This campaign has seen a lot of things, from MPs using office budgets to advertise during the writ to past blogs of present candidates coming back to haunt parties that have not properly conducted the vetting process. But this story, as reported by the Charlottetown Guardian is perhaps the one to top.
Conservative candidate Tom DeBlois posted signs throughout his riding advising constituents to “say no” to Dion’s carbon tax. These signs weren’t the standard blue with the standard Conservative logo but they were authorized by the official agent for Tom DeBlois.
Liberals, infuriated by opposition to their leader’s carbon tax, or perhaps just simply frustrated the plan isn’t going over as well as Al Gore’s private jet on the way to another Inconvenient presentation, drove throughout the riding and tore down the signs.
If this sounds like the standard campaign dirty tricks, read on. There’s an interesting twist. Turns out that Elections Canada actually authorized the take-down of the signs. Even if the signs were illegal, why did Elections Canada outsource it’s muscle to the Liberal Party? With pre-election suggestions by the Conservatives of Elections Canada working hand-in-glove with the Liberal Party, one would presume Elections Canada would be more careful and do better to try and dispel this allegation. The problem for the Liberals, and for Elections Canada in particular, the signs are completely legal and the subjective arbiter of elections fails to secure the democratic process from abuse once again and in this particular case they enabled it.
Elections Canada has admitted it was wrong to have the signs removed. The executive director of the Liberal Party has apologized.
While we’re on the topic of signs, let’s bring up some suspicious advertising that Elections Canada should take a look into. Of course, as Conservatives we don’t expect them to give a green light to our (or rather their) enforcement division.
Stapled to municipal sign
Stapled to utility pole
(from Guelph) Authorized by an official agent? Who knows.
Consider the stark difference in how Elections Canada enforces its rules.
1) In this case here, Liberals complain about legal signs, Elections Canada authorizes the Liberals to take them down.
2) Liberal MP Anthony Rota buys an identifying himself as an MP and the ad runs during the writ period unauthorized by his official agent. Conservatives complain but Elections Canada declares the ad legal.
3) Liberals provide advertising for a corporation on their campaign plane. We still haven’t heard from Elections Canada if this was done for free or whether other considerations were involved.
4) Finally, an NDP supporter puts an NDP sign in their rented apartment window, the landlord threatens eviction and Elections Canada washes their hands of the matter.
Stephen Taylor is a scientist, political analyst and a blogger. Taylor writes here regularly and is the founder of bloggingtories.ca. Taylor has contributed to Macleans, CTV, talk radio and has been a featured speaker on new media at numerous events including the Western Standard Cruise and the Forum for Public Policy. In December 2008, Taylor organized Rally for Canada, a series of rallies held coast-to-coast to protest the proposed coalition government.
October 3rd, 2008 at 1:37 pm
It is obvious that there are 2 sets of rules at play here, one for the Liberals and one for everyone else. It is more than disconcerting to see that in the past few days alone Elections Canada has demonstrated so much ineptitude in relation to the policinig of this election campaign. Apologies for errors in judgement are not good enough when the people involved at Elections Canada should know the rules that they are meant to enforce. You would think that with the publicity that flowed from their raid of Conservative headquarters and the law suit associated to the “in and out” crock of horse manure that they would exercise better judgement and better knowledge of their rules since the voting public (an no doubt the Conservative Party) would be scrutinizing their activities more closely than perhaps was done in the past.
Furthermore, that lack of respect from the PEI candidate on this situation is pathetic. If the situation was reversed and a Conservative or even NDP representative had done what this doofus did, the Liberals would be screaming to high heaven and demanding that the perpetrator be fired!
October 3rd, 2008 at 1:43 pm
We, as Canadians, must start writing to our MPs and agencies such as Elections Canada. I would also send an e-mail to Dion to ask about this. We must get off our duffs and do something. I once posed a legitimate question to Garth Turner on his blog and he replied in a rude and insulting manner. I took a screen shot and e-mailed it with a complaint to Stéphane Dion. I did receive a sympathetic reply in return, I'll give his office credit for that. Unfortunately, too many people accept dirty tricks and don't take action. I have no problem e-mailing a political leader if one of his people is behaving badly.
October 3rd, 2008 at 1:54 pm
Having admitted their mistake, it's now time for Elections Canada to require the Liberals to put the signs back, right where they found them. And, how about an apology from both Elections Canada and the Liberal miscreants?
October 3rd, 2008 at 1:58 pm
This would be a good story for that fine PEI lad Mike Duffy to have a go at.
Duff, why not ?
October 3rd, 2008 at 2:34 pm
First of all, Boudria is a hothead. Just watch him on TV panels. He strikes me as extremely unstable and unpredictable — and completely devoid of any common sense.
Second, this would prove that Elections Canada really does have a pro-Liberal bias.
October 3rd, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Elections Canada officials are so far beyond the boundaries of impartiality that I don't think the potential of criminal prosecution is outside of the realm of possibility for these obviously biased transgressions.
October 3rd, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Now that would be one for the banana republic movie reel.
October 3rd, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Banana Republic indeed, that's what we're in right now, can you say bureaucrats gone wild?
October 3rd, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Well, I mean a head of government having the Elections bureau hauled off in handcuffs. Not the best visual for a legitimate country. We'll just sue over our differences. It's the civilized way!
October 3rd, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Very true Stephen, hit them where it hurts them the most.
October 3rd, 2008 at 3:52 pm
Likely to end up with another 'internal' investigation to get to the bottom of things (just like who tipped off the CBC about the raid on the conservative headquarters). Nothing to see here. I checked.
In a truly professional bureacracy, the employee (who gave out the improper advice) and the head of the department should be sanctionned for their transgressions/failings.
Of course, don't hold your breath!
Ed the Hun
October 3rd, 2008 at 4:32 pm
For starters, I don't see how any responsible person could miss the Official Agent's 'marque' on those signs.
Second : Why was this 'marque' not mentioned in the complaint process to EC?
Third : As mentioned, why were the signs removed by an opposing political party's campaign office?
Fourth : One would expect a bit if discourse between campaign offices to ascertain the problem( it would be the mature thing to do)
My take:
The signs were removed without pre authorization by spiteful people who were very capable of seeing the O A”s stamp…done because the signs were cleverly placed. After being caught red handed,and to avoid a scandal at all costs…someone contacted someone and things were backdated so to speak.
…just one joe's opinion.
October 3rd, 2008 at 4:46 pm
Is that not the strangest thing. According to one blog I read…gee, can't remember whose blog it was…it was the evil Conservatives who were trashing those innocent Lib signs. Gee, are you sure that Libs were removing Conservative signs? Does that mean that the Libs aren't quite so innocent as were claimed? Gee.
October 3rd, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Wonder why the MSM wasn't invited this time. Guess it wouldn't have been a good photo-op for the LPC.
October 3rd, 2008 at 5:56 pm
With the media we have now, working to take down the democratically elected government and it appears as though Elections Canada is doing some sleazy work far out the realm of their mandate as well, we are indeed morphing into a Banana Republic by stealth. This is very insidious and we had better hope for a Majority Harper government or we are heading down a very dangerous path. It all started with the Liberal Party of Canada stacking all government bureaucracies, the Senate and the Judiciary with Liberals. This is not what democracy is supposed to look like.
What we really should ask ourselves is WHY are the Liberals so desperate to regain power when they are not in any position or state to run themselves let alone the affairs of this Nation? What is driving them? Is there something in the bowels of their past they want to regain power to cover up? Why do they think only they have the right to govern, even when the people elect another Party to do so? Why can't they respect the peoples' choice in this democracy?
There is reason for grave concern with what's going on with the entire media in this country. Be very afraid.
October 3rd, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Speaking of Liberals, I can't understand why they are spending all their time attacking Harper – for one it's obviously not working, and for two it's obvious that Harper is going to win at least a majority. The current and most pressing threat to the Liberals is Layton and the NDP.
If I were a Liberal strategist, I would be aiming my sights on the NDP – in particular, I would point out every single day to the press, that – if it wasn't for Jack Layton and the NDP forcing the election in 2006, we would have a National Day Care Program, and a Kelowna Accord, as the LIberals had these in place and ready to go, until Layton – the power hungry little demagogue that he is, pulled the plug that caused the election.
You could tell from the English debate when Dion mentioned this, that it is like hitting a raw nerve with Layton. His head nearly popped right off when Dion mentioned this at the debate. They should hammer him with it.
October 3rd, 2008 at 7:16 pm
Election signs that are using utility poles as supports are illegal? So, do you want pictures of the big Lieberal sign here in my little town thats nailed to a utility pole???
October 3rd, 2008 at 8:22 pm
The problem with Elections canada is that there seems to be very little supervision of the supervisors. How about creating a non partisan panel that comes together to examine elections canada after every election to make sure they maintain political impartiality? You can' t trust the commissioner of elections or the auditor general, they're both just one person and can be influenced by their own personal bias. There's no perfect way, but the best way to eliminate partisan ship is with a group of people who have had have never had any tie to a political party. (Membership, donation, etc.) They could even take over the job of the commissioner of elections.
October 3rd, 2008 at 8:24 pm
I believe it is more of a technicality than anything else. Yeah, its illegal but everyone does it. The only way it is enforced is if the municipality complains. Kinda the same as needing to have a business license for a garage sale in some jurisdictions.
October 4th, 2008 at 5:17 am
Has a study ever been done on the impact of election signs on voting patterns? If people are voting according to signs we're in worse trouble than we know.
October 5th, 2008 at 4:36 am
Without two or three non-liberal mandates there will always be this double standard in the institutions that really run this country;
In a country where U.S. style vetting of nominees is despised because it is something that comes from the U.S., patronage appointments remain the only viable method of staffing in many government beurocracies.
No matter how right wing the party there is no chance to do anything restore balance in these entities.
October 5th, 2008 at 11:09 am
I would just like the general public to know about the antics of EC, if for no other reason than to stop the perception that theCPC “going to court” and “being investigated” by EC is a VERY long stretch from them breaking the law.
October 5th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
There's a reason Dion is hammering Harper instead of attacking Layton. At the last minute, Lizzy May and the Greens will boost the Liberals by 10% in the election by telling Green voters to vote Liberal to stop Harper. If anyone thinks there hasn't been a deal in the works with the Liberals and May (I don't think the Greens are aware of the selling out of the party by Lizzie), then I'll start to believe the Green Shaft is revenue neutral.
October 9th, 2008 at 9:30 am
In the Conservative riding of South Shore – St. Margaret's multiple prominent Conservative Party workers admited to tearing down hundreds Liberal and NDP signs… and when their constituency assistant asked them where they put them… they admitted in front of OTHER people that they put them in the Ocean.
The claim has also been sent to Elections Canada. Look into it if you would like proof.
October 9th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
In the Conservative riding of South Shore – St. Margaret's multiple prominent Conservative Party workers admited to tearing down hundreds Liberal and NDP signs… and when their constituency assistant asked them where they put them… they admitted in front of OTHER people that they put them in the Ocean.
The claim has also been sent to Elections Canada. Look into it if you would like proof.