03.03.2012 09:32 AM

Your daily Robocon

Shorter version: Harper says he didn’t need foreign help to hijack the election. Except, um, he did.

40 Comments

  1. David_M says:

    Is it possible to actually run out of talking points?

  2. dave says:

    potpourri

    ‘Front Porch’ is a great name of a company that works for big shots.

    I read the 3rd last paragraph, and it struck me that local police have a heck of a time keeping up with international (very well) organized crime.

    With all this stuff coming out about what the Conservative use on us (not to educate us) to get us to vote, it’s a wonder that they do not sweep all 308 seats.

  3. nic coivert says:

    Who said they were all phone calls?

    • Michael says:

      They had to be phone calls. Otherwise Gord’s math fails.

      And I think we need to hold Gord to the same standards that we holds others on this site. So Gord, do you have any proof of your allegation that there were not 31,000 complaints?

  4. student501 says:

    US company….hmmm…well, it seemed important enough for the PM :

    “We’ve done some checking,” Harper said. “We’ve only found that, in fact, it was the Liberal party that did source its phone calls from the United States.

    http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1139325–robo-calls-made-from-u-s-service-not-us-say-tories

    Seemed important enough for Del Mastro:

    Despite an embarrassing mix-up Thursday in which the Conservatives drew a link between the Liberals and a U.S.-based company, but confused Canadian and American companies with the same name, Del Mastro continued to argue the opposition party harassed its own supporters.

    The Liberals had said some of the harassing calls reported to their campaigns had U.S. area codes.

    Del Mastro had said the U.S. area code proved the calls came from the Liberals because they were the only party to use a U.S.-based call centre. In fact, the Liberals used the Canadian company with a similar name.

    But he persevered with the argument Friday.

    “It seems very clear to us that the Liberal party has, in fact, spent millions of dollars on a nationally orchestrated, documented, well-planned, phoning campaign where they contacted folks they believed were Liberal supporters right across the country,” he said Friday.

    In reference to the number of complaints being investigated, NDP MP Pat Martin said it’s just not plausible to have that many calls made in error.

    “To try and change the channel by implying the Liberals did it to themselves, this nationwide conspiracy to sabotage their own election, and then to say, oh well, maybe there was a few mistakes made. You know, maybe the robo fairy actually spilled over and called a few people they shouldn’t have called,” he said.

    http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/03/02/pol-robocalls-elections-canada-confirms.html

    • que sera sera says:

      Harper sure seems to have a problem when it comes to the world’s involvement in our environmental issues & yet it is ok for elections. Hmmmmm……..

    • allegra fortissima says:

      Russian. You forgot “Russian”, Mr. Tulk. Vladimir and friends know best…

    • student501 says:

      Why?

      Because US companies are not subject to Canadian election laws so they could act with impunity and get away with illegal activities.

  5. kenzo's says:

    Hi Gord. You are a conservative, both large C and small c, and thus we know that you are at your core a frightened individual. You will kick and scream and protest that this isn’t true, And yet it is.

    And we know that you are now likely even more frightened than usual. Again- protest all you like, etc…(yawn). Just promise us you will take as good and long a look in the mirror as you will take here, polluting us with your misinformation and message track.

    warm regards

    • Unintelligentia says:

      Like many other small and large C conservatives, I suspect Gord is sanguine, not frightened. Although Robocon may very well have adverse consequences for the Consersatives, it will not reverse the conservative cultural trend that has prevailed in Canada over the last decade. As Breitbart (RIP) noted, it’s about culture. The excesses of large govenment have put a stake in the Trudeaupean “ideal”, sanity is returning to climate change discussion and the westward shift of political power has diminished the influence of Liberal and CINO political puppet masters. It’s a great day for Canada.

      • kenzo's says:

        Yes, vote suppression and Gov’t by thuggery do indeed amount to a great day for Canada. If you are a frightened person.

        And invoking the cultural wars, which has so helped wreck America of late (thanks Breitbart RIP, et al) and projecting your great optimism for a (small c, large C) conservative trend, is surely not a symptom of being frightened, as well. Surely, not.

      • Michael says:

        Everyone is for smaller government, until they need it.

        Then they want their health care, their EI, their pension, their tax credit. It is at that point, the advocates of small government can’t understand why government is doing enough for them.

      • Derek Pearce says:

        Lulz! Only a true diehard would end a post in the midst of a robocall discussion with “it’s a great day for Canada.” I don’t think the Tories realize what kind of tsunami is looming over them…

        • Unintelligentia says:

          Let the tsunami runs its course. Investigate, prosecute and imprison if legally warranted (great to see Liberals tough on crime for a change). Let the CPC pay a political price if warranted. My point is that Canada has changed. The Tammany Hall Norh client state has been largely disassembled. Hard to put it back together with bond markets keeping us on a short leash. Our sons and daughters are back from Afghanistan, we have a mountain of resources to keep us economically sound and will likely avoid the ethnic conflict that grows in Europe. Like I said, it’s a great day for Canada.

        • kenzo's says:

          “Unintelligentia”- don’t let all them fancy syllables fool you- he’s really just a frightened troll with nothing to say.

  6. student501 says:

    Well it would seem that someone in the know is concerned about the 31,000 complaints:

    OTTAWA – Canada’s former chief electoral officer says recent allegations of systematic voter-suppression phone calls are unprecedented in the country’s electoral history.
    “We have never seen anything like this alleged case in terms of this potential organization and impact in terms of numbers,” said Jean-Pierre Kingsley, Canada’s chief electoral officer from 1990 to 2007.

    http://www2.canada.com/story.html?id=6218365

    Elections Canada “Not a neutral party” – can you provide any support to that, like a Court judgment, independent third party report, something other than an IMHO. Otherwise, it’s just pure conjecture.

  7. Attack! says:

    RT kady o’malley ‏ @kady :
    Additional Fact: EC has stated that the 31,000 contacts includes phone calls, letters and faxes, as well as email.

    https://twitter.com/#!/kady/status/175986724143509504

    • Attack! says:

      Um, not just the Star; the Globe & Mail reported it as complaints, too, but then amended it;

      and that well-known leftie-leaning National Post did, too and hasn’t:

      http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/03/02/tory-robocalls-counterattack-backfires-as-elections-canada-confirms-31000-complaints/

      and more importantly, the late night CTV news & probably local newscasts all over that day also reported it as complaints, so – no, not “irrelevant,” since it’s sowing a lot of doubt and discontent among even the usually otherwise totally disinterested general public.

      Sure, all the media are pestering EC now, & they’ll have to clarify whether & what number of these are just expressions of concern or calls for inquiry rather than actual complaints of their own, but for you & all the conbots atwitter to say over & over they’re irrelevant blah blah is… funny.

    • Neil says:

      Gord
      Please quit using the biased EC talking point releating to In and OUT. The tories admitted to cheating in an election and plead guilty. They cheated, In an election, on our streets, In Canada….We are not making this up.
      They fact that the conservatives got away with it with only a minor slap on the wrist is frankly appalling and is a strong argument for mandatory minimums at least in elections.
      EC bent over backwards to let them off, Doug Findley should have gone to jail!
      If EC was biased it was your way, so cut it out you look like a fool.

  8. frmr disgruntled Con now Happy Lib says:

    From the article posted above……”The agency has received more than 31,000 “contacts,” Enright said, meaning emails, phone calls or letters.”

    Your zeal in defending the “one true faith” is amazing I must say…..reminiscent of some of the young Tories(aka Hitler Youth) I unfortunately had to associate with many years ago…..

    • Jason King says:

      Typical that you base your generalizations on the comment of a single user? Yup

    • frmr disgruntled Con now Happy Lib says:

      A lot of Refoormers are devoid of a sense of humour…..the term was meant in jest……I was a young Tory too during that time……and proudly Red……

  9. student501 says:

    I don’t understand why the PM and the Conservatives have their panties in a knot about this RoboCon stuff.

    After all, they brought in the Federal Accountability Act so the Conservatives should have absolutely NOTHING to fear about an investigation.

    In fact, they should welcome an investigation because it would clear them of any wrongdoing…right ????

    Why doesn’t the PM just take the bull by the horns and call an independent inquiry a la Gomery himself, after all according to the PM they have nothing to hide, all was above board.

    The PM had no such qualms in 2005:

    http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/groupaction/address_harper.html

    • MCBellecourt says:

      Something to hide. If I were PM, an inquiry would be the FIRST thing I would have done, to preserve the integrity of my government. But his reputation for being a control freak extraordinaire is now biting him in the keester big time.

      Looks good on him, no?

  10. Cam says:

    Hi Gord. Nothing wrong with using an American company. Just that Mr. Harper said in the house that only the liberals used American companies for such services. Truth and honesty? Can’t trust Elections Canada? Chuckle, chuckle, chuckle. Just one valid complaint and one valid charge will be enough now. I just hope the more hysterical and deeply in denial you conservatives get, the more the public and especially the conservative base will see just how decietful your rantings and statements are. Too bad, cause I was a Joe Clark conservative and this bunch have just destroyed the conservative brand.

    • Cam says:

      Elections Canada Prosecuted The Conservative Fund of Canada and The Conservative Party of Canada. Both the Fund and the Party plead guilty to violations of the Election Act. Please see The Agreed Statement of Facts through the link at http://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=abo&dir=com/sen&document=2006ge&lang=e&textonly=false#sec480

      So why would the The Conservative Fund of Canada and The Conservative Party of Canada plead guilty? They fought Elections Canada for give or take 5 years and they both appear to have sufficient funds to carry on the fight. Surely it is not Elections Canada’s fault that both the Fund and the Party plead guilty.

      One other thing Gord, isn’t the current head at Elections Canada a Harper appointee?

    • Neil says:

      Gord Yeah look how they handled the in and out is right. They ACTUALLY let the conservatives STEAL an election by overspending. The conservatives admitted they were guilty. It was no accounting error they willfully went out and tried to spend over the limit. If it had been Canada Revenue they would have been prosecuted and charged under they General anti avoidance provision. There is no way in a million years that it was a an honest mistake, it was a deliberate attempt to spend over the limit. It should have resulted in at least Doug Finlay going to Jail (not the senate) and arguably Harper as the party leader being charged and convicted. I know tories are horrible at accountability and responsibility, in Whitehall the whole damm government would have resigned under ministerial accountability, not these guys. They have no honour at all.
      I don’t beleive EC is biased in favour of the conservatives, I think they are woefully underfunded and have nowhere near the power they should.
      In all truth Harper should have been banned from running, and would have been in the UK, for trying to steal the election. Perhaps if he had then it would have been a deterent that stopped them from trying again. You guys are all for manditroy minimums right? What should the mandatory minimum be for cheating in an election by wilfully exceeding the spending limit?
      Repeat your crap talking points all you want the conservatives got away with cheating in an election using in and out and there should have been REAL consequnces.

  11. Jason King says:

    Oh Gord, if only you could market that crazy. You’d be rich

  12. Sean says:

    Gord, the PM’s P.Sec., that wheezing bag of corruption, Dean del Mastro went on TV and told everyone that there was something nefarious about using these firms. Then we find out that HE HIMSELF used those firms. Not only that, he did so pre writ, which means he spent Canadian tax dollars on an American Robo call scheme. Did you watch that guy on TV yesterday? He’s barely treading water, he can’t even keep up with his own lies upon lies upon lies. Find a new point man on this, b/c this clown is hopeless.

    • MCBellecourt says:

      On the other hand, Sean, perhaps we should Dean del Meathead on the file. Saves us a lot of work!!

  13. Tim Sullivan says:

    The police anti-gang task forces and “guns and gangs” squads are not to be trusted — by gang members. It appears that these “squads” set up to enforce “the law” have it out for people who own and use guns illegally, or simply operate their extortion rackets, prostitution rings and shakedowns like any other well-meaning, honest gang-bangers.

    I repeat, it is important to remember that police services is not to be trusted in this – they are a deeply vested interest that has shown an anti-“people-who-do-criminal-thing-in-an-organized-and-for-profit-manner” attitudes and conduct in the past – their word should not be taken at face value – their facts should be checked (by prosecutors or a court, maybe) – otherwise one could end up with egg an their face.

  14. Tim Sullivan says:

    Because the ONLY way to receive a complaint is from a phone, to a live person.

    We cannot use: email, letters, web-based platforms, answering machines, in-person attendance. Nope. Can’t do that. Never even heard of that.

  15. student501 says:

    “I disagree with the PM and others in the CPC on this point.”

    Not many others disagree with the PM and the CPC on this matter, that’s why they are addressing the issue in this manner.

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