Liberal accused of bribing NDP candidate to drop out

[August1991]

You can read the e-mail here, assuming it's legit. (Angry in the Great White North.)

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(CCNMatthews - Jan. 13, 2006) - The NDP has written to Elections Canada requesting an investigation into allegations that the Liberal candidate in Abbotsford, B.C., offered the NDP candidate in that riding a bribe in exchange for dropping out of the race, NDP Federal Secretary Eric Hebert said today.

[Riverwind]

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(CCNMatthews - Jan. 13, 2006) - The NDP has written to Elections Canada requesting an investigation into allegations that the Liberal candidate in Abbotsford, B.C.

Abbotsford is a solid CPC riding where the CPC candidate got 61% of the vote in 2004 so it is extremely unlikely that getting the NDP candidate to drop out would change the result. The Liberal candidate in Abbotsford is just a warm body that exists so the Liberals can have their name on the ballot and pick up a few more votes. I suspect the talent pool that the Liberals had to choose from in that riding was pretty shallow.

[kimmy]

You can read the e-mail here, assuming it's legit. (Angry in the Great White North.)

I attempted to read that, there, but the server told me I was unable to do so.

Can you recheck the link? Either you've made an error, or the site is swamped, or the story has been hastily retracted, or something.

<response>

<error>1</error>

<message>Need a darn TrackBack ID (tb_id).</message>

</response>

-kimmy

{"need a darn Trackback ID"? I take it the server is based in Saskatoon?}

[scribblet]

I couldn't get in either, but if it is true, then it could be the nail in the liberal's coffin. That is a major error.

[betsy]

You can read the e-mail here, assuming it's legit. (Angry in the Great White North.)

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(CCNMatthews - Jan. 13, 2006) - The NDP has written to Elections Canada requesting an investigation into allegations that the Liberal candidate in Abbotsford, B.C., offered the NDP candidate in that riding a bribe in exchange for dropping out of the race, NDP Federal Secretary Eric Hebert said today.

They seem to have mastered the art of bribery.

Mind you, what is corruption without bribery? Shows you they've had a lot of practice....or maybe, it had already become second nature? They do it without even realizing it?

[August1991]

Available here.

Also here.

Bear in mind that all of this is alleged at this point. And as Sparhawk noted above, this seems like a safe Tory riding. (Isn't Abbotsford a suburb of Vancouver?)

[Hicksey]

First, all of Quebec, then the Ottawa Conservative, then Stronach, now the NDPer.

Bribery must be another one of those Liberal values Martin keeps harping about.

[scribblet]

Just heard on CFRB that the Libs have dumped the liberal candidate, he will not be able to represent his party if he should win.

[Riverwind]

Just heard on CFRB that the Libs have dumped the liberal candidate, he will not be able to represent his party if he should win.

An easy decision to make since the chance of that happening in Abbotsford is less than zero.

[Wilber]

This is really weird. I can't see either one of them having a snowballs chance in hell of winning in this riding.

[apollo19]

This is really weird. I can't see either one of them having a snowballs chance in hell of winning in this riding.

That is true. But the Liberals were betting on the fact that Ed Fast is not as well-known (even as a city councillor) as Randy White was, and the fact of the changing demographics of the riding.

"Isn't Abbotsford a suburb of Vancouver?"

Technically no because it is its own metropolitan area for the census, but in real-world terms it is.

[Wilber]

This is really weird. I can't see either one of them having a snowballs chance in hell of winning in this riding.

That is true. But the Liberals were betting on the fact that Ed Fast is not as well-known (even as a city councillor) as Randy White was, and the fact of the changing demographics of the riding.

"Isn't Abbotsford a suburb of Vancouver?"

Technically no because it is its own metropolitan area for the census, but in real-world terms it is.

Not quite. Abbotsford is a city in it's own right of close to 140,000 population spread out over quite a large area about 50 miles east of Vancouver. It provides it's own services including police force (not RCMP) and airport serviced by AC Jazz, Westjet and others. It is a suburb of Vancouver like Burlington or Oshawa would be of Toronto.

[Vancouver King]

Available here.

Also here.

Bear in mind that all of this is alleged at this point. And as Sparhawk noted above, this seems like a safe Tory riding. (Isn't Abbottsford a suburb of Vancouver?)

Yes, it's 75 kms East on the freeway but light years away from ever electing a Liberal candidate. This is Randy White's old riding where in 2004 the CPC rolled up a 20,000 vote plurality over the Liberal. Considering the NDP in 2004 came close to losing it's deposit in Abbottsford, and adding in the Conservative bandwagon rolling through the Fraser Valley, it borders on the bizarre that this Grit candidate actually thought he could bribe his way Ottawa.

[betsy]

Just finished MDuffy Countdown. Apparently, this dumped Liberal guy is said to be a friend of Paul Martin.

[Shakeyhands]

Come on now people, can we taste it so bad that we've resorted to this?

Hey.. Anyone hear the one about the dumbass who tried to smuggle in a car and 140 soemthing bottles of booze?

Come on....

[theloniusfleabag]

Dear August1991,

Also here.

Bear in mind that all of this is alleged at this point.

This is why I wholly dismiss 'blogs'. There is no credibility whatsoever, no one with a reputation to lose for 'getting it wrong'. It is like reading news in the National Enquirer. Plus, many of them can't be bothered to spell properly. from your second link...

Though this was the right thing to do in light of the brivery allegations,

That being said, there is a similar potential case with the a candidate-cum-smuggler that has been ostracized from their party. Are people like this able to keep running on the party ticket, or must they now run as 'independents'? I would think that hte party itself should be able to sue for false representation or copyright infringement, or something. At least a cease and desist order, anway.

[FTA Lawyer]

Dear August1991,

Also here.

Bear in mind that all of this is alleged at this point.

This is why I wholly dismiss 'blogs'. There is no credibility whatsoever, no one with a reputation to lose for 'getting it wrong'. It is like reading news in the National Enquirer. Plus, many of them can't be bothered to spell properly. from your second link...

Though this was the right thing to do in light of the brivery allegations,

That being said, there is a similar potential case with the a candidate-cum-smuggler that has been ostracized from their party. Are people like this able to keep running on the party ticket, or must they now run as 'independents'? I would think that hte party itself should be able to sue for false representation or copyright infringement, or something. At least a cease and desist order, anway.

thelonius...

Seriously man, you can't rake somebody over the coals for bad spelling and then not proof-read your own post...I think "the" is spelled t - h - e.

But really, your faux pas is I'm sure a typo just like the source you tried to criticize...take a look at what letter is beside the "v" on your keyboard...no, on the other side...that's right...a "b".

Perhaps "brivery" was an honest mistake and not supportive of "hte" shot you wanted to take at 'blogs'.

FTA

[cybercoma]

Come on now people, can we taste it so bad that we've resorted to this?

Hey.. Anyone hear the one about the dumbass who tried to smuggle in a car and 140 soemthing bottles of booze?

Come on....

Yes, forget Liberal, CPC or NDP. WTF is wrong with BC?

[Riverwind]

Yes, forget Liberal, CPC or NDP. WTF is wrong with BC?

Too much BC bud...

[cybercoma]

I guess when you legalize drugs, polygamy and homosexuality...bribery, smuggling and theft don't seem so bad.