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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Meeting No. 49

Tuesday, June 3, 2003

The Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs met at 4:07 p.m. this day, in Room 112-N, Centre Block, the Chair, Peter Adams, presiding.

Members of the Committee present: Peter Adams, Marlene Catterall, Rodger Cuzner, Joe Jordan, Gerald Keddy, Lynn Myers, Carolyn Parrish, Geoff Regan, Jacques Saada, Benoît Sauvageau, Guy St-Julien.

Acting Members present: Ted White for Dale Johnston; Caroline St-Hilaire for Benoît Sauvageau; Michel Gauthier for Michel Guimond; Dick Proctor for Yvon Godin.

In attendance: From the Library of Parliament: James Robertson, principal; John M. Wright, Research Assistant. From the Committees Directorate: Susan Baldwin, Legislative Clerk.

Witnesses: From the Privy Council Office: Michèle René de Cotret, Senior Privy Council Officer/Counsel, Legislation and House Planning/Counsel; Stéphane Perrault, Senior Counsel.

Pursuant to its Order of Reference of Tuesday, March 18, 2003, the Committee resumed consideration of Bill C-24, An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act and the Income Tax Act (political financing) (See Minutes of Proceedings, Thursday, April 3, 2003, Meeting No. 31).

The Committee resumed Clause-by-Clause consideration of the Bill.

On Clause 40,

Dick Proctor moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 40, be amended by adding after line 24 on page 47 the following:

“d.1 disclosure of all financial loans for the purposes of the campaign, including interest rates, repayment schedules and the lender”;

By unanimous consent, the amendment was stood.

Joe Jordan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 40, be amended by adding after line 22 on page 43 the following:

“435.221 The leadership contest expenses limit that is allowed for a leadership contestant is the amount that is 10% of the amount that was allowed under section 422 for election expenses of a registered party that endorses candidates in all electoral districts.

435.222 (1) No leadership contestant or financial agent of a leadership contestant shall incur leadership contest expenses in an amount that is more than the leadership contest expenses limit allowed for in section 435.221.

(2) No person or entity shall

(a) circumvent, or attempt to circumvent, the leadership contest expenses limit referred to in section 435.221; or

(b) act in collusion with another person or entity for that purpose.”

By unanimous consent, the amendment was stood.

Gerald Keddy moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 40, be amended by adding after line 13 on page 40 the following:

“(3) A person may be appointed as agent or auditor for a leadership contestant notwithstanding that the person is a member of a partnership that has been appointed as an auditor, in accordance with the Act for the registered party.”

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

Gerald Keddy moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 40, be amended by replacing lines 9 and 10 on page 44 with the following:

“section 435.23 must be paid within eighteen months after the end of the leadership contest.”

By unanimous consent, the amendment was stood.

Gerald Keddy moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 40, be amended by replacing line 12 on page 44 with the following:

“eighteen months does not apply to a claim in ”

By unanimous consent, the amendment was stood.

Geoff Regan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 40, be amended by replacing, in the French version, lines 7 and 8 on page 46 with the following:

phe 435.3(1) qui n'est pas payée après l'expiration d'un délai de dix-huit mois

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

By unanimous consent, the Committee reverted to the following amendment:

That Bill C-24, in Clause 40, be amended by adding after line 24 on page 47 the following:

“d.1 disclosure of all financial loans for the purposes of the campaign, including interest rates, repayment schedules and the name of the lender.”

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

Geoff Regan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 40, be amended by replacing, in the English version, line 32 on page 47 with the following:

(f) the name and address of each contributor who made a contribu-

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

Ted White moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 40, be amended by replacing line 23 on page 49 with the following:

“tor of a contribution of more than $25, or the”

By unanimous consent, the amendment was stood.

Gerald Keddy moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 40, be amended by replacing line 30 on page 49 with the following:

“tributions of $10,000 or more in total or”

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was negatived by a show of hands: YEAS: 1; NAYS: 8.

The Chair ruled that the following amendment was consequential to the previous amendment and therefore it was also negatived:

That Bill C-24, in Clause 40, be amended by replacing line 32 on page 49 with the following:

“$10, 000 or more in total shall report to the”

Gerald Keddy moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 40, be amended by adding after line 22 on page 50 the following:

“(5) On receipt of the documents referred to in sections 435.3 and 435.33 and a copy of the auditor’s invoice, the Chief Electoral Officer shall provide the Receiver General with a certificate that sets out the amount, up to a maximum of $1,500, of expenses incurred for the audit.

(6) On receipt of the certificate, the Receiver General shall pay the amount set out in it to the auditor out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.”

The Chair ruled that the amendment was inadmissible and that the following amendment was consequential to the previous amendment and therefore it was also inadmissible.

That Bill C-24, in Clause 57, be amended by adding after line 8 on page 73 the following:

“(5) On receipt of the documents referred to in section 478.23 and this section and a copy of the auditor’s invoice, the Chief Electoral Officer shall provide the Receiver General with a certificate that sets out the amount, up to a maximum of $1,500, of expenses incurred for the audit.

(6) On receipt of the certificate, the Receiver General shall pay the amount set out in it to the auditor out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

Geoff Regan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 40, be amended by replacing lines 9 to 11 on page 55 with the following:

subsection 404.3(3), contributions accepted by the leadership campaign agents on behalf of the contestant and any other amounts that were received by the contestant for his or her leadership campaign and that are not repayable is more than the sum

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

Geoff Regan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 40, be amended by replacing line 41 on page 55 with the following:

and date of the disposal and to whom the surplus was transferred.

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

By unanimous consent, Clause 40 was stood.

Clause 41 carried.

Clause 42 carried.

Clause 43 carried.

On Clause 44,

Geoff Regan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 44, be amended by

(a) replacing lines 6 and 7 on page 57 with the following:

unions and associations as defined in subsection 405.3(3);

(b) replacing line 10 on page 57 with the following:

(g.1) in the case of a contributor that is an association as defined in subsection 405.3(3),

(i) the name and address of the association, the amount of its contribution and the date on which it was received by the candidate, and

(ii) the name and address of each individual whose money forms part of the contribution, the amount of money provided by that individual that is included in the contribution and the date on which it was provided to the association;

(h) the name and address of each other contribu-

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

The Chair ruled that the following amendment was consequential to a previous amendment adopted and therefore it was also adopted.

That Bill C-24, in Clause 44, be amended by replacing line 22 on page 57 with the following:

party, to a registered association or to himself or herself in his or her capacity as a nomination contestant;

Geoff Regan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 44, be amended by replacing line 33 on page 57 with the following:

ments evidencing expenses set out in the

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

Clause 44, as amended, carried.

By unanimous consent, Clause 45 was stood.

Clause 46 carried.

Clause 47 carried.

Clause 48 carried.

On Clause 49,

Geoff Regan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 49, be amended by

(a) replacing line 1 on page 59 with the following:

49. (1) Paragraph 465(2)(a) of the English version of the Act is replaced by the following:

(a) 50% of the sum of the candidate's paid election expenses and paid personal expenses, less the partial reimbursement made under section 464, and

(2) Paragraph 465(2)(b) of the Act is replaced by the following:

(b) 50% of the election expenses limit provided for in section 440, less the partial reimbursement made under section 464.

(3) Subsection 465(3) of the Act is re-

(b) adding after line 8 on page 59 the following:

(4) Subsections (1) and (2) are deemed to have come into force on September 1, 2000.

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

Clause 49, as amended, carried.

On Clause 50,

The Chair ruled that the following amendment was consequential to a previous inadmissible amendment and therefore it was also inadmissible.

That Bill C-24, in Clause 50, be amended by replacing line 20 on page 59 with the following:

“candidate's election expenses and $2,500.”

Clause 50 carried.

At 5:23 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 5:36 p.m., the sitting resumed.

On Clause 51,

Geoff Regan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 51, be amended by replacing line 25 on page 59 with the following:

51. (1) Paragraph 468(1)(a) of the Act is replaced by the following:

(a) each candidate, including one who has withdrawn under subsection 74(1), who the Chief Electoral Officer is satisfied has provided the documents under section 451 and returned any unused forms referred to in section 477, in accordance with subsection 478(2); and

(2) Subsection 468(2) of the Act is re-

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

Clause 51, as amended, carried.

Clause 52 carried.

Clause 53 carried.

On Clause 54,

The Chair ruled that the following amendment was consequential to a previous amendment adopted and therefore it was also adopted.

That Bill C-24, in Clause 54, be amended by

(a) replacing, in the English version, line 14 on page 60 with the following:

a registered association;

(b) replacing line 17 on page 60 with the following:

candidate transfers to that registered party; and

Clause 54, as amended, carried.

Clause 55 carried.

Clause 56 carried.

On Clause 57,

Gerald Keddy moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 57, be amended by adding after line 40 on page 61 the following:

“(4) Any nomination contestant who spends less than $10,000 during the nomination campaign is excluded from the register and reporting provisions under section 478.23”

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was negatived by a show of hands: YEAS: 1; NAYS: 8.

Gerald Keddy moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 57, be amended by adding after line 23 on page 62 the following:

“(2) A person may be appointed as agent for a nomination contestant notwithstanding that the person is a member of a partnership that has been appointed as an auditor, in accordance with the Act for the registered party.”

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

Geoff Regan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 57, be amended by

(a) replacing lines 23 and 24 on page 64 with the following:

478.14 The limit for nomination campaign expenses - other than personal expenses as defined in section 478.01 - that is allowed for a nomination contes-

(b) replacing line 26 on page 64 with the following:

(a) that is 25% of the limit that was allowed

shall incur nomination campaign expenses - other than personal expenses as defined in section 478.01 - in an amount that is more than the limit allowed for that

(d) replacing line 3 on page 65 with the following:

the limit

Marlene Catteral moved, -- That the amendment be amended by replacing “25%” by “20%”.

After debate, the question being put on the sub-amendment, it was adopted by a show of hands: YEAS: 8; NAYS: 2.

After debate, the question being put on the amendment as amended, it was adopted.

Ted White moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 57, be amended by replacing lines 13 and 14 on page 68 with the following:

“478.23 (1) The financial agent of the winner of a nomination contest who has accepted contribu-”

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was negatived.

Geoff Regan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 57, be amended by replacing lines 15 and 16 on page 68 with the following:

tions of $1,000 or more in total or incurred nomination campaign expenses of $1,000 or

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

Geoff Regan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 57, be amended by

(a) replacing lines 10 and 11 on page 69 with the following:

unions and associations as defined in subsection 405.3(3);

(b) replacing line 14 on page 69 with the following:

(e.1) in the case of a contributor that is an association as defined in subsection 405.3(3),

(i) the name and address of the association, the amount of its contribution and the date on which it was received by the nomination contestant, and

(ii) the name and address of each individual whose money forms part of the contribution, the amount of money provided by that individual that is included in the contribution and the date on which it was provided to the association;

(f) the name and address of each other contributor

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted by a show of hands: YEAS: 11; NAYS: 1.

Geoff Regan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 57, be amended by replacing lines 29 and 30 on page 69 with the following:

or a candidate;

(i) a statement of the commercial value of goods or services provided and of funds transferred to the nomination contestant from himself or herself in his or her capacity as a candidate; and

(j) a statement of the contributions received but

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

Geoff Regan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 57, be amended by replacing line 44 on page 77 with the following:

contestant and any other amounts received by the contestant for his or her nomination campaign that are not repayable are more than the contestant's

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

Geoff Regan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 57, be amended by replacing line 29 on page 78 with the following:

for whose endorsement the contest was held.

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

By unanimous consent, Clause 57 was stood.

On Clause 58,

Geoff Regan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 58, be amended by adding after line 19 on page 79 the following:

(h.031) being the financial agent of a registered association, contravenes section 403.051 (making erroneous declaration);

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

Geoff Regan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 58, be amended by adding after line 19 on page 85 the following:

(f.031) being the financial agent of a registered association, knowingly contravenes section 403.051 (making erroneous declaration);

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

By unanimous consent, the following amendment was stood.

That Bill C-24, in Clause 58, be amended by replacing line 16 on page 86 with the following:

“venes subsections 405(1) and (1.1) (exceeding con-”

Geoff Regan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 58, be amended by adding after line 27 on page 86 the following:

(f.161) being a person or entity, knowingly contravenes subsection 405.2(4) (entering prohibited agreement);

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

Geoff Regan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 58, be amended by adding after line 38 on page 90 the following:

(17) Subsection 497(4) of the Act is replaced by the following:

(4) No proceedings may be commenced with respect to a failure to provide a return or other document to the Chief Electoral Officer before the expiration of the period within which an application may be made under this Act for an extension of the period within which that return or document is to be provided.

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

By unanimous consent, Clause 58 was stood.

Clause 59 carried.

On Clause 60,

Geoff Regan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 60, be amended by replacing, in the French version, lines 27 to 29 on page 91 with the following:

parti enregistré, un parti politique radié ou une association de circonscription est partie à des

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

Clause 60, as amended, carried.

Clause 61 carried.

On Clause 62,

Geoff Regan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 62, be amended by

(a) replacing line 14 on page 92 with the following:

511. (1) If the Commissioner believes on

(b) adding after line 19 on page 92 the following:

(2) For the purposes of section 487 of the Criminal Code, any person charged by the Commissioner with duties relating to the administration or enforcement of this Act is deemed to be a public officer.

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

Clause 62, as amended, carried.

On Clause 63,

Gerald Keddy moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 63, be amended by replacing line 23 on page 92 with the following:

“this Act must be instituted within 6 months”

By unanimous consent, the amendment was withdrawn.

Geoff Regan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 63, be amended by

(a) replacing line 20 on page 92 with the following:

63. (1) Subsection 514(1) of the Act is re-

(b) replacing line 25 on page 92 with the following:

becomes aware of the facts giving rise to the

(2) Section 514 of the Act is amended by adding the following after subsection (2):

(3) A document purporting to have been issued by the Commissioner, certifying the day on which the Commissioner became aware of the facts giving rise to a prosecution, is admissible in evidence without proof of the signature or of the official character of the person appearing to have signed the document and, in the absence of any evidence to the contrary, is proof of the matter asserted in it.

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

Gerald Keddy moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 63, be amended by replacing line 26 on page 92 with the following:

“prosecution and not later than three years”

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was negatived by a show of hands: YEAS: 3; NAYS: 8.

Clause 63, as amended, carried.

On Clause 64,

Geoff Regan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 64, be amended by replacing lines 32 and 33 on page 92 with the following:

section 403.35, 424, 429, 435.3, 435.35, 451, 455, 478.23 or 478.3, all

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

Clause 64, as amended, carried.

By unanimous consent, Clause 65 was stood.

Clause 66 carried.

Clause 67 carried.

Clause 68 carried.

On Clause 69,

Geoff Regan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 69, be amended by

(a) replacing line 33 on page 93 with the following:

69. (1) Despite section 66, for the fiscal

(b) replacing, in the English version, lines 38 and 39 on page 93 with the following:

this Act, apply in respect of the documents that the registered party must provide in relation to that fiscal period;

(2) Sections 424 to 428 of the Canada Elections Act, as they read immediately before the coming into force of this section, apply with respect to the documents that a registered party must provide in relation to any fiscal period ending before the coming into force of this section.

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

Clause 69, as amended, carried.

Clause 70 carried.

Clause 71 was negatived on the following recorded vote:

YEAS:

Michel Gauthier

Dick Proctor

Gerald Keddy: -- 3

NAYS:

Marlene Catteral

Rodger Cuzner

Joe Jordan

Lynn Myers

Carolyn Parrish

Geoff Regan

Jacques Saada

Guy St-Julien

Ted White : -- 9

Clause 72 carried.

New Clause 72.1

Gerald Keddy moved, -- That Bill C-24 be amended by adding after line 44 on page 95 the following new clause:

“72.1 The Chief Electoral Officer shall endeavour to consult all registered parties on an ongoing basis regarding the administration and interpretation of this Act; in particular he or she shall endeavour to consult on draft texts of both guidelines and prescribed forms before they are issued, and once issued, before changes are made.”

The Chair ruled that the amendment was inadmissible.

On Clause 73,

Geoff Regan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 73, be amended by adding after line 32 on page 96 the following:

(3.2) No agent of a registered association of a registered party shall issue a receipt referred to in subsection (3) unless the leader of the registered party has, in writing, notified the financial agent, as referred to in the Canada Elections Act, of the registered association that its agents are authorized to issue those receipts.

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

Clause 73, as amended, carried.

On Clause 74,

Geoff Regan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 74, be amended by replacing, in the English version, line 41 on page 97 with the following:

electoral district associations referred to in the

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

Clause 74, as amended, carried.

On Clause 75,

Ted White moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 75, be amended by replacing lines 35 to 39 on page 98 with the following:

“75. This Act, other than section 22, section 403.22 of the Canada Elections Act, as enacted by section 23, section 73 and subsection 74(2), comes into force on January 1, 2005.”

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was negatived by a show of hands: YEAS: 2; NAYS: 8.

Gerald Keddy moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 75, be amended by adding after line 39 on page 98 the following:

“(2) Section 23 comes into force on the day after the day on which the next electoral boundary changes take effect.”

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was negatived by a show of hands: YEAS: 2; NAYS: 6.

Geoff Regan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 75, be amended by replacing lines 35 to 39 on page 98 with the following:

75. (1) This Act, other than section 34.1, subsections 49(1) and (2), section 73 and subsection 74(2), comes into force on January 1, 2004.

(2) Section 34.1 comes into force on January 1, 2005.

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

Clause 75, as amended, carried.

At 8:10 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 8:43 p.m., the sitting resumed.

By unanimous consent, the Committee reverted to Clause 13.

Clause 13 carried.

Clause 14 carried.

By unanimous consent, the Committee reverted to Clause 23.

Geoff Regan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 23, be amended by replacing lines 20 to 32 on page 14 with the following:

403.22 (1) If the boundaries of an electoral district are revised as a result of a representation order under section 25 of the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act, a registered association for the electoral district may, before the day on which the representation order comes into force under subsection 25(1) of that Act, file with the Chief Electoral Officer a notice that it will be continued as the registered association for a particular electoral district described in the representation order. The notice must be accompanied by a consent signed by the leader of the registered party with which it is affiliated.

(2) If a notice has been filed under subsection (1), on the coming into force of the representation order, the registered association is continued as the registered association for the electoral district specified in the notice and assumes all the rights and obligations of the association for the former electoral district.

(3) Any registered association in an electoral district whose boundaries are revised as a result of a representation order under section 25 of the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act that does not give a notice under subsection (1) is deregistered on the day on which the representation order comes into force under subsection 25(1) of that Act and, despite paragraph 403.01(c), may transfer goods or funds to the registered party with which it is affiliated or to any of its registered associations in the six months after that day. Any such transfer is not a contribution for the purposes of this Act.

(4) As soon as a proclamation is issued under section 25 of the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act relating to a representation order, an application may be made under section 403.02 for the registration of an electoral district association for an electoral district that is created by — or whose boundaries are revised as a result of — the order. Any resulting registration does not take effect before the order comes into force.

(5) The applicant in an application referred to in subsection (4) is deemed to be an electoral district association as of the date on which the application is received by the Chief Electoral Officer.

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

By unanimous consent, the following amendment was withdrawn.

That Bill C-24, in Clause 23, be amended by adding after line 23 on page 20 the following:

“(5) Party membership fees of $50 or less per person are not contributions to be registered.”

Dick Proctor moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 23, be amended by adding after line 23 on page 20 the following:

“(5) The financial agent of a registered association shall provide the Chief Electoral Officer with a return that includes the information required under paragraphs 451(2)(f), (g), (h), (h.1) and (i) one week before the day set for polling day.”

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was negatived by a show of hands: YEAS: 1; NAYS: 6.

By unanimous consent, the Committee reverted to Clause 40.

Dick Proctor moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 40, be amended by replacing line 27 on page 48 with the following:

“Officer within 30 days after the end of the”

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was negatived by a show of hands: YEAS: 1; NAYS: 6.

By unanimous consent, the Committee reverted to Clause 44.

Dick Proctor moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 44, be amended by adding after line 47 on page 57 the following:

“(2.3) The financial agent of a candidate shall provide the Chief Electoral Officer with a return that includes the information required under paragraphs 451(2)(f), (g), (h), (h.1) and (i) one week before the day set for polling day.”

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was negatived by a show of hands: YEAS: 2; NAYS: 6.

By unanimous consent, the Committee reverted to Clause 57

Dick Proctor moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 57, be amended by adding after line 34 on page 70 the following:

“(10) The financial agent of a nomination contestant shall provide the Chief Electoral Officer with a return that includes the information required under paragraphs (2)(d), (e), (f), (g) and (h) one week before the day set for polling day.”

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was negatived by a show of hands: YEAS: 1; NAYS: 6.

By unanimous consent, the Committee reverted to Clause 23.

The Chair ruled that the following amendment was consequential to a previous negatived amendment and therefore, it was also negatived.

That Bill C-24, in Clause 23, be amended by replacing line 37 on page 20 with the following:

“$500 or the name of the chief executive”

By unanimous consent, the Committee reverted to Clause 24.

Ted White moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 24, be amended

(a) by replacing line 5 on page 27 with the following:

“404.4 (1) Any person who is authorized to”

(b) by replacing line 11 on page 27 with the following:

“more than $25 that he or she accepts”

“ (2) Where anonymous contributions of $25 or less per person are collected in response to a general solicitation at a meeting or fundraising event related to the affairs of a registered party, a registered association, a candidate, a leadership contestant, or a nomination contestant, the person authorized to accept those contributions must record the following:

(a) a description of a function at which the contributions were collected;

(b) the date of the function;

(d) the total amount of anonymous contributions accepted.”

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

The Chair ruled that the following amendments were consequential to the previous one and therefore they were also adopted.

That Bill C-24, in Clause 23, be amended by replacing line 34 on page 20 with the following:

“contribution of more than $25, the name or”

That Bill C-24, in Clause 35, be amended by replacing line 47 on page 34 with the following:

“contribution of more than $25, or the name or”

-- That Bill C-24, in Clause 40, be amended by replacing line 23 on page 49 with the following:

“tor of a contribution of more than $25, or the”

That Bill C-24, in Clause 45, be amended by replacing line 4 on page 58 with the following:

“contribution of more than $25, the name or”

That Bill C-24, in Clause 57, be amended by replacing line 2 on page 71 with the following:

“contribution of more than $25, the name or”

By unanimous consent, the Committee reverted to Clause 23

Clause 23, as amended, carried.

Clause 24, as amended, carried.

On Clause 25,

By unanimous consent, the following stood amendment was withdrawn.

That Bill C-24, in Clause 25, be amended by replacing lines 14 to 25 on page 27 with the following:

405. (1) No individual shall make contributions that exceed

(a) $5,000 in total in any calendar year to a particular registered party and its registered associations, nomination contestants and candidates or that exceed $1,000 to any one registered association, nomination contestant or candidate of such party in any calendar year;

(b) $1,000 in total to a candidate for a particular election who is not the candidate for a registered party; and

Caroline St-Hilaire moved the following stood amendment.

That Bill C-24, in Clause 25, be amended

(a) by replacing line 16 on page 27 with the following:

“(a) $5,000 in total in any calendar year to”

(b) by replacing line 20 on page 27 with the following:

“(b) $5,000 in total to a candidate for a”

“(c) $ 5,000 in total to the leadership”

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

Geoff Regan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 25, be amended by adding after line 29 on page 27 the following:

(4) The following contributions shall not be taken into account in calculating contributions for the purposes of subsection (1):

(a) contributions that do not exceed $5,000 in total in any calendar year by a nomination contestant or candidate of a registered party out of his or her own funds to his or her own campaigns as a nomination contestant or candidate;

(b) contributions that do not exceed $5,000 in total by a candidate for a particular election who is not the candidate of a registered party out of his or her own funds to his or her own campaign; and

(c) contributions that do not exceed $5,000 in total by a leadership contestant in a particular leadership contest out of his or her own funds to his or her own campaign.

Gerald Keddy moved, -- That the amendment be amended by deleting “in any calendar year” in paragraph (a).

After debate, the question being put on the subamendment, it was adopted by a show of hands: YEAS: 7; NAYS: 4.

The question being put on the amendment as amended, it was adopted.

Geoff Regan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 25, be amended by adding after line 29 on page 27 the following:

“(5) For the purposes of this Act contributions made to a leadership contestant within 18 months after a leadership contest are deemed to be contributions for that contest.”

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

Clause 25, as amended, carried.

Clause 35, as amended, carried.

On Clause 40

Joe Jordan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 40, be amended by adding after line 22 on page 43 the following:

(2) No person or entity shall

(a) circumvent, or attempt to circumvent, the leadership contest expenses limit referred to in section 435.221; or

(b) act in collusion with another person or entity for that purpose.”

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was negatived by a show of hands: YEAS: 3; NAYS: 8.

Gerald Keddy moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 40, be amended by replacing lines 9 and 10 on page 44 the following:

“section 435.23 must be paid within eighteen months after the end of the leadership contest.”

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

The Chair ruled that the following amendment was consequential to the previous amentment and therefore, it was also adopted.

That Bill C-24, Clause 40, be amended by replacing line 12 on page 44 with the following:

“eighteen months does not apply to a claim in”

Clause 40, as amended, carried.

Clause 45, as amended, carried.

Clause 57, as amended, carried.

Clause 58, as amended, carried.

Clause 65 carried.

The Title carried.

The Bill, as amended, carried on division.

ORDERED, -- That Bill C-24, An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act and the Income Tax Act (political financing), as amended, be reprinted for the use of the House of Commons at Report Stage.

ORDERED, -- That the Chair report Bill C-24 with amendments to the House as the 35th Report of the Committee.

At 10:43 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

Jean-Michel Roy

Committee Clerk