MLA’s financial agent fined after election campaign donation from business

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Elections BC has fined the financial agent for Jordan Kealy during the 2024 provincial election.

According to the notice dated February 17th, Kim Nadeau, the financial agent for now MLA Jordan Kealy during the 2024 provincial election, received a $150 penalty for “accepting a prohibited contribution.”

“[Elections BC] received the election financing report for Kealy’s campaign, including a February 7th, 2024, invoice from a local sign shop for $3,145. The invoice included a 20 per cent discount, totaling $625, labelled as ‘party support’,” the report stated. 

“After being notified by [Elections BC] that the discount was considered a prohibited contribution, as it was from a business, Kealy’s campaign returned the contribution to the vendor and reported it on an amended report.”

In a statement to Energeticcity.ca, Kealy said it was an “innocent mistake” which was “rectified very quickly” once it was discovered by his team. 

He noted he and his team “did their best” to keep up with things during the election, but inexperience meant the invoice was initially missed, but quickly fixed. 

Elections BC conducted an investigation which found the discount was not requested or discussed by the campaign, was not intended to be accepted and was “unfortunately missed amid the pace and volume of activity during the campaign period.”

The Elections Act states a financial agent cannot accept a political contribution from “a person other than an eligible individual,” which businesses are not considered to be. 

The maximum penalty was $1,250, and Elections BC requires Nadeau to pay $150 to the chief electoral Officer by March 29th.

To read the complete enforcement notice, see below.