Elections BC has issued fines to candidates in Saanich and Victoria for not including authorization statements in election advertisements.
Former Saanich Mayor Fred Haynes and Victoria candidate Janice Williams were each issued a fine.
Haynes’ fine was $150 because he placed ads in Saanich News on Aug. 24 and 31 without authorization statements.
In a notice on its website, Elections BC says when an investigator informed Haynes of the issue, he cooperated and contacted Saanich News to adjust the e-edition of its newspaper to correct the ads with the authorization statement.
The Local Elections Campaign Financing Act allows for a fine of up to $5,000 for not including authorization statements, but the penalty imposed was $150 because the error was not egregious, the lack of authorization would not mislead a reader, the error was inadvertent, he quickly cooperated in having the issue amended, and he had not previously received a fine.
For Williams, Elections BC was informed on Aug. 27 of ads published on Island Social Trends and on Aug. 30 for ads posted in an elevator both without full authorization statements.
The elevator ads were purchased through Hi-Rise elevators for a cost of $2,825.63 and the ad said it was “Authorized by Janice Williams” but did not include contact information as required.
The ads on Island Social Trends cost $52 and had the same issue as the elevator ads.
Williams was fined $100 because the error was not egregious, was inadvertent, it is her first time running for office, and she had to pay an additional $1,371.21 to have the ads in the elevator fixed.
The notices posted by Elections BC note the two candidates can request a review with an adjudicator and the request must be made in writing within 14 days.
Laura Brougham
