If you were shocked that the Liberals got their asses kicked in the last federal election, fear not, we finally have an explanation. Robocalls. Case closed. The latest scandal of the week is that a company hired by the Conservatives to do campaign work in the last election was allegedly robocalling voters directing them to false voting locations. That is not only a stupid idea, it is illegal. Investigating it should be a fairly simple matter, find out who made the calls and charge them with a crime. Either the company was told to use this particular tactic, or it was their own idea. Either they were calling from a predetermined list of known Liberal supporters, or they were random dialing numbers out of the phone book (in which case they would also be misdirecting right leaning voters to false locations). That's what investigations are for, before we all go rushing to extreme hyperbole (I'm talking to you Bob).
Here's the part I don't get. There were reports on election day that people had been receiving telephone calls misdirecting them, which again, is illegal. The election was 10 months ago and Elections Canada was obligated to investigate those reports, as I'm sure they have been. Does anyone know how that investigation is going? It should not be hard to get phone records for criminal phone calls (and if it is, I have some suggested additions to bill C-30). They already know the name of the company alleged to have done this. We know that a number of conservative voters also received such phone calls. Mostly, I'd like to know who thought this was a good idea. It is an easily traceable criminal offense with a high probability of being reported and investigated. Bob Rae is out doing his best to tie this directly to Stephen Harper, but Stephen Harper is not stupid. This was a stupid idea, likely to become known and damage public perception of the party.
You need to read what Sandy at Crux of the Matter wrote about her own experience. We know Bob Rae is already blaming the ass kicking his party received on robocalls. Investigation be damned Stephen Harper must have a Richard Nixon ouija board in his office. All political parties get a list of the registered voters in the riding before the election. Before election day, they even get an updated list on who has voted and who hasn't.
I downloaded Google Chrome because I wanted to write about this after listening to Bob Rae yap on the radio today. This web browser sucks. Please Google, resolve your spat with Microsoft.
Who has the names and addresses of all voters in Canada, who makes up those voting lists, who decides where you will vote.
ReplyDeleteI know of people who had the wrong address on those voting cards. Where did all the cards go that went to the wrong address as people had moved or died.
Answer, the tax department and elections Canada. You tick the box on your tax return to allow your info to be sent to EC.
Tonight, at least one defeated MP said he hopes that those phoned kept records of the calls for proof. I am sure after such a long time, everyone has erased their call display.
And what if those calls really did come from a person from elections Canada.
This faux scandl will not result in by-elections or the defeat of the government.
And didn't the liberals lose many seats in all the last 3 elections, was that the result of robocalls.
As for phone calls, I have received 3 in the last 2 weeks from so called polling firms, one from New Jersey, 2 from an AB number, asking who I would vote for if the election was tomorrow. Press 1 for ndp, 2 for WRA. Don't know who 3 is.
ReplyDeleteThe guy said he was from a recognized polling firm but did not give his name. 1 call was from a woman. Why would a polling firm be calling from New Jersey. I have saved the numbers and also googled them. Most comments I read from that is these numbers are a scam.
Rae is not suggesting that this shitty trick cost the Liberals, he is stating that it may have cost them some seats. Big difference so don't be so dense.
ReplyDeleteHarper is the head honcho. When this scheme is fully exposed, Harper wears it. End of story.
Only people with the name Anonymous will wear this.
DeleteAnon;What a person hopes and prays happens,hardly ever does.You people can keep hoping and hoping,as that's all you can do.The libs steal our money and put it into their pockets,and the NDPPQ want to take our money and give it to others.PM Harper is well respected over all the world,and even here in Canada by his backer's,the only people that really matters,as far as I'm concerned.PM Harper would never do what the opposer's are doing now,as PM Harper is a real diplomat.Rae,Turmel,and the rest are a bunch of losers that keep hanging on,hoping for a miracle,and nobody,I say if you like those bunch of crooked lying lieberals,then you're one of those that's made a lot of work for his Honorable PM Steven Harper to clean up this country after all those years of lieberals.
DeleteHow about these so called dirty tricks won some liberals their seats. Should we have a by-election in those ridings. What caused them to lose over 30 seats in each of the last 3 elections if only the May election used those faux calls.
DeleteBe careful what you wish for. PMSH could end up with a larger majority next time.
The real problem with the Opposition's new attack is the high degree of backfire this could produce.
ReplyDelete1. If you insinuate that the Tories somehow "cheated" their way to victory, without court-standard admissible evidence, you energize the Tories' fundraising base. Persecution always plays well.
2. You also divert more attention away from your own internal efforts and troubles, and as a result you risk getting caught short in Question Period (which is happening with the inexperienced NDP caucus), or you put off / delay your own efforts to fix what's wrong with your party (the Liberals' fundraising and platform issues).
BTW, on your browser issues: have you considered using Firefox? Or Safari?
It's been on CBC all morning,and not once did it mention the Conservatives voters getting those calls.The people on CBC are so despicable.I hope that PM Harper and the other Conservatives in Question Period this afternoon just answer every question with,no comment,as EC are investigating this matter.I hope they do just about anything to get the opposers angry and upset.Boy,it's going to be an interesting year.
ReplyDeleteI didn't get any robocalls but I did try to find out where my son needed to go to vote. I tried using the Elections Canada website and after an hour or two my best guess turned out to be correct. If anyone was confused by a phone call the website certainly failed to help. It was an absolute disaster.
ReplyDeleteIt could very well be that they were working from a list of voters from Elections Canada to get voters out to vote. Elections Canada lists are often wrong. We got sent to the wrong polling station by Elections Canada after we moved here. But it was no big problem We found out where we needed to go. The next election we got a card saying the same poll as the first time so we called again to Elections Canada and finally got it straightened out. We never considered calling the newspaper etc. and complaining.
ReplyDeleteOne of the ridings listed as a place these calls were supposed to have happened is here where Liberals had no chance of winning and our Conservative member won by a huge number, so what was to be gained here.
Old Lady
One of the ridings listed as a place these calls were supposed to have happened is here where Liberals had no chance of winning and our Conservative member won by a huge number, so what was to be gained here.
DeleteI have really big problems with the whole premise here. Not only was this scam highly unlikely to confuse enough voters to affect the vote totals, it was guaranteed to be exposed immediately (even before the polls closed). Even if it *did* by some miracle work in one or two ridings, and could be proven to have worked, it would be grounds for an immediate by-election anyway...so what's the point?
The Conservative Party is far too experienced and organized to be behind anything this inept. I smell a setup.
The fish rots from the head. Harper knew. Worst PM in our history. 3 years and counting.
ReplyDeleteOld Man
Yes, counting to another majority I'm afraid.
DeleteThis coordinated propaganda offensive by the Toronto media and the Liberals is all about de-legitimizing “You” as a citizen and the votes of the millions of other Canadians who had the audacity to vote against the interests of this despicable confederacy of Big Government and the Big Corporate Welfare mooches. These are the very same players who gutted democracy in the Liberal Party are now in a complete rage and in their desperation are making a play to do the same to Canada and your right to have a say in this country.
ReplyDeleteIt’s another coup attempt by the same low lifers.
Scandal #30 from Bitter Bob Rae who apparently finds dastardly Conservative plots everwhere.
ReplyDeleteThe reason the Liberals lost the last election and the one before that and the one before that and will lose the next election is....
Is looking at Bob Rae every morning when he shaves his face.
I got robo-calls also I ignored them or pick up and hang up as soon as there is that little pause.
I did get a call from a young woman, she wanted help "stopping Harper"?
After I engaged her in conversation corrected her phony math which has voters that didn't vote not voting for Conservatives.?
Using her math 81% did not vote liberal.
I guess I should call elections Canada, right?
I am still waiting for my million dollar cheque from Nigeria, any day now.
Probably about the same time Bob gets a majority Bwaaaaaaaha
I guess poor old Bob has to blame someone for his limp performance.
The only talent he seems to posess is rushing up to any microphone and bright camera lights and screeching we was robbed!
He didn't seem able to do anything when he ran Ontario other than bankrupt the place.
This whole charade, ongoing crap-fest enabled by the Media Party will just turn off more Liberals, energize more Conservatives.
Everytime Bob yells scandal I write a cheque to the Conservative party. #30 and counting...........
Cheers Bubba
First off, the call service is not involved anymore than the internet provider is responsible for the posts on this blog.
ReplyDeleteThe call service is provided a list of numbers to call, provided with a script, from the account holder who ordered and paid for the service.
The name of that account holder was, as I understand it, turned over to the cops in November 2011, by the call center service provider.
Secondly, GOTV calls are made off Elections Canada lists that ALL parties have access too.
Those lists are often times wrong, as others have pointed out.
People move, but keep their phone number.
The number is called.
Each riding runs their own campaign,
Harper has nothing to do with this. period.
The Opps and media are again, as usual, taking advantage of Canadians not understanding the workings of individual campaigns.
Pretending there is a mass conspiracy may appeal to the small 'progressive' minds,
but that doesn't make it true.
Liberals lost the last 3 elections because they are being led around by the nose, by the Ottawa Press Gallery.
ReplyDeleteThey plan their campaigns from the top floor of the CBC building.
Liberals lost the last 3 elections because they haven't proposed any policy since 2006
that engages Canadians.
They were wrong about Everything is a Priority,
they were wrong about the Green Shift,
they were wrong about the Coalition of Losers,
they were wrong about Contempt of Parliament,
the LPC hasn't got it right for over a decade.
Liberals lost the last 3 elections because they are lazy, top down, entitled, and arrogantly believe Canadians who vote for someone other than the LPC, are stupid.
Liberals lost the last 3 elections because they would rather campaign on culture wars than policy.
That's what they know.
Culture wars and stealing other parties platforms.
Well said, "Wilson"!
ReplyDeleteI'll second that!
DeleteSame goes for Icemans post as well.
A lot of voters will have trouble in the next election, with the new ridings to be implemented. Ridings will have to be redesigned, and you may be surprised that it is yours. What a heyday for those robocallers.
ReplyDeleteIt's a ballot question Cons - be careful how you tread.
ReplyDeleteI charted the ridings with reported incidences against where RMG was hired and where they had voting location changes. You might find it interesting.
ReplyDeletehttp://iceandgrain.blogspot.com/2012/02/robocall-scandal-analysis-by-riding.html
I received multiple robo calls before the last election some were legit and others were just plain weird. Any robo calls that started in french I simply erased, as I live in BC where no one speaks french, except federal Government employees and other special languaged parasites... other robocalls informed me of a change in the polling station address. The polling station had indeed been changed from a church directly across the street from my house, to a building next door to the church, also directly opposite my house, but one building over. When I asked one of the volunteers why polling had been moved from the church to the building next door to the church, some said they didn't know, while another said it was at the behest of EC... I received robocalls from all 3 main parties, plus the Greens, which I erased, as I knew where the polling station was and already knew who I was voting for. This whole robogate smear by the "Liberals"/NDPQ and their media is a farce and a disgrace.
ReplyDeleteIt is obvious that a lot of annonymous posters have never been involved in pre-election planning. The person deciding where polls are set up is the District Electoral Officer in every riding. Applications go out for this position pre-election, and the winner is usually decided by the sitting MP. A lot of seats have changed hands in the last 3 elections, so one has to assume there are a lot of former DROs out there, from every party except Green. The DROs have assistants, and each poll is staffed from applications for the position. If you are hired, you have to attend a few workshops and must not campaign for any party. More later, phone call from client
ReplyDeleteBack: A lot of things are involved in selecting poll sites. Usually the DRO will just go with the place last elections were held at, but if it is a new DRO, they are not familiar with all sites in the riding. Some were changed because they were not accessible, others were changed due to distance. Considering all the problems a lot of polls had re opening on time, procedures etc, a lot of beginners were working. I expect next election will have numerous problems in Que with all those new DROs appointed, and staffed by ndp leaners.
ReplyDeleteIf there was hank panky it is at the local level, not federal. Adam Caroll proves that it is not against liberal rules to pull dirty tricks. As a scrutineer last May I say some poll clerks try to deny ballots on the flimsiest excuses. Utility bills in the other partners name, so no proof of residency or partnership. We knew the person but could not vouch for him. Imagine what goes on in a polling site that is for more than one district involved. Same riding, same candidates but you belong over there, not here. And as all those officials had been in place for ages as no one knew when an election would be called. Next time everyone will be more prepared. Just stop and think of the logistics of it all.