Part 1. Excerpts from REGISTRATION OF FEDERAL POLITICAL PARTIES

Part 1. Excerpts from REGISTRATION OF FEDERAL POLITICAL PARTIES

(from a Backgrounder on Elections Canada’s website: www.elections.ca)

…Since Confederation, most candidates for election to the House of Commons have been affiliated with political parties. Political parties were not formally recognized in the Canada Elections Act until 1970 … when changes to the Act also allowed the political affiliations … on the ballots.

…The voluntary registration of political parties was introduced in 1974. By registering with the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada, a party undertakes to disclose political contributions and expenditures, among other responsibilities, and receives several benefits.

…The Canada Elections Act does not attempt to define or describe a political party. Generally speaking, a federal political party is a group of people who together … endorse candidates …Forming and registering a federal political party are two different things. There is no legislation regulating the formation of federal political parties. Once a party exists, it may apply to be registered under the Act.

…The name … of the political party applying for registration must not resemble the name … of another party. ... There is a resemblance between party names when, in the opinion of the Chief Electoral Officer, there is a risk of confusing them.

…Once the Chief Electoral Officer has determined that a party is eligible for registration, the eligible party becomes registered when it endorses at least 50 confirmed candidates in a general election, as long as it applied for registration at least 60 days before the issue of the election writs.

back to :"PC PARTY" BACK ON THE FEDERAL BALLOT


Part 1. Excerpts from REGISTRATION OF FEDERAL POLITICAL PARTIES

	(from a Backgrounder on Elections Canada’s website: www.elections.ca)

	…Since Confederation, most candidates for election to the House of Commons have been affiliated with political parties. Political parties were not formally recognized in the Canada Elections Act until 1970 … when changes to the Act also allowed the political affiliations … on the ballots.

	…The voluntary registration of political parties was introduced in 1974. By registering with the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada, a party undertakes to disclose political contributions and expenditures, among other responsibilities, and receives several benefits.

	…The Canada Elections Act does not attempt to define or describe a political party. Generally speaking, a federal political party is a group of people who together … endorse candidates …Forming and registering a federal political party are two different things. There is no legislation regulating the formation of federal political parties. Once a party exists, it may apply to be registered under the Act.

	…The name … of the political party applying for registration must not resemble the name … of another party. ... There is a resemblance between party names when, in the opinion of the Chief Electoral Officer, there is a risk of confusing them.

	…Once the Chief Electoral Officer has determined that a party is eligible for registration, the eligible party becomes registered when it endorses at least 50 confirmed candidates in a general election, as long as it applied for registration at least 60 days before the issue of the election writs.


	back to :"PC PARTY" BACK ON THE FEDERAL BALLOT