Note: to work backward through the details of the six-year effort, click on http://sandrafinley.ca/?p=9927.
From: Sandra Finley
Sent: April-05-14 1:10 PM
To: ‘info@elections.sk.ca’
Cc: Brent Nadon OCEO; Peter Rosenthal; Victor Lau GPS; Robert Cosbey GPS
Subject: Question re Election Deposits.
TO:
Michael Boda, D.Phil., Ph.D.
Chief Electoral Officer
Province of Saskatchewan
Dear Michael Boda,
Prior to finalizing a decision to initiate legal action against the Govt of Sask,
Will you please forward a copy of, or link to the spring 2013 Report of the Chief Electoral Officer to the Sask Legislature?
Also, I will be appreciative of information regarding the Government’s intentions or lack thereof, regarding Election Deposits, should you have any.
The main points in the six-year endeavour to get the Govt of Sask to abide by the court rulings regarding Election Deposits are appended, FYI.
Many thanks for your consideration
And best wishes,
Sandra Finley
On behalf of the Green Party of Sask.
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On Mon, 17 Jun 2013, Peter Rosenthal wrote (to the AG of Sask):
> I was able to open the attachment; thanks.
> The letter attached is undated; when was it written?
> It states that the Chief Electoral Officer’s Report will be tabled in
> the spring; does that mean within a week from now?
> May I request that you email me a copy of (or a link to) the Chief
> Electoral Officer’s Report when it is tabled?
(No reply from the AG)
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BRIEF HISTORY
Efforts to resolve the illegality of election deposits in Saskatchewan:
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1. Dec 2007: The Green Party of Saskatchewan (GPS) respectfully approached the Govt to resolve the issue. Action was initiated more than six years ago.
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2. APRIL 30, 2009: Elections Sask recommends to the Govt to change the legislation on election deposits:
(from http://sandrafinley.ca/?p=2678)
From Elections Saskatchewan, cover letter addressed to Saskatchewan Legislature, Speaker Don Toth, dated April 30, 2009. The enclosed “Report of the Chief Electoral Officer, Volume III, Recommendations for Changes to The Elections Act 1996, Twenth-sixth Provincial General Election, November 7, 2007
Page 34: “2. Handling and Forfeiture of Deposits [Section 47] …
If challenged in court, Saskatchewan’s nomination deposit, that is contingent upon the election outcome, would likely be found to violate Charter rights and therefore should be changed. …. ”
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3. Sept 2012: the GPS engaged lawyer Peter Rosenthal (Toronto) who had previously argued (with success) the illegality of election deposits levied by the Federal Government, and in a second court case, the illegality of election deposits collected by the Province of Ontario. (The Govt of PEI subsequently addressed the issue of Election Deposits voluntarily.)
Lawyer Rosenthal began correspondence with the Attorney General of Sask.
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4. AUG 22, 2013, Peter Rosenthal:
Your AG wrote me again, saying that, as a result of the Chief Electoral Officer’s recommendation and our letter, they will “consider it.” I think we could wait and see rather than getting into the expense of actually starting legal action. What do you think?
Peter