OTTAWA — Liberal MP Jaime Battiste has been fined for multiple electoral law violations related to his 2019 campaign. The Commissioner of Canada Elections announced on Thursday that Battiste faces fines totaling $600 for four separate infractions of federal electoral laws. Battiste serves as the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations.

The violations stem from Battiste's participation in the 2019 Liberal nomination race for the Nova Scotia riding of Cape Breton—Canso—Antigonish, which he won. He was subsequently elected to the House of Commons later that year. The commissioner found that Battiste contributed nearly $1,500 over the legal limit by donating $4,051 in a single day to his own nomination campaign in May 2019.

According to the Canada Elections Act, only a candidate’s financial agent is permitted to accept political donations or cover campaign expenses. However, during a 2023 interview, Battiste admitted to accepting over $8,000 in campaign contributions and e-transfers to his personal bank account. Additionally, he and his agent confirmed that he paid $722.32 in campaign expenses using his personal credit card.

Battiste was also fined for signing a declaration that his final nomination campaign return was complete and accurate, despite likely knowing it contained “false and misleading” information. He reported receiving $8,201 in donations, while $9,701 was actually deposited into his campaign bank account during the nomination race. A summary of the violation stated, “There are therefore reasonable grounds to believe that Jaime Battiste signed a declaration that he knew, or ought reasonably to have known, to be false or misleading.”

Initially, the total fines amounted to $1,600, but the commissioner reduced the amount due to Battiste's cooperation with the investigation and unspecified “personal circumstances” in his life. Battiste’s office has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the fines.