Every vote counts... and that worries some people
What if you got to the poll on Election
Day and were told you were at the wrong
station? How would you feel if a party representative
called you at 2 a.m. to see if they
could count on your vote? Both of these tactics,
and more, were employed in the
Federal Election last year.
Both before and on Election Day, phone calls were made to voters in 43 RIDINGS with misleading information. Senior citizens in Guelph received phone calls directing them to alternate polling stations, when the actual polling station was located in the building. Others received calls by an individual claiming to be a Liberal staffer, or sometimes even the Liberal campaign manager, who would then go on to be deliberately rude and offensive. The goal of these calls, as it would appear, was to discourage individuals from voting against the Conservatives... or voting at all.
It's crucial to immediately recognize that no hard evidence has been found tying the Conservatives to these calls, and Stephen Harper has empathically denied any involvement. The Conservative Party is the only party to have used RackNine, the robocalling company used in many of the incidents, for services in the past. The company itself is not involved in the investigation and has in fact been cleared of wrongdoing. The person who used the service, however, won't be so lucky.
The tactic is called "voter subversion" and isn't unheard of in past elections in the U.S., however there's no history of it in Canada. Companies like RackNine offer their automated calling services for a fee and they can be hired by anyone. The fact that the Conservative Party was the only one to have used this service brings out the conspiracy theorist in me. If in fact the Conservative Party were responsible, it seems to me that they'd use a company with whom they had no affiliations as opposed to using the one they'd employed to make legitimate party calls. The finger-pointing in the House of Commons is largely sensationalism as, in any government, the party in power is constantly attacked primarily for being the status quo.
While it's not clear where the blame will ultimately fall for this debacle, it's obvious that those responsible are doing everything in their power to remain anonymous. The incident brings a larger question to light, though: regardless of whether the Conservative Party was involved or not, what can be made of the evidence that suggests it benefitted them? If an individual, acting independently, commits an act that attacks the democratic process, should the party who benefits be penalized? At a time in history when technology enables individuals to take on anonymity and work undetected, it's more important than ever to be aware of politics that affect you. Even if you aren't a voter, the fact that other Canadians had their democratic voice taken from them is a blatant slap in the face to the democratic values this country was founded on.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
Both before and on Election Day, phone calls were made to voters in 43 RIDINGS with misleading information. Senior citizens in Guelph received phone calls directing them to alternate polling stations, when the actual polling station was located in the building. Others received calls by an individual claiming to be a Liberal staffer, or sometimes even the Liberal campaign manager, who would then go on to be deliberately rude and offensive. The goal of these calls, as it would appear, was to discourage individuals from voting against the Conservatives... or voting at all.
It's crucial to immediately recognize that no hard evidence has been found tying the Conservatives to these calls, and Stephen Harper has empathically denied any involvement. The Conservative Party is the only party to have used RackNine, the robocalling company used in many of the incidents, for services in the past. The company itself is not involved in the investigation and has in fact been cleared of wrongdoing. The person who used the service, however, won't be so lucky.
The tactic is called "voter subversion" and isn't unheard of in past elections in the U.S., however there's no history of it in Canada. Companies like RackNine offer their automated calling services for a fee and they can be hired by anyone. The fact that the Conservative Party was the only one to have used this service brings out the conspiracy theorist in me. If in fact the Conservative Party were responsible, it seems to me that they'd use a company with whom they had no affiliations as opposed to using the one they'd employed to make legitimate party calls. The finger-pointing in the House of Commons is largely sensationalism as, in any government, the party in power is constantly attacked primarily for being the status quo.
While it's not clear where the blame will ultimately fall for this debacle, it's obvious that those responsible are doing everything in their power to remain anonymous. The incident brings a larger question to light, though: regardless of whether the Conservative Party was involved or not, what can be made of the evidence that suggests it benefitted them? If an individual, acting independently, commits an act that attacks the democratic process, should the party who benefits be penalized? At a time in history when technology enables individuals to take on anonymity and work undetected, it's more important than ever to be aware of politics that affect you. Even if you aren't a voter, the fact that other Canadians had their democratic voice taken from them is a blatant slap in the face to the democratic values this country was founded on.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
