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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Byelection candidate faces expenses charge

By: Bartley Kives

Posted: 09/11/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

Former city councillor Terry Wachniak faces a charge under Winnipeg's election bylaws for failing to file audited financial statements of his campaign spending during last fall's St. Vital council byelection.

Wachniak is the only one of 10 candidates in the Nov. 26 byelection who did not file audited expenses, campaign expenses and contributions officer Bill Treytiak wrote in a report to city council's governance committee.

The St. Vital byelection was won by Coun. Brian Mayes, who garnered 3,623 votes. Wachniak, who served one term on city council in the 1980s, earned 53 votes and finished eighth.

Wachniak said he was given misinformation about when he was required to file audited campaign expenses. The due date was June 23.

In recent years, election candidates in Winnipeg who didn't file audited campaign expenses found themselves in court. Seven candidates were charged following Winnipeg's 2010 general election. The maximum penalty is $5,000.

Of the nine candidates who did file audited expenses in the St. Vital byelection, only one committed a violation. Beverley Watson, who finished sixth, exceeded the $750 limit for candidate spending on their own campaigns by $125, Treytiak noted in his report.

But he recommended no action be taken against Watson because city council has already asked the province to exempt the cost of an audit from the candidate contribution limit.

Watson should not be charged because she "violated the bylaw to ensure public disclosure" and the additional $125 represented less than 0.3 per cent of the campaign expense limit of $40,078, Treytiak wrote.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition September 11, 2012 B3

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