Manitoba political candidates with criminal convictions and other legal troubles will soon have to disclose their pasts before they can run for office.
A bill requiring the disclosure has passed final reading and is expected to become law next week when the legislature breaks for the summer.
The bill, from Tory backbencher Sarah Guillemard, requires candidates to reveal any convictions they’ve had under the Criminal Code, the Controlled Drug and Substances Act and the Income Tax Act.
The information would then be posted online by Elections Manitoba, and people who fail to disclose could face a fine of up to $10,000 or a year in jail.
There are exceptions for people who were convicted as minors and for people who have received formal pardons.
But there is no exception for people like Opposition NDP Leader Wab Kinew, who received a record suspension for assault and impaired driving convictions from more than a decade ago.
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