The dirty war

On the road this week in Southern Ontario, I stopped by Frank Valeriote's campaign office in Guelph yesterday to see how things were going. 

Guelph has already been the epicentre of a Liberal-Conservative dispute over ballot boxes at the university. When I arrived at Valeriote's office, he and his campaign workers were talking about how and when to issue a news release about some questionable tactics they've been seeing in that riding. They're not blaming anyone, but Valeriote says that none of the other candidates seem to be the target of these tactics/pranks. 

One of Valeriote's campaign workers said they  have had "numerous" complaints from Guelph residents who say they're getting calls after 9 p.m. from people claiming to represent the Liberals. 

Valeriote isn't the only Liberal candidate complaining of these tactics. Joe Volpe alleges that it's happening in Eglinton-Lawrence too, and Bob Speller has told  the media that harassing calls are being lodged in his name in Haldimand and Norfolk as well. 

Valeriote also says that people with Liberal signs on their lawns have been getting visits from volunteers identifying themselves as Conservative campaign workers, who are warning these would-be Liberal voters that voting for Michael Ignatieff will result in handing control of the country to Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe. 

Like Volpe, Valeriote is saying that this is all part of a voter-suppression effort. Green Party leader Elizabeth May talked about this at the Star's editorial-board meeting a couple of weeks ago -- the nasty tactics may not drive any votes toward  a particular party, but instead,  disgust people enough about politics that they simply stay away from the ballot box on May 2. Much of the Liberals' whole campaign this time has been focused on boosting turnout, so these 12-year-old-kid pranks could be a real problem.

Then again, it all does give average citizens a glimpse of what's become business as usual in Ottawa in recent years. 

 

Comments

[Terence]

We have had the same thing happening in Oakville with Liberal supporters getting calls from a North Dakota number at 3 am asking for Liberal support.

[Paul B]

"Valeriote also says that people with Liberal signs on their lawns have been getting visits from volunteers identifying themselves as Conservative campaign workers, who are warning these would-be Liberal voters that voting for Michael Ignatieff will result in handing control of the country to Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe"

Maybe for Delacourt's next post she can let voters know what people in Ajax-Pickering with Conservative signs are being told by Liberal volunteers knocking on their door. And no mention of that Liberal campaign worker charged with stealing Tory signs in Brampton. Nor the Liberal MP breaking Elections Canada rules campaigning in a private area at a university. Caught on video.

[Matt]

Conservatives are using dirty and childish tactics all over the country. I could give you many examples for the ridings around me. The difference between the Liberals and the Conservatives is that the Liberals want everyone to vote, even if it's not Liberal while the Conservative only want people to vote if they'll vote Conservative.

[geo]

No time to talk to NDP or Conservative candidates about
tactics being used by Liberals?

[Mike R.]

Hey Paul, let's see that video. I did see the pics today on-line of the Conservative Director of Communications in the voting area at Guelph U. I note the Party wouldn't say he was there-- whoops! By the way, was he sworn in in order to be in that polling area? You know the guy I mean, the one that tried to grab the ballot box?

[geo]

Mike R-

Here's pictures of the Conservative Director grabbing the box
and running with it.....

http://landmarkreport.com/andrew/2011/04/photos-from-the-guelph-poll-scandal/

Also note in the pictures there were no Liberals handing out anything near the polling station.

Disappointing revelation isn't it?

How come the main stream media hasn't published these revealing pictures?

[Cathy Payne]

I heard today about phone calls in the middle of the night in Manitoba. I just assumed the private contractor who got the job was calling from a reasonable hour in their own time zone. When the receipts get tallied it all comes out. It is amazing to me what some Conservative people will pay for. It is also the part of "tax refundable democracy" that Mr Harper wants to keep. Earning $2 per vote for a physical effort from all sides couldn't possibly be a threat. It sounded silly to me when Harper suggested it was. Discouraging physical turnout has become a science.

[geo]

Different strokes for different folks.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/CanadaVotes/News/2011/04/18/18037701.html

[Rick Omen]

The CPC candidate where I am can't keep a sign up to save his life. Everytime they put one back up, it's torn down again within days. It's like this in the entire town. I really wish the police would catch some of the people who do this stuff. It'd be much better than political parties making vague and baseless accusations of dirty tricks.

[danielmartin]

Something very similar occurred in the last general election in Saanich-Gulf Islands to NdP and Liberal supporters... I don't think it takes much beyond a one-plus-one math to figure out which party has most at risk, which party has the most money, and which party has the track record of going beyond the boundaries of Elections Canada rules when it comes to manipulating the vote.

[bsmith]

In Oakville Max Khan's signs are popping up on people's front lawns - problem is people haven't asked for them - don't want them.

[Bee Ferg]

How so you know that the phone call report is not fabricated by a Liberal lover. I have read some of the comments from the Liberal followers and they are down right dirty and not one bit Canadian.