A contribution refers to any gift of money to a party or to an independent candidate, any service rendered or goods furnished free of charge, for political purposes. Any money, goods or service furnished by the candidate himself in view of his election is also considered a contribution.
Legal persons (companies, unions, etc.) are strictly forbidden from making contributions.
Contributions of money of over $100 must be made by means of a cheque, other payment order signed by the elector, a credit card or a transfer of funds to an account held by the official representative. For a contribution made by credit card or transfer of funds, the elector must sign a form produced by the official representative.
For every contribution, the elector must receive a receipt and his contribution of money may result in a maximum tax credit of $105 (75% of the first $140).
The total contributions, in the form of money and goods and services, cannot exceed, during the same fiscal year (calendar year), for the same elector, the sum of $1,000 to each party and to each authorized independent candidate.
An annual sum not exceeding $25 paid by a natural person for his membership in a political party is not considered a contribution.
If the membership or membership card renewal fee of a political party is $15 annually, this amount paid by a natural person for his membership cannot be considered a contribution. However, if the membership fee is $15 and the elector paid $25, a contribution receipt must be issued for the $10 difference.
Finally, if the membership or membership card renewal fee of a party is $35, only the excess amount, namely $10, is a contribution.
A political activity (e.g.: lunch, golf tournament, cocktail…) is an activity organized in order to collect funds on behalf of a party or an authorized independent candidate through the sale of tickets.
If the entrance fee to the activity is greater than $60 per day, the official representative must consider this entrance fee a contribution. He must then issue contribution receipts in the amount of the entrance fee and make sure that the outlay is made by a person who is a qualified elector. Since this is a contribution, the entrance fee is part of the annual contributions made by the elector. If the entrance fee to the activity is $60 per day or less, the official representative may choose to consider the entrance fee a contribution or may choose not to, but this choice must be applied uniformly to all participants.
If the official representative chooses to consider the entrance fee a contribution, a contribution receipt must be issued in the amount of the entrance fee and this fee must be paid by an elector and must be considered in his total annual contributions.
If the official representative chooses not to consider the entrance fee a contribution, the fee is then considered revenue from activities. No contribution receipt may be issued. Any person may pay an entrance fee, regardless of whether or not he is a qualified elector, at a rate of one admission per person.
If a person wishes to purchase more than one admission, every additional admission must be considered a contribution and a receipt must be issued. Since a receipt must be issued, only an elector can purchase more than one admission.
Only the official representative may contract a loan for a party or an authorized independent candidate. This loan may only be contracted with an elector of the municipality or a financial institution, at the current market rate of interest.
Loans and suretyships granted by an elector to one or more political parties or authorized independent candidates cannot exceed a total of $10,000. The lenders may be the candidates themselves. There is no stipulated maximum for a loan made in a recognized financial institution.
If a loan from an elector is granted at an interest rate that is less than the current rate, the difference between the two rates must be considered a contribution by the elector and a contribution receipt must be issued to him.
A party whose receipts collected during the year exceed $5,000 must have its financial report audited. The treasurer reimburses to the party, out of the general fund of the municipality, the fee for auditing the annual financial report up to a maximum of:
