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

Offences under Division 2 of Part 17 (Partisan Activities, Election Advertising and Election Surveys During Election Period)

Marginal note:Strict liability offences — summary conviction

• 496 (1) Every person is guilty of an offence who, being a third party, contravenes

  • (a) any of subsections 350(1) to (4) (exceeding election period expenses limits);

  • (a.1) section 351.1 (foreign third party incurring election period expenses);

  • (b) section 352 (failure to identify self in advertising);

  • (c) subsection 353(1) (failure to register);

  • (d) section 354 (failure to appoint financial agent) or subsection 355(1) (failure to appoint auditor);

  • (d.1) subsection 357.01(1) or 357.02(1) (failure to file interim third-party expenses return) or 357.01(10) (failure to provide documents evidencing expenses on request);

  • (d.2) paragraph 357.03(b) (filing interim third-party expenses return that is substantially incomplete); or

  • (e) section 357.1 (use of anonymous contributions).

  • (f) [Repealed, 2018, c. 31, s. 337]

• Marginal note:Offences requiring intent — dual procedure

  (2) Every person is guilty of an offence who

  • (a) being a third party, knowingly contravenes any of subsections 350(1) to (4) or section 351 (exceeding or circumventing election period expenses limits);

  • (b) being a third party or registered party, knowingly contravenes subsection 351.01(1) (colluding to influence third party);

  • (c) being a third party or candidate, knowingly contravenes subsection 351.01(2) (colluding to influence third party);

  • (d) being a third party or official agent of a candidate, knowingly contravenes subsection 351.01(3) (colluding to influence third party);

  • (e) being a third party, knowingly contravenes section 351.1 (foreign third party incurring election period expenses);

  • (f) being a third party, knowingly contravenes subsection 353(1) (failure to register);

  • (g) knowingly contravenes subsection 354(2) or 355(3) (ineligible person acting as financial agent or auditor); or

  • (h) being a third party, knowingly contravenes subsection 357.01(1) or 357.02(1) (failure to file interim third-party expenses return); or

  • (i) being a third party, contravenes paragraph 357.03(a) or knowingly contravenes paragraph 357.03(b) (filing interim third-party expenses return that contains false or misleading information or one that is incomplete).

Offences under Division 3 of Part 17 (Third Parties’ Bank Accounts, Registry of Third Parties and Third-Party Expenses Returns)

Marginal note:Strict liability offences — summary conviction

• 496.1 (1) Every person is guilty of an offence who, being a third party, contravenes

  • (a) section 358.1 (failure to satisfy bank account requirements);

  • (b) subsection 359(1) (failure to file third-party expenses return) or 359(9) (failure to provide documents evidencing expenses on request);

  • (c) paragraph 359.1(b) (filing third-party expenses return that is substantially incomplete);

  • (d) subsection 361(3) (failure to provide corrected or revised return within specified period); or

  • (e) subsection 361.2(3) (failure to provide corrected or revised return within 30-day period or any extension of that period).

• Marginal note:Offences requiring intent — dual procedure

  (2) Every person is guilty of an offence who, being a third party,

  • (a) knowingly contravenes subsection 359(1) (failure to file third-party expenses return);

  • (b) contravenes paragraph 359.1(a) or knowingly contravenes paragraph 359.1(b) (filing third-party expenses return that contains false or misleading information or one that is incomplete);

  • (c) knowingly contravenes subsection 361(3) (failure to provide corrected or revised return within specified period); or

  • (d) knowingly contravenes subsection 361.2(3) (failure to provide corrected or revised return within 30-day period or any extension of that period).

Offences under Part 18 (Finance)

Offences under Division 1 of Part 18 (General Financial Provisions)

Marginal note:Strict liability offences — summary conviction

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

  • (a) being a person or entity, contravenes subsection 363(1) (making contribution while ineligible);

  • (b) being the chief agent of a registered party, the financial agent of a registered association, the official agent of a candidate or the financial agent of a nomination contestant or leadership contestant, contravenes subsection 363(2) (failure to return or pay amount of ineligible contribution);

  • (b.1) being a person or entity, contravenes subsection 364(9) (paying convention fees while ineligible);

  • (c) being a registered party or an electoral district association of one, contravenes subsection 365(1) (making prohibited transfer);

  • (d) being a person who is authorized to accept contributions on behalf of a registered party, a registered association, a nomination contestant, a candidate or a leadership contestant, contravenes section 366 (failure to issue receipt);

  • (e) being a person or entity, contravenes subsection 368(1) (circumventing contribution limit);

  • (f) being a person or entity, contravenes subsection 368(2) (concealing source of contribution);

  • (g) being an individual, contravenes section 370 (making indirect contributions);

  • (h) being a person authorized under this Act to accept contributions, contravenes section 372 (failure to return or pay amount of contribution);

  • (i) being a person or entity, contravenes subsection 373(1) or (2) (making a loan, guaranteeing a loan or borrowing money);

  • (j) being an individual, contravenes section 374 (making indirect loans);

  • (k) contravenes subsection 380(1) or (2) (failure to document payment); or

  • (l) being a person authorized to pay petty expenses, contravenes subsection 381(3) (failure to provide documentation of petty expenses) or 381(4) (paying more than the maximum amount of petty expenses).

• Marginal note:Offences requiring intent — dual procedure

  (2) Every person is guilty of an offence who

  • (a) being a person or entity, knowingly contravenes subsection 363(1) (making contribution while ineligible);

  • (b) being a registered party or an electoral district association of one, knowingly contravenes subsection 365(1) (making prohibited transfer);

  • (c) being a person who is authorized to accept contributions on behalf of a registered party, a registered association, a nomination contestant, a candidate or a leadership contestant, knowingly contravenes section 366 (failure to issue receipt);

  • (d) being an individual, knowingly contravenes subsection 367(1) or (6) (exceeding contribution limit);

  • (e) being a person or entity, knowingly contravenes subsection 368(1) (circumventing contribution limit);

  • (f) being a person or entity, knowingly contravenes subsection 368(2) (concealing source of contribution);

  • (g) being a person entitled to accept contributions under this Act, knowingly contravenes subsection 368(3) (accepting excessive contribution);

  • (h) being a person or entity, knowingly contravenes subsection 368(4) (entering prohibited agreement);

  • (i) being a person or entity, contravenes subsection 369(1) (soliciting or accepting contribution);

  • (j) being a person or entity, contravenes subsection 369(2) (collusion);

  • (k) being an individual, knowingly contravenes section 370 (making indirect contributions);

  • (l) being an individual, knowingly contravenes section 371 (exceeding cash contribution limit);

  • (m) being a person authorized under this Act to accept contributions, knowingly contravenes section 372 (failure to return or pay amount of contribution);

  • (n) being a person or entity, knowingly contravenes subsection 373(1) or (2) (making a loan, guaranteeing a loan or borrowing money); or

  • (o) being an individual, knowingly contravenes section 374 (making indirect loans).