MP Jaime Battiste has been fined four times for breaking election rules during his bid for the Liberal nomination in his Nova Scotia constituency in 2019. Federal Elections Commissioner Caroline Simard disclosed that Battiste was penalized a total of $600 for four infractions, which included surpassing the maximum donation limit to his campaign, depositing campaign contributions into his personal bank account, using personal funds to cover campaign expenses, and submitting a deceptive declaration to Elections Canada.

Individuals are restricted to donating $1,600 annually to a political candidate or party, with candidates being allowed an additional $1,000. Investigating the nomination process, Simard uncovered that Battiste had contributed over $4,000 to his campaign. Furthermore, Battiste received over $8,000 in donations to his personal account before transferring the funds to his campaign’s account, a violation of Canada’s election laws that mandate only a candidate’s financial agent can accept such donations.

Additionally, only the financial agent is authorized to make payments for campaign expenses. Despite this, Battiste used his personal credit card to cover numerous expenses amounting to over $700. Battiste acknowledged the errors made during the 2019 Liberal nomination process, attributing them to both himself and his financial agent. He emphasized that corrective measures were promptly taken to rectify the situation to the best of their ability.

Expressing regret over the incidents, Battiste highlighted the lessons learned from the nomination process and subsequent successful election campaigns, culminating in his approval as a candidate for the 2025 leadership. Simard mitigated the fines considering factors such as Battiste’s cooperation with the investigation. Battiste confirmed that the fines have been settled in full.