The Quebec riding’s constituents of Ruth Ellen Brosseau finally heard from her today, 8 days after the election. Laughingly, this first contact was by auto-phone in halting French (see here).
The NDP did finally take an updated picture and posted it to her bio but the bad news is that she has been found to have embellished this same bio by claiming a diploma she doesn’t have.
“…has a diploma in Advertising and Integrated Marketing Communications from St. Lawrence College in Kingston.”
St. Lawrence College VP of student and external affairs:
“We can confirm that Ruth Ellen Brosseau is not a graduate of St. Lawrence College” (see here)
And the hits keep on coming as the Liberals have filed an official complaint over the validity of the signatures on her nomination form (see here).
Just imagine what it will be like when she finally surfaces and has to answer for herself in front of the microphones and cameras.
Update: The NDP have quickly put the blame on a “staffer” who inadvertently changed the wording”.
BC Blue: One BC Conservative's view on it all... 
May 10, 2011 at 11:17 AM
[…] NDP’s Vegas MP saga continues with false bio claim – BC Blue This entry was posted in Federal Election, Media Watch, MSM, NDP, Quebec politics, Voter cynicism, Your tax-dollars. Bookmark the permalink. ← What a difference an election makes! “We will continue your legacy.” → […]
May 10, 2011 at 11:19 AM
She’ll have to eventually; unless she intends to be an MP from her home, where-ever that is.
May 10, 2011 at 11:54 AM
Funny how they fessed up to this error now. They had the whole election to fix the mistake. The NDP are only admitting to it because they were caught. Brosseau had to have seen her bio sometime before the election – just another liar.
May 10, 2011 at 12:06 PM
Dean — Tacky, tacky!
Do you have any idea how the attitude you are expressing makes “you” and all Conservative gov’t supporters sound? Obviously not.
I am a Conservative female who, many years ago, was also a single mom. It was not easy. I was also a former Legislative and Constituency staffer and know how long it takes to get an office set up, even a phone.
So, I think this type of “gotcha” attitude coming from far too many Conservative gov’t supporters just sucks, particularly since we did plenty of complaining when the shoe was on the other foot.
We won a huge victory!. Act like we did for heavens sake!
May 10, 2011 at 12:30 PM
Still upset you were proven wrong about your VoteCompass Liberal buddy huh?
I am not one who thinks being a woman automatically gives that person a free pass. I don’t make excuses based on gender like you as I find that attitude too liberal/socialist for my conservative taste. I prefer conservative principles founded on personal responsibility as opposed to yours that is defined whether the person is a man or woman.
I also have an extensive knowledge in political office management so don’t even try to lecture me on that.
You keeping speaking to the Red Tories and I’ll continue voicing for the Blue Conservative base. As to my my conservative credentials, I would gladly put mine up to anyone’s for comparison including yours.
May 10, 2011 at 12:09 PM
but the bad news is that she has been found to have embellished this same bio by claiming a diploma she doesn’t have.
That implies that the NDP had no idea this had happened, which was far from the truth.
Not that Brosseau is blameless in this duplicity.
May 10, 2011 at 12:31 PM
Sandy: Love the “solidarity, sister!” attitude but the point isn’t that it takes her time to get set up, it’s that for all intents and purposes she’s a fraud. Should that be allowed to stand unchecked just because she’s a woman?
May 10, 2011 at 12:37 PM
Apparently to Sandy, it sure does. Do not question women MPs even when they are fraudulent. Should we have added Judy Sgro, Ruby Dhalla, Hedy Fry et al to this sacred women’s list? Absolutely asinine…
May 10, 2011 at 12:32 PM
I’ll cut her some slack when the party that nominated her grow some principals, and I could careless if she’s single mother or father it isn’t applicable to the issues being brought to the table.
May 10, 2011 at 12:35 PM
Exactly…what does being a single mother have anything to do with being incompetent, unprofessional, misleading and so far unaccountable?
May 10, 2011 at 12:57 PM
My, my, my. The venom coming from this site and other BTs is most unfortunate.
I can tell you, if this is what BTs have become, I’m out of here.
Five years of hard work, including the Harper Government Accomplishment list and I’m somehow put down for being a Red Tory. Disgusting.
Believe me, this is not how the Conservatives will stay in power. A little humility would good a long way.
I am not making excuses for this woman or the NDP, I would just like to think the gotcha yellow journalism is in the MSM or dipper and liblogs, not in the BT network.
I guess I’m wrong. What will make BTs happy? Destory this young woman — who simply gave her name as a placeholder. Is that what you want? She obviously had no idea she would win.
No, this is the NDP’s fault, right down to her resume. I have had similar errors happen — which can easily happen when someone other than the individual, posts the information online.
To err is human.
As far as setting up an office, my goodness but you are touchy! The bottom line is that it is just one week since the election for heavens sake!
Re Peter Loewen, he is not a friend of mine, never met him before and likely will never hear from him again.
When Conservatives start attacking other Conservatives, you know you have a problem — and I mean that broadly speaking. We should be able to disagree and not start the same personal attacks as the opposition do.
I don’t know what it is, but the attitude on Conservative blogs has changed. In fact, I noticed the change the day after the election. Petty, critical and nasty. Why? I have no idea.
But, I quit! I have asked Stephen Taylor to remove my domain URL from the BT aggregator immediately.
May 10, 2011 at 1:04 PM
You come on my blog site, throw out a personal insult by calling me “tacky” then feign outrage when you are confronted. Very typical…
May 10, 2011 at 2:38 PM
I have to agree with Sandy on this one. I think this girl is in over her head. She got caught up in a situation that was beyond her. I think she should admit it and the NDP should explain, take her lumps like the MSN did to the CPC and let her grow. The constituents will decide next time. That’s why we are a constitutional monarchy and the people have power. Let’s be bigger than them.
But Sandy you can’t throw ad hominems and then take you ball and leave. I think we can all have differing opinions.
May 10, 2011 at 3:52 PM
Rather a severe reaction to a difference of opinion, Sandy.
Some people feel very strongly about what the NDP has done. She’s not the only placeholder that was elected by a vote for Jack Layton, but she is the most egregious instance of the NDP’s lack of due diligence in selecting candidates. I don’t believe for one minute that the NDP could not have found a qualified supporter who lives in the riding if only they had take the time to look. They were simply too lazy or disorganized and didn’t give a damn about who they put forward as long a there was an opportunity to collect a two buck NDP vote on the ballot.
It is unfortunate that this young woman has been caught in the headlights but nobody forced her to put her name on the ballot. Anybody with a reasonable understanding of the seriousness of the matter (running for the highest elected office in the land) would never have done so. To add insult to injury, she was not involved in collecting names for her nomination, did not campaign, has never set foot in the riding, does not speak fluent French and now has been caught in a misrepresentation (surely she saw her own NDP web page, I certainly did). I don’t believe she is, by those actions alone, a mature or thoughtful enough individual to hold the office of MP. I know I am not alone and I believe I have every right to say so. It isn’t petty, and it isn’t tacky. While I hold Jack Layton and the NDP responsible, she is not an innocent in the matter.
This is not ‘yellow journalism’. It is reporting facts. That some people are disturbed or outraged by these facts and may want to highlight and/or discuss them is completely understandable. It points to a real weakness in our electoral system and if nothing else, it merits discussion.
May 10, 2011 at 3:55 PM
Well said…
May 10, 2011 at 4:01 PM
I find myself cringing with these attacks also. She’s young. She was used by the NDP. She’s going to give it a shot. Personally, if I was in her situation, I’d turn tail and run. At least she’s got the guts to stick around. I would be very disappointed if the conservative party went after her. Give her a chance to grow into her role. If after a few years she hasn’t got it, let her constituents vote her out.
May 10, 2011 at 4:34 PM
and just how would she get “voted out in a few years”?
May 10, 2011 at 5:10 PM
I think it’s called an election.
May 10, 2011 at 5:51 PM
Your “few years” is 4 years at $160,000 per year plus travel, food and accommodation expenses as well as 2 staffed offices all spent on someone who is clearly out only for herself and looking at the money coming her way.
May 10, 2011 at 4:03 PM
Taking your toys and going home when someone disagrees?
Thats mature……….
May 10, 2011 at 1:09 PM
She obviously put her name in as a candidate to fill the slot and never expected to actually win.
She also seems to be two credits short of her diploma because she had to move back to Ottawa to be closer to her family.
I’m cutting her slack because she’s really the innocent here and if it wasn’t her winning the seat it would have been another faceless Dipper candidate. I’m glad it was her that won and I’m enjoying watching the story unfold. I hope it has a happy ending.
One thing for sure, I’m sick to death of all the negativism of the last five years and I’m somewhat pleased that the Conservatives have so far refused to join the Liberals and Bloc in demanding an investigation.
May 10, 2011 at 1:12 PM
I’ve already given my reasons why she should not be “cut any slack” in a previous post. To do so absolves her from personal responsibility
May 10, 2011 at 3:28 PM
Why should her parental status matter to me Sandy? Second what’s nasty about asking for accountability?
Neil I have no intention of sitting in the sidelines whilst Elections Canada allegedly fills in a nominee’s paper work or allows illegal voting stations to take place. I am very much outraged at the actions of elections Canada during this election and yes I hope the issue of a staff member filling out her name via the nomination papers ends up before a real judge. We are starting to mirror a bananna republic, EC answers to no one these days and no I’m not happy about that and I doubt Harper is either.
May 10, 2011 at 3:30 PM
Power Play and the CBC are certainly doing their best to belittle the N.D.P.’s credibility.
Consider this week two of the CBC’s & CTV’s effort to resurrect the Liberal Party.
May 10, 2011 at 3:55 PM
Just my 2 cents and opinion only. Ruth just got caught up in the moment by others who knew better. Circumstances happend and now we are getting the politcally correct poo from some people to justify as being okay. To try and justify this is an abuse of the process and wrong. Can any reasonable person justify why she was asked in the first place. I can only conclude that there was no expectation she would win the riding. So here we are.
Ruth, I really don’t blame you. You were involved but “just a pawn in the game”….Bob Dylan
May 10, 2011 at 4:01 PM
What really gets me is all that bull about respect for Parliament and democracy. The N.D.P. candidate in my riding didn’t show up for the all-candidates debate. This candidate obviously didn’t because she has never visited her riding.
As a woman myself I think she should take her lumps.
May 10, 2011 at 4:17 PM
I will start my comment by saying that I am at best a bystander in the political arena. That said, I am the owner of a small business, and I am extremely pleased by the fact that we now have a stable majority government, and we do not have to face the spectre of an unstable coalition.
The win by PM Harper was very good for the country. but I am deeply concerned by the comments on this site. It is one thing to win, but there is a way to win. We need to ensure that the winning side does not alienate those who will be needed down the road.
The target here should not be an individual NDP member of parliament. She won – if there are to be challenges to her specific win, let the Bloc provide those challenges and let the Bloc be regarded as the poor loser. If we wish to challenge the win, do not challenge the individual, challenge the party that appears to have fraudulently nominated individuals for the election. The reality is that regardless of the circumstances, Ms Brosseau has been a contributing member of society – she has a job, and has been trying to better herself. With all due respect, attacking her on an individual level is probably the least productive course of action that could be taken. The Conservative party will not gain ground by this, they are further ahead to focus their attention on governing and give Ms Brosseau a reason to understand that she, and others in her circumstance, would be further ahead in a Canada with a Tory government where there were more jobs, and more opportunities for young people to do well for themselves. I am neither a blue Tory nor a red Tory, I am a taxpayer that wants to have a stable Tory majority government for the foreseeable future, and I regard this type of infighting as deplorable. Those who have attacked Sandy for her comments are reinforcing the most negative stereotypes of the “progressives”. Get a grip!
May 10, 2011 at 4:37 PM
Oh please…”attacking her on an individual level”. What does that even mean? Another one who believes that a person doesn’t have to take any responsibility for their own actions. Pure hogwash…
May 10, 2011 at 5:21 PM
I refuse to be manipulated by the CBC that the NDP and this single mother should be given a free pass.
I have a lot of respect for Sandy but when she starts echoing the CBC, my common sense says HOLD ON A MiNUTE!!!!
One thing i have learned over the years , never trust the CBC.
May 10, 2011 at 5:28 PM
I was (am) an intensely active volunteer that gave up personal time and adjusted my schedule to knock on doors, make phone calls and train others. I live in a Conservative riding and yet we never took anything for granted.
I too find the whole thing suspect and frankly offensive. I would have hoped that a moral compass would have been activated by this young lady when she was obviously told what to do, how to do it and what would happen.
However it is my opinion that the NDP party are entirely responsible. She may have not known better but they did and if she was the person that had that ‘moral compass’ that I refer to, she’d quit.
I also find it intriguing that another NDP candidate from I believe the Alexander/Holland competition was invisible. A pattern?
May 10, 2011 at 7:03 PM
This is a very good reason why the per vote subsidy should be cut,
these placeholder candidates are used as party funding tools.
Apparently Jack Layton is unavailable for comment,
likely bogged down verifying about 50 NDP MP elect’s bio’s and signatures.
You can bet your bottom dollar the Bloc and LPC will be digging for dirt on more NDP MPs elect.
Thomas Mulcair is responsible for the Quebec candidates,
looks like he isn’t much of a leader, eh.
I don’t feel sorry for this gal,
if she didn’t know what she was signing up for, and the expectations and responsibilities that come with being a candidate then Mulcair failed her and the NDP.
Let it be a warning to all future ‘placeholders’ and their party’s.
May 10, 2011 at 8:03 PM
I’ve followed this debate re; NDP candidates, peripheraly. To me there is nothing wrong with insisting that candidates absolutely cross their ‘t’s and dot their ‘i’s. How hard can that be ? Letting it slide is the start of the cliche slippery slope – where do u stop, who decides?
That E.C. fills in names, false names occur and ‘uncertain’ credentials are put forward is extremely dodgy and should be challenged every inch of the way.
As tiresome as it sound if it were a conservative that’s how it would be – if we play by the rules so can they. It’s hard, it’s clean and everyone understands.
May 10, 2011 at 9:42 PM
Have been following the comments on this post with interest. Then took a looksie at the Globle and Mail – there are close to 1300 comments on this cynical fraud that was foisted on the ROC – somehow do not think the outrage is only from Blogging Tory followers. lol cheers
May 11, 2011 at 1:52 PM
If you speak french you can watch the very horrible interview with this ditz here : http://tvanouvelles.ca/video/940199381001/ruth-ellen-brosseau-en-entrevue-a-tva-nouvelles/.
May 20, 2011 at 8:45 AM
[…] before the NDP try to explain this away as a staffer error like they did with Ruth Ellen Brosseau (see here), Larose claimed this same degree when he ran for mayor of a Montreal borough (see […]