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Political Financing Handbook for Leadership Contestants and Financial Agents – December 2019 – draft guideline OGI 2020-01

This document is Elections Canada's draft guideline OGI 2020-01.

About This Document

Introduction to the handbook

This handbook is designed to help leadership contestants, their financial agents and their leadership campaign agents in the financial administration of the leadership contestant's campaign.

This document is a general guideline issued pursuant to section 16.1 of the Canada Elections Act. It is provided for information and is not intended to replace the Act.

Elections Canada will review the contents of this handbook on a regular basis and make updates as required.

Note: The term "individual" used in this handbook refers to a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

What's new in this release?

Release Where Title Summary
December 2019 All n/a Content reorganized for better flow, new examples added and relevant content brought in from other recent handbooks.
Chapter 2 Accepting contributions of cryptocurrency New content added as per OGI 2018-10, Cryptocurrencies.
Volunteer labour is not a contribution New content and examples added as per OGI 2019-01, Volunteer Labour.
Chapter 3 Types of loans Clarified the way to report a line of credit in some circumstances.
Chapter 6 Fundraising expenses Content added on the exclusion of certain fundraising expenses from leadership contest expenses.
Regulated fundraising events Concept of regulated events (definition, requirements and examples) introduced as per Bill C-50. Clarified when a leadership contestant ceases to be a prominent attendee.
Ticketed fundraising events Clarified what is included in the benefit for a ticketed fundraiser.
Other ticketed events New section on calculating the benefit when a ticketed event is held for promotional purposes rather than to raise funds.
Chapters 7–12 All New and redefined expense categories and payment options, as per Bill C-76.
Chapter 8 Websites and web content

Website of a parliamentarian
Reporting requirements clarified for expenses associated with websites, web content and pre-existing material.
Chapter 10 Use of travel reward points Content added on contestants using reward points for campaign travel.
Chapter 12 Auditor's fees New auditor's subsidy explained.
Chapter 13 Requesting a filing deadline extension Content added on requesting an extension from a judge.
Chapter 15 What is a surplus? New formula for calculating surplus funds, as per Bill C-76.
Sale of capital assets Added requirement to sell capital assets after the leadership contest, as per Bill C-76.

Contact information

Internet elections.ca
Telephone Political Entities Support Network
1-800-486-6563

Regular Hours
Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern time)

Elections Canada General Enquiries
1-800-463-6868
Email Political Financing Enquiries
political.financing@elections.ca

Electronic Financial Return (EFR)—Enquiries and Submissions
efr-rfe@elections.ca

Elections Canada General Enquiries
info@elections.ca
Mail Elections Canada
30 Victoria Street
Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0M6
Fax Political Financing
1-888-523-9333 (toll-free)
1-819-939-1803