TORONTO (April 29, 1998) - Ontario's Commission on Election Finances has officially reprimanded Freedom Party for the late filing of the party's declaration that it did NOT participate in the 1997 by-elections of Oriole, Ottawa West, and Windsor- Riverside. (A previous reprimand occurred in January 1997 after a similar late filing regarding a 1996 by-election held in the riding of York South.)
The declarations, a relatively new requirement in the bureaucratic machinations of the commission, were due on March 4, and were not filed until April 21, when we managed to locate a "commissioner for oaths" to co-sign the documents.
For some bizarre reason which the Commission has refused to explain, the declarations --- which report no activity, financial or otherwise --- require a "signature of commissioner for oaths" to validate the authenticity of the signature of the party's chief financial officer, Patti Plant. What makes the requirement even stranger is that no "signature of commissioner for oaths" is required when filing annual statements which report activities involving tens of thousands of dollars (and official tax-receipts!). This is fortunate, given that our external auditors, Johnston Benson Inkster & Brighton, do not have anyone on staff with a "commissioner for oaths" status.
In the past, by-elections in which Freedom Party did not participate, did not require the party to file anything. Now, as we were reminded by the commission, "failure to file (a nil declaration) may result in the deregistration of your party."
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Page
last updated on April 28, 2002
