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HomeMy WebLinkAboutUse of Resources During an Election - Procedures (v1.0 2014 Jan 31)Title:Use of Resources During an Election Category:Human Resources, Administrative Practices Policy or Procedure:Procedures Approved by:Directors Committee Approval (last amendment) date: 01/31/2014 Resolution (if appl.): Staff Lead:Kathy Stranks/MTRCA Created by: Kathy Stranks on 06/03/2013 at 09:26 AM 1. Activities Allowable during an Election Period 1.1 Members of the Authority may directly book normally permitted space in a Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) facility at the approved rate identified in the fee schedule for public facilities and programming, and any other conditions normally imposed under such permit, shall apply. 1.2 All-candidate meetings can be held at TRCA facilities provided that all candidates for an office or all registrants are invited to attend such meetings. This clause is subject to all applicable TRCA policies and procedures. 1.3 Candidate, political party, registrant or a supporter of a question on a ballot during an election are permitted to distribute campaign materials only in areas permitted as per Section 1.1 above, subject to the existing permitting policies and procedures for these facilities. 1.4 Informal media scrums are permitted in public or common areas at TRCA facilities provided that no apparatus, mechanism or device for the amplification of the human voice or any sounds is used and that the activity is not disruptive to regular TRCA business in the vicinity. If the media scrum is disruptive, employees may ask the participants to find an alternative location. This clause is subject to all applicable TRCA policies and procedures. 1.5 A candidate, political party, registrant or a supporter of a question on a ballot during an election is permitted to attend TRCA events, or events held at TRCA facilities, in either their capacity as an appointee to TRCA, an elected representative or as a private citizen to glad-hand with attendees and visitors, but may not solicit votes for themself, a political party, registrant or a supporter of a question on a ballot. No election signs may be posted and no campaign materials may be disseminated at TRCA events. This clause is subject to all applicable TRCA policies and procedures. 1.6 Permits for generic election-related purposes, such as teaching members of the public how to become a candidate or the knowledge to organize an election campaign, can be issued for TRCA facilities as long as no one particular candidate, political party, registrant or a supporter of a question on a ballot during an election is promoted or endorsed at the event. 1.7 Elected officials are permitted to attend TRCA-organized events or events held on TRCA property and act as ceremonial participants in their capacity as elected officials, including speaking at the event and partaking in ceremonial activities. Once the writ is issued for provincial or federal elections, MPPs and MPs are no longer elected officials and therefore should not be invited to attend TRCA events. 1.8 TRCA online information related to Members will continue to be accessible by the public. 1.9 TRCA databases already made available for public use may be used by candidate, political party, registrant or a supporter of a question on a ballot during an election. 1.10 TRCA employees may work on a campaign or support a candidate outside of their work hours, as long as they abide by the Human Resources policy titled “Conflict of Interest - Employee Participation in Municipal, Provincial or Federal Elections” which defines permitted campaign activity. The policy also prohibits certain employees from participating in any campaign activity. 1.11 Information that is requested and/or provided by TRCA employees to one candidate, political party, registrant or a supporter of a question on a ballot during an election shall be made available to all other candidate, political party, registrant or a supporter of a question on a ballot, at their request, either through posting of the information on the internet or through other mechanisms. The provision of information to a candidate, political party, registrant or a supporter of a question on a ballot during an election will be coordinated through the CEO's Office. 1.12 Requests by a candidate, political party, registrant or a supporter of a question on a ballot for personal meetings with TRCA employees, and requests for tours of TRCA facilities may not always be accommodated due to resource and time constraints. If a meeting or a tour is organized for one candidate, political party, registrant or a supporter of a question on a ballot during an election, TRCA staff would need to commit to organizing a similar meeting or tour for all other candidates, political parties, registrants or supporters of a question on a ballot, at their request. 1.13 A file photo of a candidate with a logo in the background may be used in campaign material. 2. Activities Not Allowable during an Election Period 2.1 TRCA resources, including but not necessarily limited to monies, facilities, equipment, supplies, services or other TRCA resources, may not be used at anytime to support, endorse or otherwise provide an unfair advantage to any candidate, political party, registrant or a supporter of a question on a ballot at any time, whether during an election period or not, except as described in sections 1.1 - 1.3. 2.2 TRCA monies may not be used to acquire any resources for any campaign or election related activities. 2.3 TRCA employees may not campaign or actively work in support of a municipal, school board, provincial or federal candidate, political party, registrant or a supporter of a question on a ballot during an election during working hours, but may during non-working hours as described in the Human Resources policy titled “Conflict of Interest - Employee Participation in Municipal, Provincial or Federal Elections”. 2.4 TRCA facilities and TRCA infrastructure cannot be used for any election-related purposes by candidate, political party, registrant or a supporter of a question on a ballot, including for the display of any campaign-related signs in windows or on the facilities, as well as for any other form of campaigning on the facilities, including distribution of election-related material, except as described in sections 1.1 - 1.3. 2.5 For permits, licenses, leases, or any other agreement for the use of TRCA facilities for the promotion of a particular candidate, political party, registrant or a supporter of a question on a ballot during an election, discounted rates shall not be provided. 2.6 Any candidate, political party, registrant or a supporter of a question on a ballot during an election shall not distribute any campaign materials in TRCA facilities or at TRCA events, except as described in section 1.3 or during all-candidates meetings. 2.7 TRCA communications materials, whether for internal or for public distribution, must not be used to: a. Profile (name or photograph), make reference to and/or identify any individual as a candidate in any election or a registrant in a question on a ballot. b.Advocate for or against a particular candidate, political party, registrant or a supporter of a question on a ballot during an election. Communications materials include but are not limited to: media releases, media advisories, invitations for special events, flyers, posters, banners, brochures and newsletters. 2.8 Websites or domain names that are funded by TRCA must not include any campaign materials, make reference to and/or identify any individual as a candidate, political party, registrant or a supporter of a question on a ballot during an election, or profile any slogan or symbol associated with a candidate, political party, registrant or a supporter of a question on a ballot during an election. 2.9 News/social media sites, blogs and other new media created and managed by TRCA employees must not make reference to and/or identify any individual as a candidate, political party, registrant or a supporter of a question on a ballot during an election. 2.10 Photographic or video materials which have been or may be created by TRCA employees or with TRCA resources must not be used in any campaign materials. 2.11 Any TRCA created and owned logo must not be placed specifically in any campaign materials, except as outlined in Section 1.13 above. 2.12 TRCA databases must not be used by any candidate, political party, registrant or a supporter of a question on a ballot during an election, unless the database has already been released for public use as per section 1.9. 2.13 TRCA infrastructure cannot be used for any election purposes. 2.14 TRCA employees will not perform any service, offer any advice or provide any information solely for the use of one Authority Member, candidate, political party, registrant or a supporter of a question on a ballot during an election. 2.15 All printing, high speed photocopying and distribution of materials, including stationery and business cards, will be discontinued for an Authority Member, candidate, political party, registrant or a supporter of a question on a ballot during an election, unless authorized by the Authority, except Agendas and Minutes of Authority, committee and advisory board meetings are exempt from this provision. If a compelling corporate need arises during the election period, an Authority Member who is a candidate may use corporate resources to advise or contact TRCA constituents, in keeping with the procedures contained herein, with the consent of the TRCA Chief Executive Officer. 2.16 On any material printed or distributed by TRCA, any Authority Member, candidate, political party, registrant or a supporter of a question on a ballot during an election are not permitted to: illustrate that a person is a candidate registered in an election; identify where a person will be running for office; or profile or refer to candidates during an election. 2.17 Use of cell phones and PDA's that are funded by TRCA for any election-related campaign purpose is not permitted, unless TRCA is reimbursed. 2.18 Use of TRCA's voice mail system to record election related messages, and the computer network and related IT systems (including TRCA's email system) to distribute election related correspondence, is not permitted. 3. Restrictions related to Services Provided to Authority Members during an Election Year As Authority Members may also be candidates in an election, after August 1 in the municipal or school board election year, or on the day the writ for election is issued for provincial or federal elections, TRCA employees will discontinue the following activities for Authority Members. The same rule applies to all Authority Members, irrespective of whether they are seeking election in the new term or not: 3.1 Advertising and other communications materials paid for by TRCA funds and distributed by TRCA will not reference the name of an Authority Member. 3.2 Event signage, including banners and posters, will not reference the name of an Authority Member. 3.3 Media releases issued by TRCA employees will not reference the name of an Authority Member. 4. Audit Compliance 4.1 The CEO's Office is responsible for communication of this protocol to Authority Members. 4.2 The CEO, Directors, Senior Managers, Managers and Supervisors are responsible for communication of this protocol to their staff and to investigate reported contraventions to ensure that there is compliance. All reported contraventions are to be reported to the CEO or designate. 4.2 TRCA staff shall consult with the CEO's Office prior to confirming a booking with a political client, to ensure the event booking is in compliance with the policy on Use of Resources During an Election. 4.3 Authority Members and staff are accountable to comply with this protocol. 5. Limitation 5.1 Nothing in this policy shall preclude an Authority Member from performing their job as an Authority Member, nor inhibit them from representing the interests of the governing body who appointed them. RELATED POLICES AND PROCEDURES Policy for Use of Resources During an Election Conflict of Interest - Employee Participation in Municipal, Provincial or Federal Elections