The days when election advertising rules were strict (at least on paper)
Even handing out small campaign buttons could mean getting stuck with a hefty fine as of 1972
In 1972, your fellow voters had to do you a solid if you were wearing a campaign button too close to Election Day.
That's because The Man — or at least election officials — didn't dig it.
And people could narc on you if you weren't careful.
As the Oct. 30 election approached, CBC News reporter John Drewery reminded viewers that "the law that could slap a fine of up to $5,000" on political parties continuing to hand out advertising within 48 hours of the day.
He said the law "has been in effect since 1956 but has been pretty well ignored ... since that time."
A closer look at the contraband
During that election campaign though, Drewery said political organizers across the country had been "badgering the chief electoral officer for his interpretation" of the rule.
So Drewery provided a list of the contraband material, reminding viewers that the Electoral Act "gives any citizen the right to lay a complaint against anyone handing out or wearing a candidate's or party's advertising," right down to "those metal lapel buttons that carry recognizable party slogans."
In a roundup of the party slogans, he reminded voters of the Conservatives' "Team Canada," the Liberals' "We Care" and the NDP's badge that declared the wearer as "a member of the socialist hordes."
Getting a message across
Buttons could be simple, with the candidate's name and a brief, easy-to-remember rhyming reason to vote.
One of the more colourful illustrations of a partisan pin was from the New Democrats, which rolled a caricature, some French and some aggressive campaigning onto one of the small wearable posters.
"Perhaps even that semi-bilingual button that declares 'let's give it to Pierre in the derrière'" which depicted the incumbent fuddle-duddle-uttering prime minister being booted out of office by an NDP workboot could be enough to drive a citizen to file a complaint with the authorities and land some party faithful in some hot water.
Sticking to the rules and ceasing to distribute such items, Drewery suggested, might cause the final rallies and meetings "to lose the splashes of colour that are part of their appeal."
But, he pointed out, if they contravened the law "that's rusty with disuse ... they may be fair game for any citizen who wants to check the teeth in Section 50 of the Canada Elections Act."
