(AGENPARL) – mer 16 novembre 2022 Guidelines on
Communications
during
Election
Approved
October 31
Contents
Purpose
Framework
…………………………..
Roles
Responsibilities
…………………………..
General
Guidance
…………………………..
…………………………..
…………………………..
Activity
Based
Guidance
…………………………..
…………………………..
Announcements
Press
Conferences
…………………………..
……….
Media
Engagement
…………………………..
Recurring
Technical
Briefings
………………………
Processes
Monitoring,
Review
Approval
……..
Guideline
Review
Feedback
………………………….
Purpose
Framework
Election
Financing
(C.C.S.M
E27),
“the
EFA”,
provides
legislative
framework
for the fair and transparent funding of candidate and third
party campaigns during provincial
tions in Manitoba.
Section
(Restrictions
Government
Advertising) details
restrictions
place
ensure government resources are not used to support an election campaign, while outlinin
exceptions to the rule that allow for the continuation of government business.
This document serves as the Guidelines required under Section 92(5) of the Act and aims to
ensure
staff
throughout
Manitoba’s
Public
Service
(including
core,
allied
roader
public
servants) understand their responsibilities under the Act: how they can
and cannot
communicate before and during a provincial election or by
election.
The Act and these Guidelines apply to any activity
defined
Legislative
Assembly
Crown
agency
means
board,
commission,
association,
appointed,
discharge
their
duties
public
officers
servants
Crown,
or for the proper discharge of their duties are directly or indirectly, responsible to the Crown,
corporation
election
board
directors of
which
controlled
Crown,
directly
indirectly, through ownership of the shares of the capital stock thereof by the Crown or by a board,
commission,
association, or
other
which is
a Crown
agency
within
meaning
of this
definition.
Roles
Responsibilities
Compliance with
The Election Financing Act
restrictions on government advertising or
publications during an election must be taken seriously. Any advertisement or publi
cation
activity
would
information
about
government
programs
activities
generally
known
during a by
election or general election must be considered communications activity and is
covered by the Act and these Guidelines.
While exceptions to the restrictions on advertisements or publications exist, government
departments and Crown agencies must work from an assumption that their communications
activity
during
election
permitted
unless
reviewed
liance
Act by the respective Head of Communications and approved to proceed by the relevant
Executive Authority.
There
roles
involved
compliance
these
Guidelines:
Public Servants:
All staff of government departme
nts and Crown agencies are
responsible
ensuring
compliance
these
Guidelines
their
work;
Executive Authority
department
agency, the
relevant Executive Authority
accountable for ensur
ing their staff and Crown agencies are familiar with the Act and
these Guidelines, reviewing their organization’s communications in relation to the
Guidelines, and for escalating communications that require further consideration by the
Communications Revie
w Committee. In the case of departments, the Executive
Authority
Deputy
Minister
their
delegate, and
of Crown
agencies
the Chief Executive Officer or their delegate;
Head of Communications:
In each department or agency, the most senior
communications official is responsible for providing review and feedback on their
organization’s communications, making recommendations to their Executive Authority
for approvals, and for identifying for the Ex
ecutive Authority any communications that
may require further review and consideration by the Communications Review
Committee. In the case of departments the Head of Communications is the Manager of
Engagement
department, and
of Crown
gencies
senior
executive responsible for communications;
Communications Review Committee:
A committee, consisting of the Clerk of
Executive Council, the Assistant Deputy Minister of the Communications and
Engagement
Division
Manitoba
Finance,
Legal
Services
Branch,
responsible
for reviewing any communications that have been escalated for feedback, providing
advice to the relevant Executive Authority on how to proceed; and
Assistant Deput
y Minister, Communications and Engagement Division
: The ADM
Communications
Engagement
Division
of Manitoba
Finance
responsible
ensuring these guidelines are up
date, and that processes, forms or other resources
are in place to support
compliance with the Act and these guidelines.
General
Guidance
government
department
agency
advertise
publish
information
programs
activities”
“Advertise or publish”
covers any direct or indirect action that makes information about
government’s
programs
activities
generally
known.
includes,
limited,
paid advertisements such as: broadcast (radio, television), print (newspaper
, magazine,
inserts, etc.), digital (display, boosted social), out
Further,
these
Guidelines
refer
government
resources
promote
advertise
information. These include, but are not limited to:
Staff
public
service,
including
political
staff;
resources,
including
computers,
provides
exceptions
restriction
outlined
above:
Required
where
Regulation
specifically
requires
advertising
publication it may proceed; this generally applies to legal and public notices;
Public
Health
Activity
Based
dance
following
guidance
provided
assist
Heads
Communication
Executive
Authorities
in reviewing communications within their department or Crow
n Agency These Guidelines
provide the best current advice to public servants, based on the Act and past decisions of the
Commissioner.
times,
there
uncertainty
regarding
application
escalation to the Communicati
ons Review Committee is required.
Announcements
Press
Conferences
announcements
should
avoided,
unless
relates
important
matters
public
health or safety.
particular,
departments
Crown
agencies
should
publicly
announce
policy
changes, new programs or funding commitments.
Media
Engagement
Media should continue to have access to government information over the course of an
election
period.
Ministers
cannot
government
resources
financial,
staff
otherwise)
to initiate
contact with the media, including interviews and news releases. In
response
inquiries, however, Ministers may provide verbal or written statements to the individual
or organization making the inquiry. Similarly
, government staff involved in media
engagement
continue to
provide responses
media requests
for information on an
individual basis.
In rare circumstances, where multiple members of the media are seeking similar
information,
government
coordinat
these
requests
through
single
conference
call or availability for a spokesperson. Such circumstances require the review of the
Communications Review Committee.
Recurring
Force
Technical
Briefings
Technical briefings with government officials that had been routinely held prior to the
election period may continue provided the focus of these briefings is on factual
explanations
happening
done by
government
subject.
This
ncludes updates to dashboards and reports that have been routinely updated prior to
the election period.
Announcements about program, policy or funding changes that will not have an
immediate
affect
public
health
Reporting
outcomes
consultation,
began
prior
election,
should
wait until after the election period.