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I have a question. Would there be a conflict of interest if I volunteered at my MPs election campaign / Ottawa office?
career_radio-checker said:My judgement is that by volunteering for my MP I would be proactive in the system which I swore an oath to protect while at the same time I would be safe from accusations of partisanship or conflict of interest because I am renduring my time without cost or benefits. I just have to behave and stick to my home constituency and not be an advocate for the military. Agree or disagree?
hamiltongs said:It is permitted for CF members to belong to parties and volunteer on campaigns, much as it is permitted for us to vote. If you are volunteering, it should not be in the capacity of a "CF member", but as a private citizen only - i.e. don't go on walkabouts with your candidate in uniform or make a point of advertising your job. CF members may not seek elected office because of the inherent conflicts of interest involved; I believe it is customary for active reservists to go into the Supplementary Holding Reserve while campaigning and to go back into the PRes if they lose.
3rd Horseman said:Hamitongs has it right.
In the last election I ran as a candidate for nomination to my party and had several military members helping out.
You can join a political party (just not the commy one) and I encourage you to be a member of a political party. You must be as said before out of uniform and not use your rank unit or name of the CF in any conversation or correspondence no matter how innocent you think it is. I would not suggest you pass it by your unit chain of command as they may have differing views and that will affect your future even if they are wrong. See you on the campaign trail!
NavComm said:I will consult with my unit, but my civvie boss will be running for a left wing party in the upcoming fed election. I built his website last time, now after reading this thread I wonder if I'm allowed to do that? Is that partisan? Is that against the ruling party? Oh my. I thought we are free to affiliate with any party as long as we don't publically diss the reigning party? I'm going to have to call my unit on this one. Oh by jesus, I don't want to do that website if it interferes with my CF career!
19.44 - POLITICAL ACTIVITIES AND CANDIDATURE FOR OFFICE
(1) For the purposes of this article:
"political advertising" means advertising, the purpose of which is to gain support for the election of a candidate for federal, provincial or
municipal office or to gain support for, or to encourage some action in support of, the maintenance or change of a policy that is the
responsibility of government at the federal, provincial or municipal level; (publicité àcaractère politique)
"political canvassing" means an activity by which an individual approaches another individual to gain support for the election of a candidate for federal, provincial or municipal office or to gain support for, or to encourage some action in support of, the maintenance or change of a policy that is the responsibility of government at the federal, provincial or municipal level; (sollicitation politique)
"political meeting" means a meeting that is planned for a specific time and place and is designed to promote political action by those attending; (réunion politique)
"political speech" means a speech, the purpose of which is to promote political action by those to whom it is addressed. (discours politique)
(2) Except as otherwise authorized under the Canada Elections Act (Revised Statutes of Canada, 1985, Chapter E-2) or any other statute of the Parliament of Canada, a commanding officer shall ensure that any activity that takes place on a defence establishment, including a base or unit, under his command does not affect the actual or perceived political neutrality of the Canadian Forces and, in particular, no commanding officer shall:
(a) except as provided in paragraph (6), allow a political meeting to be held or a political speech to be delivered on a defence establishment;
(b) allow the display of political advertising anywhere on a defence establishment in areas exposed to public view; or
(c) except as provided in paragraphs (4) and (5), allow political canvassing or the distribution of political advertising, other than by mail, anywhere on a defence establishment.
(3) Subject to paragraph (7), paragraph (2) does not apply to any activity that takes place within the confines of a married quarter in Canada.
(4) A commanding officer shall permit political canvassing and the distribution of political advertising to single quarters and married quarters if, having regard to security and privacy requirements, the canvassers or distributors can be given access to such quarters.
(5) The Chief of the Defence Staff may authorize the broadcast, through Canadian Forces broadcasting facilities, of free-time political broadcasts.
(6) In exceptional circumstances, and where no practical alternative location can be found, the Minister may authorize the use of a defence
establishment or any part thereof for the conduct of a political meeting or the delivery of a political speech.
(7) No member of the Regular Force shall:
(a) take an active part in the affairs of a political organization or party;
(b) make a political speech to electors, or announce himself or allow himself to be announced as a candidate, or prospective candidate, for
election to the Parliament of Canada or a provincial legislature; or
(c) except with the permission of the Chief of the Defence Staff, accept an office in a municipal corporation or other local government body or allow himself to be nominated for election to such office.
(8) No officer or non-commissioned member shall organize or take part in a political meeting on a defence establishment.
NOTES
(A) Examples of meetings or speeches that might be considered to be political meetings or political speeches are those that are designed to:
(a) solicit votes for a candidate in a federal, provincial or municipal election
(b) solicit funds to support a candidate in a federal, provincial or municipal election or a political party; or
(c) organize a lobby to maintain or change public policy at the federal, provincial or municipal level.
(B) An example of a meeting or speech that might not be considered to be a political meeting or political speech is a meeting or speech that is designed to impart information but does not require or expect any specific solicited political action to follow as a result.
a_majoor said:Quote
19.44 - POLI
POLITICAL ACTIVITIES AND CANDIDATURE FOR OFFICE
(1) For the purposes of this article:
"political advertising" means advertising, the purpose of which is to gain support for the election of a candidate for federal, provincial or
municipal office or to gain support for, or to encourage some action in support of, the maintenance or change of a policy that is the
responsibility of government at the federal, provincial or municipal level; (publicité àcaractère politique)
"political canvassing" means an activity by which an individual approaches another individual to gain support for the election of a candidate for federal, provincial or municipal office or to gain support for, or to encourage some action in support of, the maintenance or change of a policy that is the responsibility of government at the federal, provincial or municipal level; (sollicitation politique)
"political meeting" means a meeting that is planned for a specific time and place and is designed to promote political action by those attending; (réunion politique)
"political speech" means a speech, the purpose of which is to promote political action by those to whom it is addressed. (discours politique)
(2) Except as otherwise authorized under the Canada Elections Act (Revised Statutes of Canada, 1985, Chapter E-2) or any other statute of the Parliament of Canada, a commanding officer shall ensure that any activity that takes place on a defence establishment, including a base or unit, under his command does not affect the actual or perceived political neutrality of the Canadian Forces and, in particular, no commanding officer shall:
(a) except as provided in paragraph (6), allow a political meeting to be held or a political speech to be delivered on a defence establishment;
(b) allow the display of political advertising anywhere on a defence establishment in areas exposed to public view; or
(c) except as provided in paragraphs (4) and (5), allow political canvassing or the distribution of political advertising, other than by mail, anywhere on a defence establishment.
(3) Subject to paragraph (7), paragraph (2) does not apply to any activity that takes place within the confines of a married quarter in Canada.
(4) A commanding officer shall permit political canvassing and the distribution of political advertising to single quarters and married quarters if, having regard to security and privacy requirements, the canvassers or distributors can be given access to such quarters.
(5) The Chief of the Defence Staff may authorize the broadcast, through Canadian Forces broadcasting facilities, of free-time political broadcasts.
(6) In exceptional circumstances, and where no practical alternative location can be found, the Minister may authorize the use of a defence
establishment or any part thereof for the conduct of a political meeting or the delivery of a political speech.
(7) No member of the Regular Force shall:
(a) take an active part in the affairs of a political organization or party;
(b) make a political speech to electors, or announce himself or allow himself to be announced as a candidate, or prospective candidate, for
election to the Parliament of Canada or a provincial legislature; or
(c) except with the permission of the Chief of the Defence Staff, accept an office in a municipal corporation or other local government body or allow himself to be nominated for election to such office.
( No officer or non-commissioned member shall organize or take part in a political meeting on a defence establishment.
NOTES
(A) Examples of meetings or speeches that might be considered to be political meetings or political speeches are those that are designed to:
(a) solicit votes for a candidate in a federal, provincial or municipal election
(b) solicit funds to support a candidate in a federal, provincial or municipal election or a political party; or
(c) organize a lobby to maintain or change public policy at the federal, provincial or municipal level.
(B) An example of a meeting or speech that might not be considered to be a political meeting or political speech is a meeting or speech that is designed to impart information but does not require or expect any specific solicited political action to follow as a result.
(7) No member of the Regular Force shall:
(a) take an active part in the affairs of a political organization or party