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Gag law no election joke

Bill C-114 supported by all three major parties

THE FOLLOWING is the first of
an ongoing series of stories ad-
dressing some of the many im-
portant issues facing Canadians as
they consider who to vote for in
the upcoming federal election.
Each issue covered will include
response from our North Shore
candidates.

By Anna Marie D'Angelo
News Reporier

BILL C-114, the so-called elec-
tion gag law, was a controversial
amendment to the Canada Elec-
.tions Act that would have
prevented people or organizations
from spending more than $1,000
during a federal election campaign
to ‘support or oppose a political
candidate or party.

Proposed penalties for violators
included stiff jail terms and fines.
The gag law did not limit the
amouui of money an individual
citizen or a group could spend on
» issues such as unemployment or
free trade. .

All three major political parties
voted in favor of the gag law on
April 2 in the House of Com-
mons.

But the National Citizen's
Coalition (NCC), a Toronto-based
non-profit advocacy group in
favor of less government, had al-
ready launched a court challenge
against Bill C-114 before the leg-
islation became law in May.

The NCC argued the gag law
was unconstitutional and infringed
upon free speech as guaranteed in
the Charter of Rights.

The Alberta Court of Queen’s
Bench agreed and quashcd the gag
law in June.

Federal government lawyers
bave said they plan to appeal the
decision.

Gag law supporters urgued that
average citizens should have
spending limits because political
candidates and parties already
work with such limits.

Rich interest groups, they said,
should not be in a position to buy
elections.

in theory, the gag law closed a
loophole that allowed a politician

to circumvent spending limits by
asking friends to pay the bills.

The gag faw also would have
prevented individuats and
organizations from financing a
large negative campaign against a
candidate or a party.

But gag faw opponents pointed
out that Bill C-114 effectively
allowed government to stifle dis-
sent during elections by preventing
anyone from spending more than
$1,000 to publicize contrary opi-
nions. With the average citizen
effectively limited, politicians
could then control the campaign
agenda,

NCC president David Somerville
said if the Canadian electorate
could be bought, then the Char-
lottetown Accord would have
passed by an overwhelming ma-
jority.

Penalities for breaking the gag
law included a five-year jail term
and $5,000 fine.

Somerville said such penalities
for the peaceful expression of po-
litical views were what one ex-
pected in Third World dictator-
ships.

‘i Positions vary on election spending

_ WE ASKED. the. federal can-

didates about where they stand'on

the ‘issue ‘of third-party, spending -
"limits : during: elections. The fol-.:

lowing are the questions: and the
ALIAS Tesponses. . poo

POU pee.

a)Should there be Limits to third.
“party spending daring elections?

he
b)To. NDP, Conservative and Lib-
) eal exndidates ‘only: How do you
or your’ party. justify voting in
favor of the Gag Law (Bill C-

: Cspitanc-Howe Sound canditiates:
Mary Coltias Lo.

/ Progressive Coaservative Party

/: Yes... However, political parties

. Should not be able to circumvent
their spending rules by using third
parties. :

| Factory Futon

259 E. Ist St. N. van. {REAR ENTRANCE]

if everyone -agrees election

‘spending limits are necessary, who

can support situations where par-
ties circumvent rules using third-
party front groups?

Peggy Stortz

Green Party

There should be limits to all
spending during elections to allow
serious candidates to particpate
equally in the process regardless of
financial status or support.

Audrey Sojonky
Liberal Party
Yes, otherwise it would not be fair
since there are legal limits imposed
on what candidates and political
parties can spend.

All major parties in Parliament
were concerned that our national

Bill Tomlizson -
Libertarian

No. Our constitution is supposed
to guarantee free speech and if
people want to buy media space to
express their views this should be
their absolute right.

Doris Fuller
National Party of Canada
Yes. Third-party spending leaves

elections should not be corrupted |

by big money interests.

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Wednesday, September 29, 1993 - North Shore News - 9

CATETROTNIT SOM TED

Ted White
Candidate

1336 Main St
North Vancouver

Telephone:
980-5300

CAN WE BELIEVE THE POLLS?

thane Shore News eecently tele
approximately people an
asked whether they believed the results
of political polls, Almost half said that
they did not. {interesting stuff, but why
don't peuple believe che polls?

Maybe it is because the poll results up
until bast Surly did not agree with the
tesage they were getting from talking
with their friends and neighbours. The
question becomes, how can a political
poll come up with a result contrary to
the majority position?

The answer | believe lies in knowing
that this election is very different to
thoce of the past. There are more choic-
es, but more importantly, chere are pock-
ets of stroug support for different parties
in different parts of Canada. This means
that trying to forecast the number of
seats to be won using average numbers in
a national poll is a hopeless task. As few
as 170 people ate called in the whole of
BC on a national poll.

Take a look at these poli results from
across Canada. All were conducted in
the past 14 days.

ATVs Atlantic poll puts the Liberals at
45%, PCs at 29% and Reform third at
17%. This result is consistent with
expectations. Atlantic voters are turning
from the PCs to their usual alternative
because they are not yet familiar with
Reform. The percentages though are

quite different to the “average” in the
national poll.

In some parts of Ontario Reform has the
highest support. The Tribune in Erie,
puts Reform at a whopping 78%, PCs at
12% and Liberals at 8%, while in
Windsor, Ontario the Star newspaper

uts Reform at 37%, Liberals at 18%,

Cs at 16% and most of the balance
undecided.

Toronto's most listened to radio station,
CFRB polled 44% Reform, 28% PC and
24% Liberal, and in St. Catherines, |
Ontativ tlie focal radio station CKTB
put Reform at 47%, PCs at 6%, Liberals
at 3% and a large undecided vote.’
Reform’s own polling in Northern
Ontario indicates that Reform should
win at least 15 seats.

Obviously individual riding results get
lost in the averaging of national polls.
However, it is staradard practice for polit-
ical parties to run ongoing polling activi-
ties 2s part of the campaign. Our polling
is presently redicting 2 at least 40 seats
for Reform. But as each day passes and
the popularity of Reform grows in’
Ontario we are adding more to the list.

What about North Vancouver you say! °
Well, so far we are measuring mote

40% ‘committed Reform vote. So if you
have not already received information
on Reform please call us for information
and for a copy of our video.

Authorized ” Vie Bennington Official Agent for Ted White.

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West Vancouver
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985-1784

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