Didn't file audited statement: charge
Winnipeg Sun
February 24, 2006
By DEAN PRITCHARD, COURTS REPORTER
Former city councillor and mayoral candidate Al Golden will stand trial on charges he failed to file an audited financial statement following the 2004 civic byelection.
Golden is among seven candidates for mayor and council charged following the byelection and one of only two candidates to plead not guilty.
Golden appeared briefly in court yesterday but left before his matter came before Judge Linda Giesbrecht. Golden's lawyer spoke on his behalf.
After deadline
Court heard Golden did file an audited financial statement with the city but not before the May 31, 2005, deadline.
A trial date has been set for Oct. 12.
Failed council candidate Ken Wong pleaded guilty after lengthy dickering over whether he was being charged under the City of Winnipeg provincial charter or the city's bylaw.
Wong, who is retired, said he provided the city with an unaudited financial statement because he did not want to pay the $600 or more it would cost to have an accounting firm provide one.
Wong argued he and other candidates were being unfairly targeted since no one had ever been charged for violating the city's election bylaw since its introduction in 1989.
Under the bylaw, candidates who do not file a financial statement are not allowed to run in the next civic election.
"I knew that when I filed my unaudited statement and accepted that as my penalty," he said.
Giesbrecht fined Wong $200, saying the absence of past charges did not excuse his actions. Shirley Timm-Rudolph, Jocelyn Greenwood, and Garth Steek previously pleaded guilty and received fines.
Council candidate Marcel Boille pleaded not guilty to the charge earlier this month and has a trial date on for Oct. 25.