Elections watchdog sanctions federal Green party for misleading election poll
GATINEAU, Que. — The federal Green party has issued a statement saying it regrets distributing a poll in Victoria containing unreliable data just before voting day last October.
The statement, from party executive director Emily McMillan, comes after the party was told it would have to publish a public apology on its website and in a national news release after Canada’s elections watchdog found that it distributed the misleading poll.
The Commissioner of Canada Elections says the compliance agreement is the result of a flyer that was distributed in the riding designed to suggest the local Green candidate was in a virtual tie with the NDP.
The 2,500 flyers said the two candidates were deadlocked in the latest poll, when in fact the internal Green party poll was a week old and — as shown by five subsequent Green party polls — the New Democrat lead was increasing.