Image Credit: Facebook
November 10, 2014 - 5:48 PM
PLANS TO REGISTER AS THIRD-PARTY SPONSOR
KAMLOOPS - After saying they would not endorse specific city council candidates KGHM Ajax now says it is registering as a third-party sponsor this week. The decision comes just over a month after the company said it would not support anyone running in the civic election.
A spokesman declined an interview Monday, but did send a statement at the end of the day.
“Ajax has not endorsed specific candidates and we have not financially supported candidates,” Robert Koopmans said. “Regardless, Ajax decided last week to register as a third-party sponsor and expects to file the required paperwork this week.”
Last week the company shared on its Facebook page a list put together by a supporter outlining which candidates took a stance against the proposed mine and those candidates who said they would wait for environmental studies before taking a position. That post showed up in many Facebook feeds as a sponsored post, which is a paid placement.
“Several of our supporters have shared council candidates’ position on Ajax, and others have asked us for a list,” Koopmans said. “We shared a list researched and prepared by one of our supporters and shared it with other supporters in one of our regular project update letters.”
Just over a month ago External Affairs Manager Yves Lacasse said the company was approached by a candidate who wanted a donation, but the company declined.
“KGHM Ajax wants the community to know we will not offer any candidate direct or indirect financial support in this civic election campaign,” the company said in a Facebook post at the time.
On the sponsorship and donation guidelines document readily available on the company website a list of eligible applications and exclusions is clearly outlined. Direct donations to politics is one of the five exclusions outlined in that document.
A third party sponsor is an individual or organization that conducts election advertising independently from any candidate or elector organization. Third party advertising includes advertising for or against a candidate or elector organization and/or advertising on an issue, such as funding for a local recreation centre or preserving parkland.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Jennifer Stahn at jstahn@infonews.ca or call 250-819-3723. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2014