Growing up in Canada, we think we're in a safety bubble. We think we're far away from wars and famine, and dangerous natural disasters like tsunamis, tornados, and huge earthquakes. We also think that our society is advanced, and more fair, and less corrupt. We feel like we're leagues away from the corrupt governments we see on international news.
Well, we're not.
Somebody tried to compromise our democracy by sending out thousands upon thousands of phone calls to voters and giving out incorrect voting/election information.
We do not know who is behind these phone calls. All fingers currently point to the Conservative Party, because so far, the main focus has been on people who were non-Conservative Voters. Of course, whether it was really official Party members behind it, or just Conservative-minded people who were not affiliated with the party remains to be seen.
Here's the thing though. We should not let this blow over by the next election. Whoever did this, may have seriously compromised the outcome of the May 2011 federal election.
So what were these calls, and how could it have impacted the election results?
Basically, people received phone calls on or near election day with "voting information" telling them where their voting station was. And it was incorrect information.
Elections Canada mails out voting info cards a few weeks before an election, but I've never had them call me. For most people, they would never expect someone to call and lie about where to vote. But it happened. One woman in rural Nova Scotia said that she usually votes in the same place every election. But she received a call saying the polling station moved to a new location - a location over an hour's drive away. She drove there, wandered around, and drove back to where she usually votes. She complained to the election workers at the time, and they didn't understand.
But at least she voted. It makes you think about all the people that received incorrect information and because of that information were unable to vote.
Two days ago, the CBC reported that over 31,000 complaints have come into Elections Canada regarding these "robocalls." That's a lot. They are most frequently being reported in ridings and areas where the election outcome was close. Sometimes a Conservative Party member won by just a few hundred. In one Ontario riding, a Conservative Party member won by a mere 18 votes.
18 votes! And over 31,000 complaints. And that's just the people who:
1. Realize they received a robocall and realize it for what it was.
2. Remember the event well enough to recall it
3. Have the desire to report it
4. Are still alive or in Canada to report it. People who were alive last May but are deceased now could have just as easily been impacted, and we'll never know.
And, I know that more than 31,000 people were impacted, because my parents were impacted.
As soon as they reminded me, I remembered them saying at the time. We always vote in the same place. Just when they were headed out the door to vote on
I wasn't at home when that happened. But they told me about it, and I remember chalking it up to innocence. I thought that "maybe" there was a second polling station at the church, perhaps for people who lived in a different district in town. Maybe they just accidentally called us.
And it if wasn't innocence, I figured it was backwater rednecks trying run a sloppy operation. I never would have assumed it was an intense, national wide scandal, attempted at curve balling our democracy.
But clearly, I was being naively optimistic.
I'm not sure if my parents will lodge a formal complaint (but I encourage them to!) And I encourage everyone else to do the same. The more information we can provide, the better the chances of catching the people behind this.
If you think voting is important, then protecting the sanctity of the vote is just as important. So if you like democracy, you really should report any dicey events like this.
Here's how to make a report. You can visit www.elections.ca or just read what I have copy and pasted from the Elections Canada website.
How do I file a complaint about an alleged violation of the Canada Elections Act?
If you have information about an offense that you believe was committed under the Canada Elections Act, please send it to the Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections:
Commissioner of Canada Elections
c/o Elections Canada
257 Slater Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0M6
Fax: 1-800-663-4908
E-mail: [email protected]
To respond to complaints about alleged offences, the Commissioner requires the following minimum information:
Your name, mailing address, telephone number, e-mail address and fax number (if applicable).
If you are submitting the complaint on behalf of another person or organization, please also include the name of that person or organization (the complainant) and their contact information (mailing address, telephone number, e-mail address and fax number, if applicable).
A factual description of the events, circumstances or actions that you believe gave rise to the alleged offense.
Please include any specific dates, places or documents that you believe are relevant. This information will enable the Commissioner to assess your complaint; without it, assessment of your complaint may be delayed.
If you know it, the section of the Canada Elections Act related to your complaint, or the nature of the alleged offense.
The Commissioner must receive a complaint about an alleged offense within 10 years of the offense being committed. Keep in mind that the passage of time may significantly affect the Commissioner's ability to deal with a complaint.
