The executive director of an anti-hate group wants the City of Toronto to audit the campaign expenses of Faith Goldy, the white nationalist who came a very distant third in last year’s mayoral campaign.

The city’s compliance audit committee, which receives complaints about possible election finance breaches, will hear the application by Evan Balgord of the Canada Anti-Hate Network on April 29.

In an application filed to the audit committee, Balgord cites Goldy’s fundraising around her unsuccessful lawsuit to try to force Bell Media to air her mayoral campaign advertisements on a local television station.

An Ontario Superior Court judge dismissed her lawsuit and ordered Goldy, two months after the October civic election that saw John Tory re-elected mayor, to pay Bell Media more than $43,000 in legal fees.

“She solicited donations of any amount from anywhere to support this lawsuit in contravention of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 relating to election campaign finances,” Balgord wrote.

Goldy supports her activism by soliciting donations from supporters, Balgord said, and “we have little confidence that her income in this time period, much of which comes from outside Ontario, was kept separate from her campaign donations.”

Balgord included a link to YouTube videos including one published during the campaign in which Goldy solicits donations “worldwide”for her “legal defence fund” to fight CP24 owner Bell Media. She told viewers donations would flow into her account, not her campaign’s, “so it’s a wide-open field for freedom lovers.”

In an email Goldy — who on video in 2017 recited a pledge that includes: “We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children” — denied being a white nationalist and accused Balgord of being motivated by an obsession with her.

“Our campaign is being independently audited, as per city requirements for every candidate,” Goldy wrote.

“Every donation and expense will be accounted for by the professionals, any further demands would be an unprecedented case of political bias and persecution during a financial audit, all of which is contrary to our principles of democracy and justice as Canadians.”

By provincial law Toronto mayoral candidates can accept maximum donations of $2,500 from each individual. Donations from non-Ontario residents are banned, as are those from all corporations and unions. Contributors can apply to get a rebate from the city on a portion of their campaign donation.

Mayoral campaigns were allowed to spend a maximum of just over $1.7 million, with any contributions over that threshold being returned to the city clerk.

The deadline to file campaign expenses was March 29. According to the city, Goldy missed that deadline.

Candidates who miss the deadline are given another month to file their financial statement, provided they pay a $500 late fee.

The three-citizen compliance audit committee can, after receiving an application, take no action or order an audit of a candidate’s finances. If an audit finds apparent wrongdoing, the committee can vote to refer the issue for potential prosecution.

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Anyone found guilty can be ejected from any office they won, and prevented from seeking municipal office or appointment until the next regular election. The court can also fine them in accordance with any amount spent by their campaign over the legal maximum.

In an interview Thursday, Balgord said he wants the city to force disclosure of Goldy’s finances to show if she kept donations to her mayoral bid separate from money used for other purposes.

David Rider is the Star’s City Hall bureau chief and a reporter covering Toronto politics. Follow him on Twitter: @dmrider

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