto Accord, and to ensure that ensure that environmental laws and regulations are reasonable, sensible, and have a relationship to reality and common sense.

For more information on the Party’s environmental policies:

Wildrose Alliance Party: Environmental Policies

Minor Parties in the 2008 Alberta Election

List and links to minor political parties in the election

In addition to the four major parties (the PC Party, the Liberals, the NDP, and the Wildrose Alliance), there are several minor parties participating in the election. These include:

Alberta Greens: The Alberta Green Party is an environmentally-based political party which is “fiscally responsible, socially progressive, and committed to sustainability.”

Alberta Party: The central policies of the Alberta Party are to protect the province from negative federal policies and promote better democracy at both the provincial and federal levels.

Alberta Social Credit Party: The Alberta Social Credit Party views the individual as “the most important factor in organized society, and as a divinely created being, with both spiritual and physical potentials and needs, has certain inalienable rights which must be respected and preserved."

Communist Party of Alberta: The Communist Party of Alberta is the provincial wing of the federal Communist Party of Canada, and is grounded on the principles of socialism.

Separation Party of Alberta: The key policy of the Separation Party is to promote the formal separation of Alberta from the rest of Canada. The Party also supports democratic reform and small government.

Results of the 2008 Alberta General Election

Progressive Conservatives win a majority government

The 2008 election was a landslide win for the Premier Ed Stelmach and the Progressive Conservative Party. The Party took 72 of 84 seats in the provincial legislature, and 53 percent of the popular vote. This represented a significant improvement from the last election in 2004, where the Party (led at the time by Premier Ralph Klein) won 62 seats and 47 percent of the vote.

The Liberal Party had hoped to make significant gains in this election, but won only 9 seats and 26 percent of the vote. This was in contrast to 16 seats and 29 percent of the vote in the 2004 general election. Of particular concern was the Party’s showing in Edmonton, where it was reduced from 11 seats to only 3.

The New Democratic Party had also hoped to strengthen its position in Edmonton, but was instead swept aside by Conservative gains. The Party lost two of its seats to the PC Party, reducing its total in the legislature from 4 to 2.

The final major party was the Wildrose Alliance, which held one seat in southern Alberta prior to the 2008 election. The Wildrose Alliance had hoped to sway right-wing voters from the Progressive Conservative Party, especially in rural ridings. In the 2008 election, however, the Party had lost its only seat, and saw its share of the popular vote fall from 9 percent in 2004 to 7 (in the 2004 election, the Party ran as the Alberta Alliance Party).

The 2008 election saw the lowest voter turnout in Alberta’s history, with only 41 percent of eligible voters casting a ballot (CBC.ca, 2008).

Results of 2008 Alberta General Election
Political Party	% Vote	Seats	Status
PC Party	53	72	Government
Liberal Party	26	09	Opposition
NDP Party	09	02	-
Wildrose Alliance	07	00	-
Other	05	00	-

Sources and Links to More Information

List of article sources and links to more on this topic

Sources Used for this Article

“Unofficial Poll Results - Provincial.” Elections Alberta. 04 March 200. 04 March 2008. <http://results.elections.ab.ca/wtResults.htm>
“Parties.” Elections Alberta. 26 October 2007. 02 February 2008. <http://www.elections.ab.ca/Public%20Website/603.htm>
“Elected Members of the Assembly.” Legislative Assembly of Alberta. 02 February 2008. <http://www.assembly.ab.ca/net/index.aspx?p=mla_home>
Makarenko, J. “2004 Alberta General Election.” Mapleleafweb.com. 1 November 2004. 02 February 2008. <http://www.mapleleafweb.com/features/2004-alberta-general-election>
“Ed Stelmach.” Mapleleafweb.com. 02 February 2008. <http://www.mapleleafweb.com/node/113>
“Kevin Taft.” Mapleleafweb.com. 02 February 2008. <http://www.mapleleafweb.com/node/121>
“Brian Mason.” Mapleleafweb.com. 02 February 2008. <http://www.mapleleafweb.com/node/122>
“Alberta Elect Historic 11th Straight Tory Government.” CBC.ca. 04 March 2008. 04 March 2008. <http://origin.www.cbc.ca/canada/albertavotes2008/story/2008/03/03/election-call.html>
Seskus, T. “New Party Formed Out of Merger of Alberta Alliance and Wildrose Party.” Calgary Herald. 19 January 2008. 02 February 2008. <http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=04797b41-3bd5-4d58-9301-ebcf487ebe50&k=19103>
“A Report to the Globe and Mail: Alberta Election 2008.” The Strategic Counsel. 17 January 2008. 02 February 2008. <http://www.thestrategiccounsel.com/our_news/polls/Alberta%20Jan%2010-13%20-%20Election.pdf>
“Press Release.” Leger Marketing. 24 January 2008. 02 February 2008. <http://legermarketing.com/documents/pol/080124ENG.pdf>
“Statement of Principles.” Alberta Progressive Conservative Party. 02 February 2008. <http://www.albertapc.ab.ca/admin/contentx/default.cfm?PageId=4042>
“Policy Statements: A Message from Premier Ed Stelmach.” Alberta Progressive Conservative Party. 11 February 2008. <http://www.albertapc.ab.ca/admin/contentx/default.cfm?PageId=9205>
“It’s Time. A Real Action Plan for Alberta.” Alberta Liberal Party. 02 February 2008. <http://www.albertaliberal.com/images/uploads/Its_time.pdf>
“Our 4 Priorities.” Alberta New Democratic Party. 02 February 2008. <http://www.albertandp.ca/Issues.cfm>
“Our Leader – Paul Hinman.” Wildrose Alliance Party. 02 February 2008. <http://www.wildrosealliance.ca/party/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=37&Itemid=50>
“The Wildrose Alliance Policies.” Wildrose Alliance Party. 02 February 2008. <http://www.wildrosealliance.ca/party/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=4&id=17&Itemid=78>
“Health Care Policies.” Wildrose Alliance Party. 02 February 2008. <http://wildrosealliance.ca/party/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=34&Itemid=78>
“Economic Policies.” Wildrose Alliance Party. 02 February 2008. <http://wildrosealliance.ca/party/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=78>
“Social Policies.” Wildrose Alliance Party. 02 February 2008. <http://wildrosealliance.ca/party/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=36&Itemid=78>
“Democratic Reform Policies.” Wildrose Alliance Party. 02 February 2008. <http://wildrosealliance.ca/party/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=30&Itemid=78>
“Environmental Policies.” Wildrose Alliance Party. 02 February 2008. <http://wildrosealliance.ca/party/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33&Itemid=78>
“Safety and Justice Policies.” Wildrose Alliance Party. 02 February 2008. <http://wildrosealliance.ca/party/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=35&Itemid=78>

Links for More Information

Canada’s Electoral System: Introduction to Federal and Provincial Elections

Brian Doody — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 11:51:45 -0700

While the origins of some elements of Canada’s electoral system can be traced back to medieval England, others have been added more recently and reflect changes in the way that election campaigns have evolved, as well as an ongoing concern that elections be kept free and fair. This article gives an overview of Canada’s federal and provincial electoral systems, including their basic framework and operation, their historical development, as well as key rules governing the conduct of political parties, election candidates, and the media.

Basic Framework of the Canadian Electoral System

Federalism, single-member constituencies, and first-past-the-post voting

History and Development of the Canadian Electoral System

Some elements of Canada’s system can be traced back nearly 800 years

Operation of the Canadian Electoral System

Calling an election, election officers, selection of candidates, and voter lists

Election Regulations for Parties, Candidates, and the Media

Legal rules governing the conduct of key election actors

Sources and Links to More Information

Lists of article sources and links to more on this topic

This article was written by Brian Doody. It has since been altered by Jay Makarenko.

Basic Framework of the Canadian Electoral System

Federalism, single-member constituencies, and first-past-the-post voting

What is an Electoral System?

An electoral system is the process by which voters’ preferences are translated into seats in a legislature. Voters express their preference (that is, their vote) by casting a ballot; ballots are then counted to determine which representatives are elected to the respective legislative body. In this way, voters in a society choose the representatives who have the power to make that society’s laws and to govern it on the voters’ behalf.

Electoral systems differ widely between political jurisdictions. Canada’s electoral system is characterized by several qualities: federalism, single-member constituencies, and a first-past-the-post (FPTP) voting system.

Federalism and the Electoral System

Canada is a federation, meaning that power and authority is divided between two levels of government: the federal (or national) level and the provincial (or regional) level. Moreover, Canada also has territories, which are regional governments similar to provinces. The key difference, however, is that territories are created by the federal government, whereas the provinces are constitutionally autonomous entities.

Each of these different levels of government has its own elected legislature. At the federal level, the House of Commons is the elected federal legislature, while the Senate is an appointed body. Each province and territory also has its own elected legislature. The purpose of Canada’s electoral system is to elect representatives to these different legislative bodies. This is done through the holding of regular (and separate) elections, at both the federal and provincial/territorial levels.

Single-Member Constituencies

Under Canada’s electoral system, the country is divided into geographically based electoral districts or ridings (also called constituencies). At the federal level, the entire country is divided into electoral districts for elections to the House of Commons. Individual provinces and territories are also divided into different electoral districts for election to their respective legislatures.

Voters in each district elect a single representative, who is authorized to represent them in their legislature. This is why Canada’s electoral system is referred to a “single-member constituency” system, as only one representative (or member of the legislature) is elected for each electoral district (or constituency). This can be contrasted with other electoral systems, where voters have an opportunity to elect multiple representatives for a given electoral district.

During a general election for either the federal House of Commons or a provincial/territorial legislature, elections are held simultaneously in each electoral district. The outcome of those district elections, in turn, determines who will form the government. Here it is important to note the role of political parties. In federal elections, and most provincial/territorial elections, candidates running in a district usually belong to competing political parties. Which party forms the government upon the outcome of an election depends on how well these political parties fare across all of the electoral districts. Generally in Canada, the political party that elects the most number of representatives forms the government. Typically, the leading party forms either a majority or minority government.

In the 2000 federal election, for example, the country consisted of 301 electoral districts. Of those districts, the Liberal Party won 172, the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance won 66, the Bloc Québécois won 38, the New Democratic Party won 13, and the Progressive Conservative Party took 12. By winning the most electoral districts, and electing the most representatives, the Liberal Party was able to form the government after the election.

For more information on how governments are formed in Canada:

First-Past-the-Post System

In addition to being organized into single-member constituencies, Canada’s electoral system is also characterized by a first-past-the-post voting system (FPTP). Under this system, the candidate with the most votes in a particular electoral district wins the election.

Take, for example, the riding of Kitchener-Conestoga in the 2007 Ontario provincial election. In that riding’s election, 33,547 ballots were cast. Of that number, the Progressive Conservative candidate won 14,382 votes, the Liberal candidate won 13,350 votes, and the New Democratic candidate 3,937 votes. Under the first-past-the-post voting system, the Progressive Conservative candidate became the district’s representative, by virtue of winning the most votes relative to the other candidates.

It is important to note that winning an electoral district does not necessarily mean that a representative is widely supported. In the above example of Kitchener-Conestoga, the winning Progressive Conservative candidate only won 14,382 votes out of a possible 33,547. This represented only 42 percent of the vote, meaning that 6 out of 10 voters cast a ballot for someone other than the winning candidate.

Reforming Canada’s Electoral System

Several provinces and the federal government have recently studied changes to Canada’s electoral system (although, as of October 2007, no official chances have been made):

In 2004, the federally-appointed Law Commission of Canada recommended the adoption of Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) for federal elections. MMP combines FPTP elections in single-member districts with proportional representation (PR) for political parties, whose members are elected from lists.
In British Columbia, a Citizens’ Assembly – selected randomly from the voters’ list – recommended the adoption of the Single Transferable Vote (STV). STV allows preferential voting in multi-member districts, with voters assigning a number to each candidate in the order of their choice. In a referendum held in May 2005, STV was chosen by 57.7 percent of voters, 2.3 percent short of the 60 percent threshold required for it to become law.
In Prince Edward Island, MMP received only 36 percent of votes in a referendum held in November 2005, despite being recommended by two independent commissions. An independent commission in New Brunswick in 2005 recommended the adoption of MMP, which the provincial premier had promised to submit to voters in a referendum; however, the election of a new government in 2006 seems to have put that referendum on hold indefinitely.
In Quebec, despite early optimism in 2004 surrounding the introduction of a draft electoral law, MMP seemed to suffer a major setback when a legislative committee in 2006 held that there was no consensus to proceed with MMP. A Citizens’ Committee, consisting of eight voters selected randomly who sat with the legislative committee, contradicted this view; the Committee’s report found a broad consensus in favour of MMP.
In Ontario, a Citizens’ Assembly based on the British Columbia model recommended the adoption of MMP, but this proposal, too, won the support of only 36 percent of voters in a referendum held in October 2007, far short of the 60 percent required for its adoption.

History and Development of the Canadian Electoral System

Some elements of Canada’s system can be traced back nearly 800 years

Magna Carta and the Principle of Free Elections

Although the Canadian electoral system is governed by laws passed by the federal Parliament and the legislature of each province, it is based on a practice that began nearly 800 years ago in England. In 1215, the Magna Carta stated that the King no longer had the right to summon his own advisors to sit in what is now called the House of Commons. Instead, he had to issue what today are called writs of election, and to summon to the House only those people who, according to the returned writs, won the most votes in elections held in each district. That principle of free elections first established in the Magna Carta was brought by the British to Canada, where federal and provincial elections today are still organized around the “dropping” and return of separate writs of election for each district.

Evolution of the Right to Vote

The right to vote in elections was historically limited to a minority. In the nineteenth century, the right to vote in Canada was based largely on property qualifications; it was only by the early twentieth century that it was gradually expanded to include most of the adult population. In 1919, women were conferred with the right to vote in all federal elections in Canada. By 1940 the suffrage movement had won the right for women to vote in all provincial elections as well. Exceptions to the right to vote based on racial origin were removed from federal electoral legislation in 1948. In 1960, Aboriginal Canadians were given the right to vote in federal elections and by 1969 could also vote in all provincial and territorial elections.

In 1982, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, in section 3, recognized the right of all Canadian citizens “to vote in an election of members of the House of Commons or of a legislative assembly and to be qualified for membership therein.” As a consequence of court challenges to electoral laws under section 3 of the Charter and the actions of legislatures, few restrictions on the right to vote in Canada remain today.

Drawing of Electoral Boundaries

The drawing of electoral boundaries used to be the prerogative of Parliament and the legislatures. Today, that task is largely conferred on boundaries commissions that are independent of Parliament and the legislatures. Commissioners hold public hearings and then draw the boundaries based on the principle that the population between ridings should be relatively similar (the allowable variances between populations in different ridings is established by Parliament and the legislatures).

Operation of the Canadian Electoral System

Calling an election, election officers, and selection of candidates, and voter lists

Calling of an Election and the Writ Period

An election in Canada begins officially when the Prime Minister (or a provincial premier) asks the Governor General (or the Lieutenant Governor, in the case of a province) to dissolve Parliament or the legislature and to authorize the emission of writs of election. This is the beginning of the “writ period” of the election campaign, when the laws that govern the conduct of an election start to be applied by the election officers. This period begins the date that the writ is “dropped” and does not end officially until the writs are returned along with the names of the candidates who won the most votes on “polling day.” The Canada Elections Act states that federal election campaigns must be a minimum of 36 days but does not state a maximum period. The length of a writ period in the provinces ranges from province to province.

Chief Electoral Officers and Returning Officer

All federal and provincial elections in Canada are organized and administered by a non-partisan agency headed by a Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) or similarly-named official whose appointment is usually approved by all of the parties in Parliament or the legislature. One of the CEO’s first tasks during the election period involves sending the writs of election to the Returning Officer responsible for the administration of the election in each riding. Each returning officer must then open an office in his/her electoral district for the duration of the writ period, and hire employees who will carry out various tasks – tasks that can include updating the voters’ list to counting the ballots on polling day.

Each writ of election is addressed to the returning officer and sets out three dates: the deadline for the filing of the candidates’ nomination papers with the returning officer (nomination day), the date of the election (polling day), and the deadline for the return of the writ to the Chief Electoral Officer (which is to be certified on the back by the returning officer with the name of the candidate who won the most votes).

Selection and Nomination of Candidates

Regardless of whether a candidate is selected to represent a political party or chooses to run as an independent candidate, or whether a party’s candidate is selected before or after the writ period begins, all candidates must file their nomination papers at the office of the returning officer no later than the nomination day as set out in the writ. Although political parties frequently select their candidates before the writ is dropped, the expenses incurred during the pre-writ period are generally not counted as election expenses and are usually not included in any reimbursement of campaign expenses.

The information that must be provided with a nomination form varies but generally includes the prospective candidate’s name and contact information, picture identification (Quebec) and – in the case of a candidate representing a registered political party – a letter or other document authorized by the party leader confirming the candidate’s selection by the party (in federal elections and in every province except British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba).

Voter Lists and Enumeration

To ensure a successful election period, a great deal of work also needs to be done during the pre-writ period – and on an ongoing basis between elections – by political parties, candidates, and officials in the Chief Electoral Officer’s office. Elections Canada (the federal election agency) and all provincial election agencies (except in Saskatchewan and Manitoba) maintain or have started to develop permanent voters’ lists. For much of the twentieth century, voters’ lists were compiled by carrying out an enumeration of voters in each district – essentially a door-to-door verification of the eligible voters in each household. Although Elections Canada held its last enumeration in 1997 – and updates its permanent list using tax and other data – many provinces still use a whole or partial enumeration to update their voters’ lists.

Most provinces’ electoral laws now allow the Chief Electoral Officer to hold an enumeration of voters before or after the dropping of the writs. Even when a permanent voters’ list is relied upon without any enumeration, election officials must still check for accuracy to ensure that voters who have changed their residence are accounted for, and for voters who have moved to new residential buildings. During the writ period, for example, election officials must visit hospitals and extended-care facilities to compare voters’ lists against lists of residents provided by a person in charge of each facility.

Election Regulations for Parties, Candidates, and the Media

Legal rules governing the conduct of key election actors

Registration of a Political Party

At both the federal and provincial levels, Chief Electoral Officers maintain registries of political parties. Although parties are not obliged to register with the CEO, registration is the only way a party can qualify for subsidies and reimbursements under the law. Normally each registry contains basic contact information such as the names of senior officials and the party’s head office.

It is the parties’ responsibility to ensure this information is kept up to date, such as when there is a change in the party’s leadership or a merger of two registered parties. A party might be removed or suspended from the registry, for example, if it does not comply with its obligations to file detailed reports on campaign and other financing matters. In some provinces and at the federal level, parties are also required to register their local riding associations.

Parties previously had to run a minimum number of candidates in a general election in order to be eligible to remain in the registry. However, in 2003 the Supreme Court of Canada struck down this provision as unconstitutional under section 3 of the Charter, on the grounds that the right to vote includes “the right of each citizen to play a meaningful role” in an election, in a way that allows “disadvantaged” parties to nominate candidates.

Regulation of Candidate and Party Finance

All federal and provincial elections in Canada today are governed by legislation that regulates, to varying degrees, the contributions and expenditures of candidates and political parties – before, during and after election campaigns. The tools for regulating political donations range from the less coercive – such as reporting requirements for the names of donors, the amounts of contributions, or the amounts and types of expenditures. Other rules restrict the liberty of candidates, parties and their supporters – such as limits on contributions or expenditures, or both. Legislation at the federal level (and provincially in Ontario and Manitoba) requires that both the parties’ nomination candidates in each district and the parties’ leadership contestants register with the Chief Electoral Officer before the candidates can accept donations.

Every candidate for office in a federal or provincial election must have an Official Agent (or similarly-named official), who is the only person authorized to accept contributions and to authorize expenditures on behalf of the candidate during the writ period. The maximum penalties for violating this rule are harsh and include the loss of the right to vote, or to be a candidate in a future election.

Government Subsidies for Election Expenses

Federal and provincial legislation provides for varying degrees of subsidies and refunds of campaign expenses for candidates who receive a minimum percentage of the vote in a campaign, usually around 15 per cent. Some provinces such as Quebec provide a separate subsidy to parties based on their share of the vote. The most generous subsidies to parties are paid at the federal level, where registered parties each year receive $1.75 (in 2004 dollars, indexed to inflation) for each vote given to each of their candidates in the most recent general election.

In order to be eligible for this subsidy, the Canada Elections Act requires a minimum of either two percent of the vote Canada-wide or five percent of the vote in the ridings where the party endorsed candidates, a threshold that some smaller registered parties have recently challenged in court. The smaller parties won their case in the Ontario Superior Court in October 2006, but the application of the judge’s decision was suspended in March 2007 while the case is appealed to the Ontario Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal heard the case in June 2007 (the decision is forthcoming at the time of this article’s publication).

Broadcasting and Other Media Restrictions

Federal and provincial electoral legislation places limits on the rights of broadcasting and print media to publish the results of public-opinion polls in the period immediately prior to polling day and, in the case of federal elections, the election results from time zones where the polls close earlier than the rest of the country. The rise of Internet-based media makes these rules increasingly difficult to enforce, however. Furthermore, the Canada Elections Act and some provincial statutes place spending limits on political advertising by third parties during the writ period. These limits have been upheld by the Supreme Court of Canada, most recently in 2004, as a reasonable limit on freedom of expression under the Charter.

Prosecutions for alleged violations under federal and provincial electoral laws are normally carried out by an official who is independent of the government, whose activities are usually managed in close association with the Chief Electoral Officer. Offences under the various election acts normally carry a statute of limitations, meaning they cannot be prosecuted after a certain number of years have passed.

Sources and Links to More Information

Lists of article sources and links to more on this topic

Sources Used for this Article

Canada Elections Act, S.C. 2000, c. 9: http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/E-2.01/
[British Columbia] Election Act, S.B.C. c. 106: http://www.qp.gov.bc.ca/statreg/stat/E/96106_00.htm
[Alberta] Election Act, S.A. c. E-1: http://www.qp.gov.ab.ca/Documents/ACTS/E01.CFM
[Saskatchewan] Election Act, 1996, SS. 1996, c. E-6.01: http://www.canlii.org/sk/laws/sta/e-6.01/index.html
[Manitoba] Elections Act, C.C.S.M. c. E30: http://www.canlii.org/mb/laws/sta/e-30/index.html
[Ontario] Election Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. E-6: http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/DBLaws/Statutes/English/90e06_e.htm
[Quebec] Election Act, L.R.Q. c. E-3.3 : http://www.electionsquebec.qc.ca/en/pdf/publications/loi_elec_en.pdf
[New Brunswick] Elections Act, R.S.N.B. 1973, s. E-3: http://www.canlii.org/nb/laws/sta/e-3/20070117/whole.html
[Prince Edward Island] Elections Act, S.P.E.I. c. E-1.1: http://www.gov.pe.ca/law/statutes/pdf/e-01_1.pdf
[Nova Scotia] Elections Act, R.S.N.S. c. 140: http://www.gov.ns.ca/legislature/legc/statutes/election.htm
[Newfoundland and Labrador] Election Act, S.N.L. 1992, c. E-3: http://www.hoa.gov.nl.ca/hoa/statutes/E03-1.htm
Figueroa v. Canada (Attorney General) [2003] 1 S.C.R. 912, 2003 SCC 37.
Harper v. Canada (Attorney General) [2004] 1 S.C.R. 827, 2004 SCC 33.
Reference re Provincial Electoral Boundaries (Saskatchewan) [1991] 2 S.C.R. 158.
Canada. Chief Electoral Officer. 1997. A History of the Vote in Canada. Ottawa. Beauregard Printers.
Canada. Elections Canada. 2003. Compendium of Election Administration in Canada. 2003 Edition. Ottawa: Supply and Services Canada.
Canada. Elections Canada. 2003. Compendium of Election Administration in Canada: A Comparative Overview. 2003 Edition. Ottawa: Supply and Services Canada.