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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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