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As a young voter looking to learn more about what political parties stand for, Joanna MacDonald was thrilled to learn Conservative Party Leader Stephen Harper was coming to town for a campaign rally.
The 21-year-old environmental science student at the University of Guelph immediately went online to the local Conservative candidate's website and signed up to attend the event.
All she had to do was provide her name, address and email address. Everything looked in order.
But when she arrived Monday at the Delta Guelph Hotel and Conference Centre where Harper was scheduled to speak, her registration in hand, MacDonald was informed she was not welcome.
Why? An unidentified Conservative Party official told her that her name had been "flagged."
"I was told the RCMP had done a screening and that perhaps my name was affiliated with something on Facebook or the Internet," MacDonald told the Star. "Something that made me unfit to enter. They wouldn't say what it was."
MacDonald says she has never been affiliated with any political party. Nor has she participated in any anti-government or anti-Conservative rallies.
"I was shocked. This had never happened to me before, so I didn't really know how to deal with it."
When she pressed officials further, she was asked if she had ever been involved with any on-campus clubs. When MacDonald replied that she had been involved with various environmental groups — including one advocating for the removal of bottled water from the university grounds — she said the official responded, saying: "Well, that's probably why."
6 comments:
Who are you going to vote for in June for leader James?
Oh ya, the party executive will just install Bob Rae.
Liberals know squat about democracy.
Ya just gotta love the anonymous trolls.
Hey Anonymous... whatcha smoking? I want some.
Mr. Morton. Lets say you were at a rally and one of your handlers knew someone who was in attendance had written this about you.
"im ready to like go to Ottawa myself an take him down..."
What would they have done?
Looks like "Prairie Farmer" finally spawned. Yes. Bottled water removal is akin to an oblique threat. Grow up kid.
CuJo in Calgary.
Prairie,
If it was along the lines of I'm going to kill him then I would be very concerned. But if the point is the person wants to show me up by pointing out why my policies are poor, well, that's ok. Hecklers aren't much fun when you're giving a speech but they are a part of the process and I accept that.
Last night I spent a good long time with a young conservative who challenged me on just about everything. Candidly I learned a lot from him -- and I hope he got something from me.
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