Why do the Harper Conservatives dislike students?

[Slim MacSquinty]

What a silly thread, there needs to be some due process in casting ballots, this is not a high school election, this is considerably more serious and should be treated as such, the cons where right to question and elections canada officials were put in a tight spot by some over zealous kid at university. Electing your government is not some game you play by having a flash mob.

How irresponsible for the leader of a national party when confronted with an issues such as this, instead of confirming the seriousness of an election, opts to take cheap shots at his opponent. And shame on the stupid people who blinded by partisan hatred gobble it up.

[bloodyminded]

It was and still is apparently earth shattering to the media and posters in forums who seem to think it's okay to do that.

I haven't heard anyone supporting such an event as deliberate Liberal machinations.

[scribblet]

Well, it sure looks as if this was a set up by the opposition, there was no need for a special poll

http://pragmatictory.blogspot.com/2011/04/busy-university-of-guelph-may-2nd-exam.html#comment-form

[Harry]

That blog is absurd.

[bloodyminded]

Well, it sure looks as if this was a set up by the opposition, there was no need for a special poll

http://pragmatictory.blogspot.com/2011/04/busy-university-of-guelph-may-2nd-exam.html#comment-form

Someone offerring their opinion on the matter doesn't really add to the "evidence."

[Molly]

Well, it sure looks as if this was a set up by the opposition, there was no need for a special poll

http://pragmatictory.blogspot.com/2011/04/busy-university-of-guelph-may-2nd-exam.html#comment-form

All parties are partisan, but not all of them are so partisan that the good of the party takes precedence over the good of the nation. This herd idiocy - this frantic gobbling of partisan disinformation so as to angrily regurgitate it all over anyone who will listen- this inspires my revulsion toward the CPC and so many of it's minions.

A long time ago, I was doing door-to-doors with a candidate who was tired out, not paying attention to the folks at the doors, and thus was doing himself no favors. I tried to explain that he was turning people off, and needed to pay closer attention, make eye contact, listen.... to no avail. I finally sharpened him up by walking him in to see an elderly woman, a grand dame (great bridge player) who... well, I warned him that there was no vote to be found at that door.

She invited him in, and told him that she had taken a keen and active interest in politics for most of her life, and had met many, many people who chose to act upon their opinions. She told him that she knew folks from every party, some of whom she liked and/or admired and some of whom she despised, and for the most part there was no particular relationship between their party affiliation and the esteem she felt for them-- there were good and bad people everywhere, and community-oriented people generally acted in good faith if not good judgement. But there was one clear and undeniable exception: In all those years, she had yet to meet a Conservative she could respect.

.......

Bless her heart, she did that candidate a world of good. Unfortunately, I've learned something of the nut of truth in her message.

[Harry]

Why not let anyone in? This is now becoming ridiculous.

http://www.cknw.com/Channels/Reg/NewsLocal/Story.aspx?ID=1403463

[Tilter]

So I guess the plan is to disenfranchise students from voting so that the Harper Conservatives will win the seat. Not a bad plan, and sounds like something right out the Republican play book.

In the past the record shows that they have pretty well done that themselves by not showing up on election day. They can while & bitch about how poorly the Feds are treated them (even if it's the Provincial govt who sets tuition rates)

[Harry]

Great attitude.

Let's try encouraging all voters to vote as opposed to discouraging the students like Harper did in Guelph.

Edited April 17, 2011 by Harry

[Bitsy]

Well, it sure looks as if this was a set up by the opposition, there was no need for a special poll

http://pragmatictory.blogspot.com/2011/04/busy-university-of-guelph-may-2nd-exam.html#comment-form

Pray tell where did he say it was "set up by the opposition"....I have read it three times and I do not see where he said that.

[Bob]

Great attitude.

Let's try encouraging all voters to vote as opposed to discouraging the students like Harper did in Guelph.

How about a little more honesty? Let's encourage people to vote APPROPRIATELY according the regulations from elections Canada. You're trying to make it out to be as if the recent Guelph university vote was the only opportunity for these students to vote instead of a deliberate attempt to garner more anti-Harper support in a contested riding before the students go back to their homes.

[Guest peterb]

Iggy's Viagra Campaign Rise Up Rise Up

Not too long ago another Liberal Leader told us, government had no business in the bedrooms of Canadians, but I suspect Canadians were brought as close to the sounds of Iggy's boudoir, as they are ever going to get, at a campaign rally in Sudbury, where he made the rafters ring with his arousing screech to a crescendo of Rise Up - Rise Up - Rise Up.

Can we be forgiven if our instinct tells us that sounds eerily like someone waiting in overwrought anticipation of results, after ingesting a small purple pill . The line was delivered with such artistry, who could not believe that the line was not rehearsed many times.

It is also a reminder of another time at a Liberal leadership convention when Ignatieff attacked Dion for his failure to deliver as environment minister "You didn't get the job done" ( Little did we know then that these were also boudoir lines maybe rehearsed many times as well)

Dion's reply then, which appeared to be just some mumble jumble of words at the time, maybe had a ring of truth and familiarity, when he said "you think it is easy being hard" or words to that effect.

Our only fears are that if Count Ignatieff ever gets in a position of power, that he addresses taxes for Canadians with the same invigorating command of Rise Up Rise Up . Fortunately that is unlikely to happen, purple pill or no purple pill, and the Count's loyal subjects don't appear to be responding to his command from on high, according to the polls.

[ToadBrother]

Our only fears are that if Count Ignatieff ever gets in a position of power, that he addresses taxes for Canadians with the same invigorating command of Rise Up Rise Up . Fortunately that is unlikely to happen, purple pill or no purple pill, and the Count's loyal subjects don't appear to be responding to his command from on high, according to the polls.

Sort of like how Harper will fill the 11 billion dollar hole in his economic plan with "efficiencies". All the parties have magical incantations that will be repeated ad nauseum as a replacement for actually having to explain their platforms, which inevitably suck.

[scribblet]

Rise up Rise up ( and it ain't in his boudoir) LOL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evjv06AUyhY&feature=player_embedded

[Molly]

How about a little more honesty? Let's encourage people to vote APPROPRIATELY according the regulations from elections Canada. You're trying to make it out to be as if the recent Guelph university vote was the only opportunity for these students to vote instead of a deliberate attempt to garner more anti-Harper support in a contested riding before the students go back to their homes.

I'd be darned interested in knowing how many of those votes were cast for that constituency. Some were, certainly... but equally certainly, many were for other ridings.

Not so long ago there was thread after thread in here talking about the desperate need to increase voter turnout. Insecure, home-based voting systems; fines for non-voters... anything would do to get more folks to vote...

Now, doublespeak says that more people voting is undemocratic. Go figure.

[Rick]

How about a little more honesty?

You mean honesty as in Bev Oda's lying to parliament or honesty as in the Harper government's misuse and fraudulent quoting of the Auditor General Sheila Fraser ?

[CANADIEN]

How about a little more honesty?

Yes. A little honesty. Like in acknowledging the FACT that elections Canada considered those votes to be valid.

[Bob]

I'd be darned interested in knowing how many of those votes were cast for that constituency. Some were, certainly... but equally certainly, many were for other ridings.

Not so long ago there was thread after thread in here talking about the desperate need to increase voter turnout. Insecure, home-based voting systems; fines for non-voters... anything would do to get more folks to vote...

Now, doublespeak says that more people voting is undemocratic. Go figure.

Nobody's opposing "more people voting". The opposition is to a voting campaign done outside the rules of Elections Canada.

[Bob]

Yes. A little honesty. Like in acknowledging the FACT that elections Canada considered those votes to be valid.

Elections Canada also prohibited future early voting done in the same manner as this story, which sends a mixed message. If the methods used at this early voting run were legitimate, making the votes that were cast kosher, then why isn't Elections Canada permitting similar events going forward? It's very strange, and we're left wondering why you won't acknowledge this.

Basically, Elections Canada is saying that these votes are kosher... but nobody is permitted to repeat this process.

Edited April 18, 2011 by Bob

[Bryan]

Basically, Elections Canada is saying that these votes are kosher... but nobody is permitted to repeat this process.

U of Guelph basically got off with a warning.

[Bob]

I'd be darned interested in knowing how many of those votes were cast for that constituency. Some were, certainly... but equally certainly, many were for other ridings.

Not so long ago there was thread after thread in here talking about the desperate need to increase voter turnout. Insecure, home-based voting systems; fines for non-voters... anything would do to get more folks to vote...

Now, doublespeak says that more people voting is undemocratic. Go figure.

Wait a second, if I recall correctly, all ballots cast at a voting station are for the same riding. If I'm correct, than all voters at this early voting run are voting for the same constituency.

Beyond that, early voting is supposed to be reserved for legitimate extenuating circumstances, which certainly aren't applicable to students. The rest of the world, who are much busier than students (taxpayers, anyways), have to make their own arrangements for voting (and labour law requires that employers give people time do so). Are we seriously supposed to believe that these students needed special arrangements to vote early due to their ultra-busy schedules?

[Bob]

U of Guelph basically got off with a warning.

That's one way of looking at it. Another way of looking at it be to state that Elections Canada is breaking its own rules and sending out an inconsistent message. Elections Canada's own statement gave some wishy-washy explanation about not wanting to punish "voters" for misinformation that they were exposed to. In other words, they didn't want to throw the votes away (as they should have) because they didn't want to alienate the voters.

Remember, this is the same Elections Canada that still has not put into place protections to prevent non-citizens from voting. And we should all know that many non-citizens are receiving their voter-cards. Here's a recent story about this problem. I have an in-law that has also received voter cards in the past, despite the fact that she isn't a Canadian citizen. It's quite depressing that Elections Canada can't even get the most simple things in order...

[CANADIEN]

Elections Canada also prohibited future early voting done in the same manner as this story, which sends a mixed message. If the methods used at this early voting run were legitimate, making the votes that were cast kosher, then why isn't Elections Canada permitting similar events going forward? It's very strange, and we're left wondering why you won't acknowledge this.

Nothing strange in it. Elections Canada made it clear that the one problem they had with the polling station was that they had not authorized it in advance. They also made it clear that other special polling stations in university settings would not be allowed, and why (to quote the chief election officer, "Initiatives of this nature are expected to be planned well ahead of the election"). Finally, and most importantly, they found that the votes were cast in a manner that respected the Elections Act.

What is strange is the refusal by some to acknowledge that the votes were valid and that Elections Canada found nothing against the election rules.

[YEGmann]

What is strange is the refusal by some to acknowledge that the votes were valid and that Elections Canada found nothing against the election rules.

I hope you read EC statement.

Do you realize that Election Canada found nothing because they did not investigate the incident?

And we have a precedent of Mr. Maynard investigating himself in a very questionable case.

[scribblet]

I'd be darned interested in knowing how many of those votes were cast for that constituency. Some were, certainly... but equally certainly, many were for other ridings.

Go figure.

All of them of course, they don't have an option of voting for another constituency, they chose to vote there. I believe that riding was a close call which explains the Liberals need for a 'vote mob' and the need to try and rig the vote. The fact that special election ballots are blank requiring the name to be written in, which explains the presence of Liberal pamphlets in the poll,

The whole thing stinks, but cannot be reversed, the least that can be done is a full audit of the procedures and votes. Special ballots require registration and two pieces of I.D., I'd like to know that all rules where followed and there is no chance they can vote again, when they go home. They will be home in time for the election, so there was really no need for such a poll.