Thursday, June 21, 2012

Something Rotten



It goes without saying that a lot hangs on the Supreme Court's review of Justice Lederer's decision to rerun the election in Etobicoke-Centre. Some claim that it's only a matter of 26 votes. But, as Michael Harris points out, a little history -- particularly the history of the 2008 election in that riding -- gives one some perspective.

Etobicoke-Centre has always been noted for its dirty politics. But in 2008 -- when Boris Wrzesnewskyj won the riding -- he was

surrounded by Tory thugs coming out of a public debate and taken to task on his stand over same-sex marriage. “Are you a fag?” he was asked. Disgusting flyers were tucked under the windshield-wipers of cars in church parking lots. Two thousand of his lawn signs were vandalized and had to be replaced. Swastikas began showing up on his material, a not inconsequential tactic in a riding where there were so many families whose parents had fled the Nazis.

Borys began to notice that bad things happened to his campaigns just before voting day. In 2008, on the Thanksgiving Day long weekend, he went to canvas three apartment buildings near Eglington Avenue. His practice was to work his way down from the top floor. He didn’t get far from the top floor before realizing that something was terribly wrong. People opened the door just a crack and stared at him silently. Finally one lady said, “You’re such a fraud.”

The building had been flooded with handouts by the Conservatives that looked like a compilation of actual newspaper stories. Though fake, the theme they retailed was deadly: Borys was missing in action in Ottawa and rarely attended committee meetings. He pulled his canvas teams and regrouped.

“They gave one example where they said I only attended 2 out of 49 meetings. I wasn’t actually even on that committee but had gone as a proxy a few times for someone who couldn’t attend. Then they made up a committee that didn’t even exist. As for the committee I was actually on, public accounts, they offered no information.”

Taken with the robocall scandal and the smearing of Irwin Cotler, the pattern is as clear as the nose on Stephen Harper's face. Something is rotten in Etobicoke Centre. But the rot is merely an extension of the rot at the heart of the Conservative Party of Canada.

Interestingly enough, Etobicoke-Centre is the riding where Stephen Harper grew up.

8 comments:

karen said...

This is disgusting.

What the hell is the matter with people? How does this even happen?

Owen Gray said...

These folks will do anything to win, Karen.

And then they will lecture the Europeans, insisting that they follow the Harper prescription for salvation.

Anonymous said...

When Harper was Policy Chief for the, Northern Foundation Party of 1989...They said Harper has links to Nazi Intellectuals and Christian Fundamentalists.

When I read that, Harper's dots are easy to connect. Stalin, Hitler and Mussolini, were all dictators too. Harper has the, same rabid obsession to control too. The media is always number one to muzzle. Their dastardly deeds, must be hid from the public. Harper now does his evil deeds, behind closed doors.

Harper has others doing his dirty work for him. Ex BC Liberal Premier, Gordon Campbell, was rewarded by Harper, for doing just that.

Europe also had Harper giving them false statements, regarding the toxicity of the dirty tar oil. Europe told Harper to go to hell in Mexico. At every meeting of the Nations, Harper is the trouble maker, every time.

Other country's resent Harper's, bullying and his tantrums, when he doesn't get his own way. Harper plays dictator to other country's, and they just plain don't like him.

Owen Gray said...

It seems me, Anon, that Harper is making more enemies than friends. That doesn't appear to bother him, however.

Perhaps he's just obtuse.

Anonymous said...

The Etioboke Center election being declared null and void?? Harper has appointed two new Conservative judges. What are the odds one of those judges, will hear Moritz' appeal? Harper is trying to prevent, the disputes of the riding results being investigated.

William Corbett of Elections Canada, suddenly resigned. Harper has installed one of his own in Elections Canada, Yves Corte. Harper has desperately trying to quash the robo-call cheat election fraud investigations as well.

Are these two situations being disputed by Harper, just more dirty tactics/dirty politics?

Owen Gray said...

The resignation of Corbett is deeply disturbing, Anon. Harper is unquestionably trying to stack the deck.

The best we can hope for is that the people he appoints -- like Kevin Page -- have the courage to think for themselves.

Anonymous said...

Norm,

Add this to your 2008 collection of election fraud:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/lawrence-martin/the-curious-case-of-saanich-gulf-islands/article2354592/

I believe this to be the dry run for Robo fraud 2011, its far more than curious it's criminal.

Owen Gray said...

I read Martin's piece, Mogs. It sounds like Saanich-Gulf Islands was the test run for the whole Robocon scheme.