Bill 180 2005

An Act to amend the
Election Finances Act to require
publication of contributions

Note: This Act amends the Election Finances Act. For the legislative history of the Act, see Public Statutes - Detailed Legislative History on www.e-Laws.gov.on.ca.

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

1.  Section 16 of the Election Finances Act is amended by adding the following subsections:

Publication of contributions

(4)  On the day that a contribution of $100 or more is paid into the depository mentioned in subsection (3), the person or body described in subsection (5) shall post the name of the contributor and the amount of the contribution on the website on the Internet that the person or body maintains or, if there is no such website, on the website on the Internet that the Chief Election Officer designates.

Person or body with duty

(5)  The posting that subsection (4) requires shall be done by,

(a) the political party, if the contribution was accepted by or on behalf of a political party;

(b) the political party that endorses the constituency association, if the contribution was accepted by or on behalf of a constituency association;

(c) the political party for which the candidate is nominated as an official candidate, if the contribution was accepted by or on behalf of a candidate nominated as an official candidate of a political party at an election;

(d) the candidate, if the contribution was accepted by or on behalf of a candidate who is not nominated as an official candidate of a political party at an election;

(e) the political party for which the leadership contestant is seeking election as leader, if the contribution was accepted by or on behalf of a leadership contestant.

Commencement

2.  This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short title

3.  The short title of this Act is the Election Finances Amendment Act (Publication of Contributions), 2005.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Bill amends the Election Finances Act to require that a political party post on its website on the Internet information about contributions of $100 or more at the time that it deposits the contributions into its account or that each of its constituency associations, official candidates or leadership contestants deposits the contributions into their accounts. The information consists of the name of the contributor and the amount of the contribution. In the case of a contribution to a candidate who is not nominated as an official candidate of a political party at an election, the candidate is required to post the information on the candidate's website. A party or candidate that does not maintain a website is required to post the information on the website that the Chief Election Officer designates.