In a stunning revelation from CBC Kady O’Malley, we learn that an Elections Canada robocall investigator is using a NDP partisan to provide technical advice:
Recently released court files contain further details linking pseudonymous robocaller Pierre Poutine to a computer used by a Guelph Conservative campaign staffer, according to a former NDP candidate turned campaign communications strategist who has been providing technical advice to an Elections Canada investigator. (see here)
Elections Canada isn’t completely corrupt right?
August 28, 2012 at 12:36 PM
Completely outrageous. One wonders how EC can continually get away with this crap. They don’t even seem to mind the optics of this type of stuff. Who is their watchdog??
August 28, 2012 at 12:38 PM
Parliament
August 28, 2012 at 1:04 PM
If this isn’t fixed with a Conservative majority government, the corruption will only continue to run deeper. Harper may be demonized by the media and opposition as the bad guy in shaking up this organization, but the alternative of doing nothing would be far worse.
August 28, 2012 at 1:18 PM
With a Tory majority no less. It is far gone time to do something about the corruption and bias that is rampant within EC.
August 28, 2012 at 1:39 PM
They can’t do anything about it
August 28, 2012 at 2:33 PM
You said Parliament was EC’s overseer – so is it that they can’t do anything about it, or they won’t do anything about it?
August 28, 2012 at 3:30 PM
I’ll look it up but I believe, for example, it needs a unanimous vote to remove the EC head. Impossible…
August 28, 2012 at 3:47 PM
So let me get this straight – the organization that is supposed to be looking at impartiality regarding how elections are handled in Canada, is proven time and again to tbe anything BUT impartial………..and there is NOTHING that can be done about it?
Wow………….
August 28, 2012 at 1:02 PM
Absolutely sickening, the stench from EC these days is gagging.
August 28, 2012 at 1:10 PM
I think the major point you guys are missing is this; Regardless of his political leans or bias, is his analysis correct or not
August 28, 2012 at 1:39 PM
What an idiotic statement
August 30, 2012 at 8:02 PM
I appreciate your point, but it would be extremely difficult to assess the correctness of an analysis (or not )– especially if political bias leads to “leaving out” important information. Optics are bad here.
August 28, 2012 at 1:17 PM
Its astounding that both EC and the CBC would report this as no big thing. Its even more remarkable that apparently they are supporting this..
August 28, 2012 at 2:04 PM
There are more than enough issues regarding Federal Elections to justify a wholesale review of the legislation, voting proceedures and so forth. For one, I would like to see all financial aspects of Elections Canada moved to CCRA. Hate to say it, but I have more confidence in CCRA than Elections Canada to run on principle and not partisanship.
Let Elections Canada just concentrate on vote counting and related activities. The Act needs to address voter fraud, voter identification and voter eligibility to name only a few issues.
Follow this up by reoganizing the staff in the Department, including a letting go of some of the dead wood.
August 28, 2012 at 2:11 PM
You forget about all those CRA officials recently charged with corruption?
http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/three-former-tax-agency-workers-charged-in-alleged-bribery-schemes/article2419697/?service=mobile
August 28, 2012 at 3:12 PM
Foxes meet henhouse…!
You want some poulet with your poutine…?
Yep, that is almost as good as CRA suggesting to me Canada needed a ‘national test case’ to ‘demonstrate a group of vital organs failing’ when you withhold insulin from the patient; for the purposes of the disability tax credit. Of course you will merely kill the patient.
These amusing cretins at CRA will play “paper Nazi” with a descendant of the HUNS!
The CRA are not just corrupt, they can occasionally be damn vicious…
I wouldn’t trust them with a paper clip…
As for the lead story, a former NDP candidate is hardly the ‘neutral unbiased investigator’ for robocalls.
Cheers,
Hans-Christian Georg Rupprecht, Commander in Chief
Frankenstein Battalion
2nd Squadron: Ulanen-(Lancers) Regiment Großherzog Friedrich von Baden(Rheinisches) Nr.7(Saarbrucken)
Knecht Rupprecht Division
Hans Corps
1st Saint Nicolaas Army
Army Group “True North”
August 28, 2012 at 2:52 PM
Its telling that Kady doesn’t think it relevant that Rowland is a former NDP candidate, she doesn’t mention it. Why should she? CBC itself is rife with NDP partisans (see yesterdays blog about Ghomeshi) and of course Kady’s father worked for the federal NDP. It appears as CBC goes, so goes EC, but the optics there are even more outrageous.Obviously both organizations need a complete housecleaning.
August 28, 2012 at 3:29 PM
Yup, CBC Kady seems to take it as normal operations doesn’t she?
August 28, 2012 at 3:38 PM
I guess we can assume that this is the unspoken, unacknowledged political affiliation of this particular employer? At least I would as a recruiter never hire a guy who had a previous political position. A bureaucratic entity such as our ELECTION body should have more sense and credibility but hey, these past few years, they look like idiots and this particular employment/assignment decision simply reinforces that this dept hasn’t any credibility.
I do think that this guy Maynard can be removed/FIRED and if he can be, he should be. !0 years ago we never heard this inconsistent garbage coming out of EC and now it’s become a steady diet of questionable decisions. That implies partisanship and the last election gong show coupled with unpaid leadership debts ties it all up in a tidy little bow. Clean this house!
August 28, 2012 at 4:50 PM
Since it took the CRTC to conclude the investigation, come up with the answer and apply the penalty (small as it was) against the Liberal Party, why is EC even continuing this farce?
(We all know the real answer…the CRTC didn’t come up with the “right” answer in its investigation)
August 28, 2012 at 6:19 PM
According to Valeriote on CBC, Elections Canada was fine with his “honest mistake” explanation, just as they were fine with the illegal poll at Un of Guelph. Their actions and decisions have no consistency or rationality..I have zero fath in their ability to investigate anything.
August 28, 2012 at 6:23 PM
Valeriote lied about EC Ok’ing his robocalls as ads:
http://bcblue.wordpress.com/2012/03/13/liberal-mp-caught-lying-about-election-canada-not-calling-robocalls-ads/
August 28, 2012 at 7:25 PM
That is Valeriote’s story and he is sticking to it. I just checked his P&P interview Aug24 (still up) and he claimed EC was fine with his bogus robocall.
August 28, 2012 at 7:40 PM
Haven’t seen the Conservatives react yet to that lie
August 28, 2012 at 5:10 PM
Obviously, the people who understand telephone voter contact are going to be the ones who do it.
August 28, 2012 at 7:03 PM
EC, like the CBC’s Kady O’Munster, and the CBC itself, are all part of the “culture of corruption” that for decades was so carefully nurtured by the “Liberal” party. Now the “Liberals” are dead from the “culture of corruption” disease they invented, and the infection has been passed on to the NDP, in the hopes that they might spread the tradition of sullying everything they touch. EC is a diseased organization and the only cure is a wholesale housecleaning. The corruption of our institutions is staggering.
August 28, 2012 at 8:32 PM
I find it interesting that this particular blogger expresses agreement with you in this sordid case of bureaucratic sleaze; and does not defend it.
http://warrenkinsella.com/2012/08/elections-canada-wtf/
August 28, 2012 at 8:51 PM
Two things Kinsella and I have agreed upon so far, that and what we think of Postmedia’s Glen McGregor
August 28, 2012 at 9:09 PM
This is good for national unity, given the Quebec election campaign