B.C. NDP ELECTIONS ACT
By Adnews Staff
The B.C. NDP government has drawn furious responses from opposition parties and the media with its overhaul of provincial Elections Act. Under the proposed law, third parties will be restricted to spending no more than $2,000 in advertising in a campaign, and individuals will not be able to pool their resources. Candidates in individual ridings are restricted to spending $50,000 in a campaign. Political parties can spent no more than $1.25 per registered voter in each riding in B.C. which has 1.9 million registered voters. The law requires disclosure of campaign contributions, but people who are lent as volunteers to a political campaign by an organization such as a trade union, while still collecting their pay, will not be covered by disclosure requirements. The bill restricts media coverage of polls during campaigns including party leadership contests and byelections. Media outlets can only publish polls if they have the permission of poll sponsors, which would effectively stop poll resutls from being leaked. If they do have permission, news organizations must publish the sponsor's name, address and phone number, a list of the questions asked, and the methodology used.