Can’t help but wonder if this is a salvo in the Conservative battle to undermine the credibility and legitimacy of Elections Canada, given the recent and past party ‘indiscretions’ that have come to the attention of that body.
Recommend this Post
|
And it is not difficult to figure out who is pulling his strings. Recommend this Post This and that for your Sunday reading. - I’ll quickly link to a few Robocon stories which I han’t yet blogged. Karl Nerenberg noted that the Federal Court decision finding widespread election fraud using the Cons’ voter database was only the beginning, and Jean-Pierre Kingsley was hopeful that the ruling would lead to needed improvements in Elections Canada’s authority. But the continued obstruction of the Cons themselves makes it clear that the public interest couldn’t be lower on the Harper government’s priority list. - Meanwhile, as a stark contrast to the Cons’ determination not to let anybody get to the (Read more…) Elections Canada’s “Preventing Deceptive Communications with Electors” report, a response to the robocalls election fraud of 2011, recommends legislation that provides basic privacy protections to voters while stopping political parties from engaging in deceptive communications. The post Robocalls: Elections Canada on “Preventing Deceptive Communications” appeared first on The Canadian Progressive. By: Obert Madondo | The Canadian Progressive: The Harper Conservatives will not be introducing the comprehensive “election reform act” they promised Canadians, after all. The bill was due to be tabled in Parliament on Thursday. Apparently, the Conservatives have discovered a “last minute” issue with their own piece of legislation. An issue so [...] The post Harper Conservatives Delay Robocalls Justice… Again! appeared first on The Canadian Progressive. Officials from Elections Canada have laid an information in a Guelph court alleging one charge against Michael Sona, a former Conservative Party of Canada staffer and campaign executive. You guys know I don’t blog often. I greet most political issues with a sens of ennui, and most ‘debates’ frustrate me as tired screaming matches between partisans. This dispute, however, has much, much more to it. I communicated with Sona and someone who was helping him to manage issues related to his dismissal from his Parliament Hill job. They were concerned about his entitlements, and they were concerned about . . . → Read More: Valerie Burns: On Michael Sona By: Obert Madondo | The Canadian Progressive: Stiffer penalties for election fraud, more voter privacy and robust investigative powers are some of the recommendations Elections Canada made in its long-awaited report on the robocalls scandal, which rocked the May 2011 federal election. Canada’s Chief Electoral Officer, Marc Mayrand, presented the report to Parliament [...] The post Canadians Should Reject Elections Canada Robocalls Report appeared first on The Canadian Progressive | News & Analysis. This and that for your Sunday reading. - Alan Feuer writes about New York City’s brilliant use of “big data” to connect the dots in making public policy. And the examples look like a rather compelling reason why we should be looking to expand public-sector data collection and analysis as part of any remotely viable regulatory structure – rather than following the right-wing model of reducing the public sector to checking whether private-sector actors have filed paperwork claiming to have complied with the law. - Chantal Hebert theorizes that the Harper Cons may be facing their seven-year itch. Alison’s updated . . . → Read More: Accidental Deliberations: Sunday Morning Links This and that for your Thursday reading. - Murray Dobbin writes about the significance of Idle No More as a shift away from the presumption that First Nations’ interests are represented solely by elected officials: There are some fascinating similarities between the Idle No More phenomenon and the Occupy movement. Both reflect a political dualism: they are focused on the lack of democracy, justice and equality for ordinary people and they are implicitly (and with Idle No More explicitly) telling conventional movement organizations that are supposed to speak for them that they have failed. And it should come as no . . . → Read More: Accidental Deliberations: Thursday Morning Links by Council of Canadians: After a six-day federal court hearing, eight electors in six ridings have made a strong case that there was widespread voter suppression in the 2011 federal election that benefited Conservative Party candidates. They have asked the federal court judge to annul the results in the six ridings. “The fact that the READ MORE Miscellaneous material for your weekend reading. - Susan Delacourt writes that laughable conspiracy theories look to be the Cons’ stock in trade as they fight against any accountability for electoral fraud: (I)t may be true that Ford has left-wing opponents on council and that the Council of Canadians, which has launched the legal challenge on so-called robocalls, would prefer that Harper had not win the last election. But these are not illegal views in this country — at least not yet. Demonization of your adversaries is a spin tactic, not a legal defence. Besides, Hamilton knows that the concern over . . . → Read More: Accidental Deliberations: Saturday Morning Links This and that for your Tuesday reading. - John Cameron highlights the importance of liberal arts education – as well as the fact that only a few people (who happen to nicely coincide with the Wall government’s base) stand to benefit from a citizenry with less of a tendency toward critical thinking: But anyone who can think critically – a liberal arts value, ironically enough – can see that there’s way more to this issue than simply a matter of that right-wing bugaboo, the Bloated Bureaucratic Salary. There’s issues of university transparency (Why is the public and university community dealing . . . → Read More: Accidental Deliberations: Tuesday Morning Links Miscellaneous material for your Monday reading. - Paul Krugman discusses two theories behind the ever-growing divergence between soaring profits and stagnant wages. But it’s particularly important to note that neither of them calls for “free money for rich people” as a rational response: Why is this happening? As best as I can tell, there are two plausible explanations, both of which could be true to some extent. One is that technology has taken a turn that places labor at a disadvantage; the other is that we’re looking at the effects of a sharp increase in monopoly power. Think of these . . . → Read More: Accidental Deliberations: Monday Morning Links by Council of Canadians WHAT: Beginning Monday, the most important legal cases in the history of Canadian elections will be argued before the Federal Court: the applications to contest the outcome of 2011 federal election in six ridings. WHEN: 9:30am, Monday, December 10 (International Human Rights Day). The full federal court hearing of the election fraud cases READ MORE by Council of Canadians | November 29, 2012: Evidence filed in the Federal Court today includes detailed accounts from voters targeted by fraudulent or harassing calls intended to discourage them from voting in 56 ridings across Ontario, BC, Alberta, Manitoba, and Quebec (the ridings are listed below), likely in violation of the Canada Elections Act. The [...] . . . → Read More: Canadian Progressive: Elections Canada evidence confirms widespread voter suppression campaign Assorted content for your weekend reading.- Chrystia Freeland discusses the developing view that inequality can serve to stifle growth and development, while more equitable tax systems and social supports can encourage them:Set aside any moral or polit… . . . → Read More: Accidental Deliberations: Saturday Morning Links The more cynical readers of this blog will doubtless be unsurprised, but I think that the recent shambles of a “public consultation” embarked upon by Elections Canada is strong evidence that the organizations is conceding its investigation into the 2011 election robocalls, does not intend ever to charge someone with vote suppression (least of all [...] . . . → Read More: The Sixth Estate: Inside Elections Canada’s Whitewash Report on Election Fraud: Armwaving, Cynicism, Red Herrings Assorted content for your weekend reading.- Bill Curry reports on the Cons’ latest public-sector slashing. But there hasn’t yet been much discussion of the most alarming number: upwards of 30% of the Cons’ cuts are coming from the Canada Revenue Agency… . . . → Read More: Accidental Deliberations: Saturday Morning Links Ring. Ring. Hello.Is this Pierre Poutine?Why do you ask?Remember the movie The Postman Always Rings Twice?Yeah. Why?Because do you hear that ringing sound? My dark cockroach. It's Elections Canada. Read more » . . . → Read More: Montreal Simon: The Robocall Scandal Heats Up Again Michael Sona on CBCListen to the Power Panel comments on the Sona interview first – you can find it here.Then listen to his interview – it is here.And here is a press article by Lawernce Martin on his interview.This story is starting to unravel… . . . → Read More: CuriosityCat: RoboCon: Michael Sona – "This entire, massive scheme" Miscellaneous material for your Monday reading. - The Economist adds a noteworthy voice to the chorus calling for greater tax enforcement to ensure the corporate elite pays its fair share: Characterising this steady financing as short-term lending is “the ultimate example of form over substance” and undermines a fundamental tenet of American tax policy, huffed Mr Levin. When an HP executive tried to insist the manoeuvre did not constitute profit repatriation, the senator wielded an internal HP document in which it was discussed—in the repatriation-strategy section. The Senate investigators said they suspected other companies were doing the same thing but . . . → Read More: Accidental Deliberations: Monday Morning Links Are you like millions of Canadians outraged by Prime Minister Stephen Harper‘s relentless assault on our democratic institutions, traditions and values? Maybe you’re wondering if the Harper can really be stopped? This week (September 15-22) is the week to do find answers. And do something about Canada’s ailing democracy. It’s Democracy Week (September 15-22) in Canada. Enter Elections Canada, the “independent” and “non-partisan” agency responsible for conducting federal elections and referendums – the sponsor and brains behind the initiative. Oh yes, the same Elections Canada seemingly sabotaging the Etobicoke Centre by-election, which was ordered by the Ontario Superior court. The same Elections Canada . . . → Read More: Canadian Progressive: Who is sponsoring Canada’s Democracy Week? Elections Canada, of course Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. - Tim Harper weighs in on the Cons’ latest campaign of coordinated lies, and notes that the NDP looks to have learned one important lesson in how to respond: The NDP may be here at the federal level for the first time, but they appear to have learned the first lesson when dodging such volleys — respond. No charge is too ridiculous or over-the-top to be ignored. The term Swiftboating entered the North American political lexicon because John Kerry took a holiday in 2004 rather than respond to Vietnam Swiftboat vets who questioned his . . . → Read More: Accidental Deliberations: Wednesday Morning Links Elections Canada paid former RCMP investigator $95,523 for visit to only one out of 234 riding affected by robocalls during the May 2011 Federal election. Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. - Kady points out that despite the Cons’ best efforts to stonewall, the Robocon investigation in Guelph looks to have locked in on the source of their fraudulent robocalls. And while it’s indeed somewhat concerning that Elections Canada hasn’t reached anywhere near the same depth of investigation when it comes to the other 234 ridings where voters have reported questionable calls, a solid case aimed at an individual who took steps to cover his tracks may be just the opening needed to get at the party’s wider scheme. - pogge duly slams Jim Flaherty’s . . . → Read More: Accidental Deliberations: Wednesday Morning Links |
||
|
Copyright © 2013 Progressive Bloggers // Blogues progressistes - All Rights Reserved |
||
