02.28.2012 07:25 AM

And so it begins

“The RCMP has executed a search warrant at the offices of an Edmonton-based call firm hired by the Conservative Party in the last federal election, as police investigate allegations of voter fraud in the growing “robocall” scandal.

Racknine Inc. is being asked to hand over any data, such as emails or billing records, linking it to the Conservative campaign in Guelph, Ont., where the robocall accusations originated. Residents said they received phone calls directing them to the wrong voting locations.”

10 Comments

  1. dave says:

    Well…we’ll see. We had something begin here in BC about 8 years ago with RCMP executing a search warrant at offices in our legislature. It looked (still looks, to some of us) like a government shaking process. But, the government’s firm hand kept it from getting out of control.

  2. Mulletaur says:

    If I were a defeated candidate in a riding that received calls that were supposed to be from Elections Canada telling them to go vote someplace else, I would be making a formal complaint to the RCMP about offences under the Canada Elections Act.

    What I find odd, however, is that there does not appear to be a specific offence directed at those who misrepresent themselves as Elections Canada and mislead individuals as to polling station locations. The general prohibition on obstruction of the electoral process contained in S.480 refers to contraventions of the Canada Elections Act with the intention of delaying or obstructing the electoral process. I read this to mean that, if the action taken is not a specific contravention of the Act, it cannot be considered an offence. If I’m wrong about this, please correct me quoting statute.

    • Mulletaur says:

      Ah. S.482(b), punishable under S.500(5), maximum $2000 and/or a year in the crowbar hotel or both on summary, or maximum $5000 and/or 5 years of quiet contemplation on indictment.

    • Sue Fairchild says:

      Does that include failed Conservative candidates who claim their riding also received robo-calls misdirecting voters, or does this only apply to losing Liberal candidates?

      Anybody wonder why it took 9 months to bring this situation to light… from May to February? I would have thought the alarms would have gone off right after the election and not 9 months later.

      What am I missing?

      • The Zaphos Institute says:

        Does that include failed Conservative candidates who claim their riding also received robo-calls misdirecting voters…

        Umm, why have we not heard of these instances until just now? By contrast, the election fraud stories from Guelph have been around in the media since last May.

        With all the zeal the Reformatories have shown in getting to the bottom of the Vikileaks gong-show, I can’t imagine they’d just sit on election fraud allegations against the Liberals after all this time.

        These new CPC robocall allegations against the opposition parties just don’t pass the ‘smell test’ what-so-ever.

        • Sue Fairchild says:

          Yes, but it took a whole 9 months before this sordid affair was exposed, and it was a reporter who ‘broke’ the story— I think it was Maher.

          Was the expose delayed to be only sprung now, and for what purpose? It looks like the opposition parties were caught off guard too.

          Were the Cons able to suppress the investigation and story, or did the opposition parties just let it go? Something doesn’t add up here, sorry.

      • The Zaphos Institute says:

        Oh, you can listen to one of the Guelph ‘robocalls’ here…

        http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1138013–robo-calls-listen-to-this-fraudulent-elections-canada-message?bn=1

        By the way, the Liberals held on to Guelph. Doesn’t matter who won what riding. Any election fraud needs to be investigated, and the guilty parties need to spend some time in the Crowbar Hilton.

  3. As much as I would like to see a bunch of political hacks busted for this, I doubt much will come from an RCMP investigation. I read that on election day the Thunder Bay call centre operators actually phoned the police on themselves because they felt the script they were obliged to read was morally wrong. And the police response was, “What do you expect us to do about it?” The RCMP don’t referee elections. The average officer has his/her hands full with domestic spats, drunks, speed traps, and B’n’Es. If you think they’re gonna haul Michael Sona downtown and grill him until he rats out senators and cabinet ministers, well, that would make a good movie. But it’s not going to happen.

  4. dave says:

    Our election system: 308 constituencies, and only 40-50 close enough to warrant robocalls to tiphte balance.

  5. Curt says:

    In the Maritimes poll captains would pick up “sympathetic” voters, drive them to the polling booths and give them a pint of rum afterwards. A “progressive” did that to me and six of my pals when we were 18 and 19. I see robo-calls as just a different form. Quite the party that night though.

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