Elections Canada asked to investigate Blogging Tories
January 18, 2006 · By Kimberly Johnson
CanWest News Service reports that Elections Canada has been asked to investigate Blogging Tories, a coalition of conservative blogs.
…a Victoria, man, Eugene Parks, and Toronto Tory dissident Carole Jamieson allege the venture may be in contravention of the Elections Act and third-party financing laws. They say it may have “unduly influenced the election coverage and potentially the outcome of this campaign.”
“They’re using a third-party agency to get elected,” said Parks, a former Conservative supporter who now says he is an opponent. “It’s pure hypocrisy.”
Parks says that Conservative MP Diane Ablonczy approached him in December to head up an initiative on behalf of the party.
But Romeo St Martin of PoliticsWatch says he talked to Elections Canada’s boss-man about blogs, and got this clarification:
In December, Canada’s chief electoral officer, Jean-Pierre Kingsley, said at a press conference in Ottawa that as far as he is concerned political blogs are a form of free expression, not political advertising.
“I don’t think that there’s going to be a major problem with respect to blogs,” Kingsley said in response to a question from PoliticsWatch.
“This is a means where by a lot of people have decided they are going to express themselves
“If a political party or a candidate were to have a blog then that would fall under the financing regime. But if it’s the supporters, there are going to be supporters all over for various parties and it’s a form of self expression.”
What, exactly, is the problem? First off, the Liberals and NDP have their own equivalents to Blogging Tories– “Liblogs” and “Blogging Dippers”, respectively.
Secondly, it doesn’t matter if Diane Ablonczy approached Eugene Park or any number of others with the idea. The rules regarding third-party advertising don’t prevent people from expressing their views, and bloggers do just that (and aren’t paid for it either, unless my cheques got lost in the mail…) People are free to express there views, which is why (for instance) the Young Liberals’ organized effort to blitz letters pages and message boards to get their party’s message out wasn’t illegal. Or why a coalition of taxpayer-funded social advocacy groups are allowed to set up an anti-Conservative website.
Third, Park’s claim that “They’re using a third-party agency to get elected” is irrelevant, unless he and Jamieson can show specifically why Blogging Tories would fall under restricted third-party advertising. “Unduly influencing the election coverage and potentially the outcome of this campaign” in itself is not against Elections Canada rules (although I wonder if the Liberals were aware of that… it might explain how their campaign has thus far failed to influence anybody, except perhaps influenced them to vote for the opposition parties.)
And finally, the fact that the driving force behind this complaint is Harper-hating Carole Jamieson should say all you need to know about the motivation behind it.
of Blogging Tories scoffed at the allegation. “Where’s My Money?” Dissonance and Disrespect jokingly demanded. “I’m not even asking for much … A six-pack of Lakeport? A double-double from Tim Hortons?” The Politicwonders if there’s any difference between Blogging Tories, Blogging Dippers and Liblogs. (There isn’t. They’re all blog aggregators.) Blogging Tories even found support on the opposite end of the political spectrum, from self-proclaimed
? That’s because Parks has been trolling Google for blogs that have posted about this story and leaving the exact same comment on them that he left at good ol’The Wayward Reporter. A sampling: Here’s one and here’s another. One more. Oops,two more. And here I thought Mr. Parks was just a Wayward Reporter fan. The Politic, a blog I linked to above, did point me to the Politics Watch story about the Elections Canada complaint. It contained this tidbit:
Blogging is a wonderful expression of democracy and free speech in action. For once the average voter gets a chance to air his views, and to read the views of other ordinary citizens like himself. From what I’ve read, that’s what ‘Blogging Tories’ is about. Operated and co-founded by a grad student at Queen’s, it claims to have no official connection with the the Conservative Party, but is simply a group of like -minded people expressing their views. It’s a pity someone would move to get the government to curb such a healthy democratic activity.
Blogging Tories is the result of the teamwork of members of the CPC party.
Stephen Taylor is its Webmaster and Editor. As Taylor self states, the Blogging Tories is his volunteer effort for the CPC. His volunteer Internet efforts went live on January 4th 2005. Later, he openly promoted his site at the first Conservative Party of Canada convention in March 2005 and was endorsed by its MPs, party officials, and members.
Previously, the CPC stated its plain intent to find a content channel to spin news in the coming election mimicking George Bush’s campaign war room’s use of web logs. After some months of technical frustration, Taylor’s site was directly linked electronically to the CPC.
He began receiving unique “news” tips from the CPC pressroom and staff.
His site moved from being a mere box on an American Service Provider to being a truly CPC team effort. Scores of CPC members, including
MPs, Association President, National Council Members, joined the effort. His site became a conscious group effort for the CPC with forethought and intent by both himself and the CPC. Make no mistake about it, this was a CPC team effort – not that of just individuals as Taylor would have us believe.
Now of note recently, the Canada Election Act allows one to contribute to an election in one of three ways. A) as an individual, B.) as a registered third party, or C.) as part of a political party).
As a party of a political party your professional contribution, such as a website, needs to be expensed and declared and the material you distribute on behalf of the party must be identified as coming from the party.
As a registered third party, well, you have to register and work within spending limits. And as an individual, you have to work as an individual and live within personal spending limits.
In the case of blogging Tories, it was not an individual effort and it was done in conscious coordinated effort with the CPC.
Stephen Taylor has stated that is was his volunteer effort for the CPC and the CPC was feeding him. Further, MPs were endorsing him and scores, even hundreds, of CPC members were engaged.
The Blogging Tories was not a legal third party as it was not legally registered.
Lastly, the Blogging Tories did not label its literature’s source nor declare itself openly as an agent of the CPC despite the direct connection.
So, the question – where is the integrity here in regards to the Canada Elections Act? Only the Chief Electoral Officer or a judge are qualified to make a judgment.
Most certainly there is enough documentation that the question be answered.
Except when it would cause significant harm, laws should not prevent one from speaking any truth that you are willing to put your name to as your own material nor should you be prosecuted for doing so. Additionally, the law must also protect the integrity of free speech by requiring that authors identify their source, particularly if one is not truly the full source of that speech. Freedom of speech includes the responsibility of authors to own the words they use. Otherwise, free speech can be reduced to propaganda – even reduced to being a lie. When our free speech is part of democratic decision-making, equal weight to each citizen’s voice should be given. During elections when sources of partisan information is not disclosed and monetary limits are not evenly respected by all debating parties, then the integrity of our free speech and debate is compromised.
Eugene Parks
Eugene, that is utter bullshit and you know it. If you wanted to fight fairly, you’d target the other side as well. Because if the Blogging Tories are organized by the CPC, then the Blogging Progressives or whatever the !@#$ they’re called nowadays is probably organized by the Grit!@#$ers.
Eugene, the answer is simple. The Blogging Tories are an independent operation.
Now go pound sand, you maggot-filled piece of bile-laden excrement from the south side of the Newmarket-Aurora Riding!
LOL
Sailor Republica – Settle down. What a bunch of filth that you have written. Typical conservative – always whining about something. Always angry and frustrated. Always needing something to bitch about.
[...] the Blogging Tories of being a formal communications arm of the Conservative Party of Canada. From January 18th, 2006 – Eugene Parks and Carol Jamieson at work by trying to force Elections Canada to do, well, [...]
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