In this morning’s Globe:
“Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s parliamentary secretary has stepped heavily into the Ontario election for the second time, this time commissioning a 1,000-person poll because he felt a local newspaper underplayed the popularity of the local Progressive Conservative candidate…
he provincial Liberals jumped on the poll, saying that Mr. Del Mastro was acting on behalf of the Prime Minister to run interference in the provincial election.
“This is Harper’s hand-picked parliamentary secretary – his go-to attack dog – and it’s the second time that the Prime Minister has set him loose during the Ontario election,” said Greg Sorbara, a candidate in Vaughan and the campaign co-chairman.
“It is another sign that Harper and the Conservatives are increasingly concerned about Hudak’s disorganized campaign and are prepared to intervene.”
The Prime Minister’s Office had no comment.”
Among other things, it reminds everyone about “hat trick,” doesn’t it?
August 2, 2011: Stephen Harper calls for a “hat trick” – for Conservatives to run the country, the GTA and Ontario. Almost every day since: Conservative operatives scramble to suppress any record of Harper’s statement.
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Not only is he interfering in provincial politics in a way that is completely inappropriate, but he is doing so on behalf of a candidate who used to — and I suspect will again, after he’s lost this election — work for him. Del Mastro is at best a bull in a china shop and that Harper continues to promote this stooge says more about Harper than Del Mastro.
heh, whose dissing the needed ‘hat trick’ — whatever works in restoring Toronto, The Good? Weren’t you the one complaining about recycle bins a while back? Fiscal mismanagement and crime rates soaring through the roof means we’re looking at a mess. But what mess, you say??
The only people complaining about a ‘mess’ were the shrills over at the SUN.
Where is the order in council revoking the approvals for the the construction of the new electricity generating station on Dundas St in Mississauga
Did you not know Del Mastro can move his eyebrows independently and is a hell of a used car salesman. How dare you!
Once you look at all the factors in this situation, you realize how unethical it really is. To begin, the phone calls were paid for using Federal Conservative Association of Peterborough money. It is thus able to be claimed and refunded under political expenses by the federal government. As well, the “polling” was done by a call centre. Now, there is no problem in using professional call centres to identify voters. In fact, it is very common. However, when a call centre lies to people by presenting itself as a polling company, it breaks ethics. As well, companies like that collect voter information and pass it along to campaigns, which is very very likely to be the case here. Finally, it was a push poll. It made statements in the poll that are not fact, but opinions, and tried to influence voters with that opinion.
Good points. The ‘polling’ company here was: ‘ElectRight’ (whose name is as leading as their Q’s), as disclosed by Del Mastro himself:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/66538325/Release-Elect-Right-Poll
Among other things, they’ll also do the ‘Get out the vote’ calls for their preferred candidate:
http://electright.ca/services.php
And as Ed’s just pointed out, gee, isn’t it handy that they now have a handy list of 350 additional PC-leaning numbers to call thanks to this CPC-commissioned ‘poll’.
And then, to cap it all off, he sends out the results of the poll on his Parliamentary Letterhead! So his riding association paid for the poll, but he announces the results as an MP? What a disgrace.
Down here in Niagara it looks like the peeper might win. Cons 39%, Libs 35% and NDP 25% but they just promised to re open a hospital. Tim has already selected the peeper to be education minister. The first thing he will tackle is sex ed. This will consist entirely of the peeper tweeting pictures of his junk.
Moron: “crime rates soaring through the roof”.
I guess this is proof that the propaganda campaign launched by Harper and his gang is actually getting through to some who can’t think for themselves. Crimes rates are declining, and are at 1973 levels. But those are facts and stats…not something the Cons put much stock in.
Or are these the “unreported crimes” you are referring to ? Which makes me laugh because if they are actually unreported, how does anyone know…and if they know, aren’t they then “reported” ?
Funny stuff.
Yeah, but…..but….. those socialist liberal commie bastards wont tell us where the ‘bodies’ are buried
Not only is Del Masturbate interfering but every other Ontario federal Tory MP has been ordered by the PMO to work directly for the local PC candidate. The Oakville guy, who is most useless, was seen pounding in signs last weekend.
I love how he says he’s not being partisan with the poll yet asks those ridiculously loaded questions to get the desire results. Stay classy Dean, stay classy.
What’s really very interesting and very telling is that, while Harper is trying to get his “hat trick” by having hoardes of Conservative MPs helping out PCO candidates, they have so little confidence in Hudak that they don’t really want to be linked to him personally.
They’ll pick favourites (splitting the already very split party) but with Hudak it’s “who-dat?”.
It’s not based on propaganda whatsoever, Peter. Shootings in intersections, first hand accounts how Toronto highrise condo and apartment dwellers have some reluctance descending elevators at all times of day to make simple trips to convenience stores for needed supplies. Life was better over fifteen years ago when Toronto was cited as one of the cleanest cities in the world. Remember that?? It can be again with some applied thought, fiscal restructuring, accountability under Ford (supported by reportedly 90 percent of taxpayers), and a new premier who will do the math with some accuracy. Open the ledgers to the public. It’s the twenty first century and it’s time. It’s common knowledge, graft has been the problem. Citizens are regularly saying fifty percent of every dollar is either wasted or unaccounted for — that can change and should and will.
Good luck to the POLICY OUTLAYERS tonight. Even as we glean for credible financial prospects and figures. We’re all looking for details — and isn’t the ‘devil in the details?’ Always, you might say.
I’m working right now, but can I have some of what you are smoking for after work?
Other than making stuff up and crapping on my city, what else ya got?
90% support Ford!?!?!?!?. Not from the poll numbers I’ve seen:)
90% support ? HAHAHAHAHAHA. You mean if you listen to Ford himself. The latest poll had support for his cuts and fiscal policy in the high 20’s
Nice try though. You are also, one of the ones that believe every piece of propaganda that you hear. And once again, FACTS show that crime is declining and is now at 1973 levels.
What’s wrong with the Conservative candidate in Vaughan, Tony Gecko?
Steve isn’t interfering, that’s just him “being here for us”, like he said he would.