Source: http://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=res&dir=loi/ref/reg&document=p33&lang=e
Timestamp: 2017-12-11 02:14:16
Document Index: 664336050

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 11', 'art 10', 'art 11', 'art 17', 'art 18', 'art 21']

Home Resource Centre Legislation Federal Referendum Legislation Referendum RegulationRegulation Adapting the Canada Elections Act for the Purposes of a Referendum
Peace and Good Order at Referendums
Duty to maintain order
479. (1) Every returning officer is responsible for maintaining order in his or her office during voting in accordance with Division 4 of Part 11.
Duty of other referendum officers
Order to leave, arrest without warrant
(3) In performing his or her duty under subsection (1) or (2), a referendum officer may, if a person is committing, in the returning officer's office or other place where the vote is taking place, an offence referred to in paragraph 5(a), section 7 or paragraph 167(1)(a) of this Act or an offence under the Referendum Act or any other Act of Parliament that threatens the maintenance of order, or if the officer believes on reasonable grounds that a person has committed such an offence in such a place, order the person to leave the office or place or arrest the person without warrant.
Power to eject
(b) deliver the person to a peace officer to be dealt with in accordance with the Criminal Code.
Peace officer protection
(8) Every referendum officer has, while performing their duties under this section, all the protection that a peace officer has by law.
Obstruction, etc., of referendum process
480. (1) Every person is guilty of an offence who, with the intention of delaying or obstructing the referendum process, contravenes the Referendum Act, otherwise than by committing an offence under subsection (2) or section 481 or 482 or contravening a provision referred to in any of sections 483, 484, 487 to 495, 498 and 499.
(2) Every person is guilty of an offence who, at any time between the issue of a writ and the day after polling day at the referendum, acts, incites others to act or conspires to act in a disorderly manner with the intention of preventing the transaction of the business of a public meeting called for the purposes of the referendum.
481. (1) Every person is guilty of an offence who, during a referendum period, directly or indirectly offers a bribe to influence an elector to vote or refrain from voting or to vote or refrain from voting for a particular answer to a referendum question.
(2) Every elector is guilty of an offence who, during a referendum period, accepts or agrees to accept a bribe that is offered in the circumstances described in subsection (1).
(a) by intimidation or duress, compels a person to vote or refrain from voting or to vote or refrain from voting for a particular answer to a referendum question; or
(b) by any pretence or contrivance, including by representing that the ballot or the manner of voting at a referendum is not secret, induces a person to vote or refrain from voting or to vote or refrain from voting for a particular answer to a referendum question.
(Referendum Rights)
483. Every person is guilty of an offence who contravenes
(Referendum Officers)
484. (1) Every former referendum officer who contravenes paragraph 43(c) (failure to return referendum documents and referendum materials) is guilty of an offence.
(a) being a returning officer, wilfully contravenes subsection 24(3) (failure to take promptly any necessary referendum proceedings); or
(a) contravenes subsection 22(6) (acting as referendum officer knowing requirements not met);
(e) contravenes paragraph 43(a) (obstruction of referendum officer) or wilfully contravenes paragraph 43(b) (impersonation of revising agent); or
(f) being a former referendum officer, wilfully contravenes paragraph 43(c) (failure to return referendum documents and referendum materials).
(Register of Electors)
485. Not applicable.
486. Not applicable.
(Revision of List of Electors)
(2) Every person who contravenes paragraph 111(a), (d) or (e) (forbidden acts re list of electors) is guilty of an offence.
(Preparation for the Vote)
488. (1) Every person who contravenes paragraph 126(b) (unauthorized printing of ballots) is guilty of an offence.
489. (1) Every person is guilty of an offence who contravenes
(a) being an employer, subsection 132(1) (failure to allow time to vote) or 133(1) (making deductions from employees' wages for time given to vote);
(a.1) contravenes subsection 143(6) (vouchee acting as voucher);
(a.3) contravenes subsection 161(6) (vouching for more than one elector);
(a.4) contravenes subsection 161(7) (vouchee acting as voucher);
(c) contravenes paragraph 166(1)(a) (display of referendum literature in polling place);
(b) being a friend or relative of an elector, wilfully contravenes subsection 155(4) (disclosing for which answer to a referendum question the elector voted);
(c) being a referendum officer, an agent of a registered referendum committee or a witness, contravenes subsection 164(1) (failure to maintain secrecy);
Offences under Part 10
490. Every person is guilty of an offence who
(a) being a deputy returning officer, wilfully contravenes subsection 174(1) (failure to permit person to vote);
Offences under Part 11
491. (1) Every returning officer who contravenes section 275 (failure to take required measures re special ballots) is guilty of an offence.
(2) Every person who contravenes any of paragraphs 281(a) to (f) (prohibited acts re vote under special voting rules) is guilty of an offence.
(b) being a special ballot officer, contravenes any of subsections 267(1) and (2), section 268 and subsection 269(1) (failure to perform duties re counting of the vote) with the intention of causing the reception of a vote that should not have been cast or the non-reception of a vote that should have been cast;
(c) being a deputy returning officer or poll clerk, contravenes subsection 276(1), being a deputy returning officer, contravenes subsection 277(1), being a poll clerk, contravenes subsection 277(2), being a deputy returning officer, contravenes subsection 277(3), being a deputy returning officer or poll clerk, contravenes subsection 278(1) or (3) or, being a deputy returning officer, contravenes subsection 279(1) (failure to perform duties re counting of the vote) with the intention of causing the reception of a vote that should not have been cast or the non-reception of a vote that should have been cast;
492. (1) Every returning officer who contravenes section 292 (failure to safeguard ballot box) is guilty of an offence.
Offence requiring intent — summary conviction
493. Every person who wilfully contravenes subsection 296(4) (failure to appear before returning officer) is guilty of an offence.
494. Every returning officer is guilty of an offence who wilfully contravenes
(a) subsection 313(1) (failure to declare which answer to a referendum question obtained the largest number of votes); or
(b) section 314 (failure to transmit referendum documents).
495. (1) Every person is guilty of an offence who
(a) not applicable;
(b) contravenes subsection 326(1) or (2) (failure to provide referendum survey information) or, being a sponsor of a referendum survey, contravenes subsection 326(3) (failure to provide report on referendum survey results); or
(a) being a landlord or a condominium corporation, wilfully contravenes section 322 (prohibition of referendum advertising posters on residential premises); or
(b) contravenes section 325 (removal of referendum advertising).
Offences requiring intent — fine only, summary conviction
(a) wilfully contravenes subsection 326(1) or (2) (failure to provide referendum survey information) or, being a sponsor of a referendum survey, wilfully contravenes subsection 326(3) (failure to provide report on referendum survey results);
(c) wilfully contravenes subsection 328(2) (transmission of referendum survey results during blackout period);
(d) wilfully contravenes section 329 (premature transmission of the referendum results); or
(f) not applicable;
(g) not applicable;
(b) subsection 328(1) (causing transmission of referendum survey results during blackout period).
Offences under Part 17
(Third Party Election Advertising)
496. Not applicable.
Offences under Part 18
497. Not applicable.
Offences under This Part (Enforcement)
Offence requiring intent — dual procedure
498. Every person who wilfully contravenes subsection 479(4) (refusal to obey order to leave polling place) is guilty of an offence.
Offence under Part 21
Strict liability offence — summary conviction
499. (1) Every person who contravenes subsection 548(1) (removal of posted referendum documents) is guilty of an offence.
(a) knowingly contravenes subsection 549(3) (taking false oath) or 549(4) (compelling or inducing false oath);
500. Not applicable.
501. Not applicable.
502. Not applicable.
503. Not applicable.
504. Not applicable.
505. Not applicable.
506. Not applicable.
507. Not applicable.
508. In a prosecution for an offence under the Referendum Act, the written statement of the returning officer is, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, sufficient evidence of the holding of the referendum.
509. It shall be the duty of the Commissioner of Canada Elections to ensure that the Referendum Act is complied with and enforced.
Chief Electoral Officer to direct inquiry
510. If the Chief Electoral Officer believes on reasonable grounds that a referendum officer may have committed an offence against the Referendum Act or that any person may have committed an offence under section 488, paragraph 489(3)(g), section 493 and subsection 499(1), the Chief Electoral Officer shall direct the Commissioner to make any inquiry that appears to be called for in the circumstances and the Commissioner shall proceed with the inquiry.
511. (1) If the Commissioner believes on reasonable grounds that an offence under the Referendum Act has been committed, the Commissioner may refer the matter to the Director of Public Prosecutions who shall decide whether to initiate a prosecution.
(3) For the purposes of section 487 of the Criminal Code, any person charged by the Commissioner with duties relating to the administration or enforcement of the Referendum Act is deemed to be a public officer.
Director's consent required
512. (1) No prosecution for an offence under the Referendum Act may be instituted by a person other than the Director of Public Prosecutions without the Director's prior written consent.
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to an offence in relation to which a referendum officer has taken measures under subsection 479(3).
(3) Every document purporting to be the Director's consent under subsection (1) is deemed to be that consent unless it is called into question by the Director or by someone acting for the Director or for Her Majesty.
513. The Commissioner, where he or she considers it to be in the public interest, may take any measures, including incurring any expenses, in relation to an inquiry, injunction or compliance agreement under this Act or the Referendum Act.
514. (1) A prosecution for an offence under the Referendum Act may be instituted at any time but not later than five years after the day on which the Commissioner became aware of the facts giving rise to the prosecution but, in any case, not later than 10 years after the day on which the offence was committed.
(2) Despite subsection (1), if a prosecution cannot be instituted because the offender has left the jurisdiction of the court, the prosecution may be instituted within one year after the offender's return.
Allowance of costs
515. (1) Any court of criminal jurisdiction before which a private prosecution is instituted for an offence against the Referendum Act may order payment by the defendant to the prosecutor of such costs and expenses as appear to the court to have been reasonably incurred in and about the conduct of the prosecution.
Prior recognizance required
(2) A court shall not make an order under subsection (1) unless the prosecutor, before or on the laying of the information, enters into a recognizance with two sufficient sureties, in the amount of $500, and to the satisfaction of the court, to conduct the prosecution with effect and to pay the defendant's costs in case of acquittal.
Costs of defendant
(3) In case of an information by a private prosecutor for an offence against the Referendum Act, if judgment is given for the defendant, the defendant is entitled to recover from the prosecutor the costs incurred by the defendant by reason of the proceedings, which costs shall be taxed by the proper officer of the court in which the judgment is given.
516. (1) If the Commissioner has reasonable grounds to believe that a person has committed, is about to commit or is likely to commit an act or omission that is contrary to the Referendum Act, the Commissioner may, during a referendum period, after taking into account the nature and seriousness of the act or omission, the need to ensure fairness of the referendum process and the public interest, apply to a competent court described in subsection 525(1) of the Canada Elections Act for an injunction described in subsection (2).
(2) If the court, on application by the Commissioner under subsection (1), is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds to believe that a person has committed, is about to commit or is likely to commit an act or omission that is contrary to the Referendum Act, and that the nature and seriousness of the act or omission, the need to ensure fairness of the referendum process and the public interest justify the issuing of an injunction, the court may issue an injunction ordering any person named in the application to do one or both of the following:
(a) refrain from committing any act that it appears to the court is contrary to the Referendum Act; and
(b) do any act that it appears to the court is required by the Referendum Act.
517. (1) Subject to subsection (7), if the Commissioner believes on reasonable grounds that a person has committed, is about to commit or is likely to commit an act or omission that could constitute an offence under the Referendum Act, the Commissioner may enter into a compliance agreement, aimed at ensuring compliance with the Referendum Act, with that person (in this section and sections 518 to 521 called the "contracting party").
(2) A compliance agreement may contain any terms and conditions that the Commissioner considers necessary to ensure compliance with the Referendum Act.
520. The court shall dismiss proceedings against a contracting party if it is satisfied on a balance of probabilities that he or she has totally complied with the compliance agreement or, in the case of partial compliance and taking into account the contracting party's performance with respect to the agreement, is of the opinion that the proceedings would be unfair.
521. The Commissioner shall publish, in the manner and form that he or she considers appropriate, a notice that sets out the contracting party's name, the act or omission in question and a summary of the compliance agreement.
521.1 Not applicable.
Date Modified: October 09, 2013