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!

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