Saturday, April 16, 2011
If you don't want to get on a Conservative Party database don't call your MP
http://bit.ly/hayraz It's a smallish story. A constituent emails her Conservative MP Colin Carrie. She's looking for help in some way that an MP can assist -- it's not a political communication at all. But her email address ends up migrating from MP business to Conservative Party business. She told the Star "As far as I know I've never given consent for my email address to be shared... . I was just communicating with my MP." Dr. Carrie refused to be interviewed about the incident. In fairness to Dr. Carrie, he's a backbencher MP in a very top down Party. He may well have wanted to speak to the media and been forbidden from doing so. Perhaps the misuse of the email was just an overzealous staffer looking for political advantage. But it's interesting that the Conservatives don't seem to have a policy against using information gathered by MPs for political purposes. Again, Dr Carrie can't really be blamed -- he isn't in a position to exert much influence over policy. But, at least on the surface, his office blends public and private information. Both the Liberals and the NDP do segregate MP information from political information and do not cross the two. This Conservative blending of government and political is consistent with a broader approach -- it's not the "Government of Canada" but rather the "Conservative Government".
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7 comments:
Dr. Carrie is also guilty of using government mailers to direct people to the Conservative Party's website. At least twice.
Again this one might come back to bite you.
I have received automated calls from a Lib. candidate. The call was no doubt random but I would say it is equally annoying if not more so.
In past elections I have had similar calls from all camps.They shouldn't do it.I doubt that such a complaint would make the news except in the Dog River Howler or perhaps the Toronto Star.
I believe this is standard rating procedure for the Cons. I emailed my MP a couple of years back and got a very rude reply. I thought, fine, this guy always wins by huge amounts so no use even contacting him in the future.
A year later I sent another email. I got a reply that noted that he refused to respond unless he got my mailing address. I said I don't want to be put on a list so I advised what community I lived in in the riding. I received a terse email back. No address, no response.
And really, it was a very fair question. No matter where I was from, the an MP should have answered to a taxpayer.
It was clerk they wanted my address. I assume it was for mailers or their database but who knows. Would it be used to screen me from events? Would it be given to the cra or who knows.
The fact is, the cons want you in their database. And they will do whatever they can to get it there.
In my experience, you cannot trust them, largely because you cannot trust Steve harper.
I too, was on their database, after emailing a letter to Stephen Harper. I had the worst time getting my name taken off the list. Telling then that I would never, ever vote for their ReformaTory party had no effect. I finally had to get really rude, lots of f-bombs and I have been blissfully left alone for this election.
Hypocrisy does not suit you, Mr. Morton. An email from your MP because your name is in a database is a far cry from being denied help because of the same. Do I need to remind you of the extensive database Liberal MP Tom Wappel used to vet contacts with constituents and in deciding whether one was actually worthy of his help? With the skeletons rattling around in the Liberal closet you'd think Liberal candidates would be a little less quick to throw stones.
Years back, in the 90's,
I called my NDP MP to help me with a problem.
And he did his best for me,
which is his job, regardless of how I vote.
When the next election rolled around, the NDP called me "can we put a up lawn sign".
I said no.
The callers reply 'after all we did for you...'
true story
James, you let Dr. Carrie off the hook because...why?
He made a choice to run and stand on behalf of a party he knows nothing about? Is he a complete naif?
He has just as much blame in this and the rest of the soon to unfold tragedy as any other Con MP or worker or supporter.
None of them should be off any hooks.
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