Contributions

A contribution is a cash donation, a service provided or goods furnished free of charge by an elector of the school board out of his own property.

Every sum of money, goods supplied or service provided by the candidate himself with a view to his election is also a contribution.

The contributor must sign, on the contribution receipt, a declaration stating that his contribution is made out of his own property, voluntarily, without compensation or consideration and that it cannot be reimbursed in any way.

Legal persons (companies, unions, etc.) are prohibited from making a contribution to a candidate.

When an offence is committed with respect to the provisions related to contributions, legal proceedings may be instituted and may lead to harsh penalties that can take the following forms:

• fines of $5,000 up to $20,000:
• loss of rights:
  • to sit or to vote for elected members;
  • election rights;
  • to enter into a public contract.

The total contributions that an elector of a school board may make during a given year is limited to $1,000 to each of the authorized candidates of the same school board.

For each contribution paid to a candidate, the elector shall be issued a receipt. However, no tax credit is possible for a contribution made to a candidate during a school election.