Conservative Party Wins Regional Advertising Court Case

January 19, 2010

Ottawa – Yesterday the courts ruled in favour of the Conservative Party application against Elections Canada on the regional advertising issue. 

This decision is a devastating blow to Elections Canada.
 
For the second time in three weeks the courts have sided with the Conservative Party and against Elections Canada with a clear, unambiguous ruling in a major case.
 
First, the courts had to force Elections Canada to accept money our party said was owed to Elections Canada, and now today the Federal Court vindicated our party in the regional advertising case.
 
Despite over a million dollars in expenses, communications and legal fees being funded by the taxpayer for Elections Canada to pursue these cases, the courts continue to side with the Conservative Party on the issues.
 
We have maintained from the very start that the expenses at issue in this case were candidate expenses, and today the court confirmed our position.
 
Despite these legal issues with Elections Canada, our government continues to focus on the economy by conducting comprehensive consultations with Canadians on Phase II of Canada’s Economic Action Plan.

The court has now provided further guidance to Elections Canada, and all the political parties, on the limits of the Chief Electoral Officer's abilities to make "judgment calls" on how a political party is conducting its internal affairs to spending its funds.