Two fines issued in Cowichan Valley among highest from BC’s 2022 municipal election
David Scott Piercy and Cowichan Works cited for failure to register
Two of BC’s five highest fines administered for 2022 municipal election violations took place in the Cowichan Valley, the latest provincial data reveals.
Elections BC fined David Scott Piercy $1,000 for failure to register before sponsoring election advertising. Piercy opposed Sierra Acton’s campaign for Area B (Shawnigan Lake) director on Cowichan Valley Regional District.
Elections BC also fined Cowichan Works $750 for failure to register before sponsoring election advertising. The organization’s mailing of 14,921 cards may have had “large impact in the Cowichan area” during the Oct. 15, 2022, municipal election.
BC’s Chief Electoral Officer says in a recent report that 3,298 candidates, 45 elector organizations (municipal political parties), and 81 third-party advertising sponsors campaigned in 250 local jurisdictions across B.C. in the 2022 election.
The 2022 municipal election marked the first time that administrative monetary penalties were issued in response to non-compliance, such as making or accepting prohibited contributions, failing to include an authorization statement on election advertising, or failing to register as a third party sponsor before conducting election advertising.
Elections BC has issued a total of 82 such penalties so far, according to the report.
The report: https://elections.bc.ca/docs/rpt/2022-CEO-GLE-Report.pdf
The fines: https://elections.bc.ca/events-services/investigations/administrative-monetary-penalties/
Piercy’s violation centred on the distribution of about 600 flyers, through the Cobble Hill post office, that opposed the election of Acton. Another 2,100 flyers were blocked.
Elections BC said the flyers were “completely anonymous” and that Piercy’s response to the investigation was “dismissive’ of election regulations.
Acton was re-elected to the CVRD board, receiving about two-thirds of the votes cast.
Details of the Cowichan Works case are outlined in a letter dated Jan. 24, 2023, to Cowichan Works chair Brian Danyliw, a realtor, and director Patrick Hrushowy.
Read more: https://www.sixmountains.ca/article/e669a74d-920b-4d58-a986-2de4c69eb36a
Separate from the case investigated by Elections BC, Cowichan Works endorsed three candidates who were elected to the seven-member North Cowichan council: Bruce Findlay, Tek Manhas and Mike Caljouw.
Cowichan Works also endorsed Joyce Behnsen for council and John Koury for Mayor, but both lost. Koury is now seeking election provincially for the Conservatives in Cowichan Valley, with support from Behnsen.
Many fines issued for the 2022 election amounted to as little as $100, even though the maximum allowable is $10,000, as well as disqualification, and loss of an elected official’s seat.
“There’s room for higher fines, to be sure,” said Stewart Prest, a political science lecturer at the University of BC.
But he noted that candidates and parties that cross the line risk more than financial penalties.
“Perhaps the strongest penalty…is you can lose the support of the electorate and that can do long-term damage not just to an individual candidate but to a party….”
Andrew Watson, spokesman for Elections BC, noted that many candidates in the municipal election were running for the first time, and may have been less familiar with the rules than provincial candidates running with the support of an established political party.
He said that repeat offenders can expect higher penalties.
Three other fines within the top five for the 2022 election:
— Jim Palm, $2,850, candidate for Powell River council, “accepting prohibited contributions / failing to return prohibited contributions.”
— Jaspreet Anand, $1,000, candidate for Abbotsford council, “accepting a prohibited contribution.”
— Tim Johnson, $900, candidate for Bulkley-Nechako Regional District, “accepting a prohibited contribution.”
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