Conservative 'Robocalls' tricked voters in last election
- Thread starter mentalfloss
- Start date
Robo-call furor focuses attention on massive Tory database
How much does Stephen Harper’s Conservative Party know about you?
Attention is focusing on the massive database of Canadian voters called the Constituency Information Management System (CIMS), which was created and expanded under Mr. Harper’s leadership of the Conservative Party. Critics of the Tories claim the database must have been used by the as-yet-unknown people behind alleged 2011 campaign calls aimed at annoying and misleading opposition party supporters.
What is it?
The CIMS is a massive database with information on millions of Canadians. It was started from scratch after the Canadian Alliance and the federal Tories merged to form the Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. All parties use databases to track supporters, but the Conservatives are considered to have the largest and most effective. The CIMS measures the degree to which individuals support the Conservative Party and includes data on whether they are a member, when and how much they’ve contributed, what policy issues they are interested in, whether they will volunteer and whether they will take a lawn sign. The individual entries can be matched with census data that would show information about their neighbourhood, such as average income, age and ethnic profile.
Where does the information come from?
At its core, the database builds on names and addresses from the Elections Canada voters’ list and numbers from the phone book. Then, details are added. Much of the subjective information in the database comes from years of work by a Toronto-based telemarketing company called Responsive Marketing Group. The company does live phone calls on contract for the Conservatives to identify potential supporters and their priorities. Other data come from phone calls and door knocking by local party volunteers. How Canadians respond to party flyers and brochures will also affect what’s reported in the database. While parties could purchase consumer data about the spending habits of specific neighbourhoods, Mr. Flanagan says that information was never added to the database when he was with the party.
How is it used?
The main reason for the database is for GOTV – what parties refer to as “Get Out The Vote” efforts. Once supporters are identified, parties can offer rides to the polls or make phone calls reminding them to vote. But CIMS is also behind the crowds of Tory supporters who pop up on short notice to Mr. Harper’s public events and announcements. Only strong Tory supporters are invited. Also, the Conservatives are the most successful fundraisers and CIMS is a big part of that.
Could it be connected to voter-suppression allegations?
When the main purpose of a database is to identify supporters and get them to vote, it stands to reason that lists of non-supporters could be used to launch tactics to dissuade them from voting. High-level Conservatives acknowledge that may be possible, but are adamant that voter suppression was not condoned and would not be worth the political risk. The database was designed so that local campaigns could access and update the data for their riding, but not others. The national party can access the entire database. Mr. Flanagan said there is a middle level of access that applies to regional campaign managers who can access a group of ridings.
Robo-call furor focuses attention on massive Tory database - The Globe and Mail
How much does Stephen Harper’s Conservative Party know about you?
Attention is focusing on the massive database of Canadian voters called the Constituency Information Management System (CIMS), which was created and expanded under Mr. Harper’s leadership of the Conservative Party. Critics of the Tories claim the database must have been used by the as-yet-unknown people behind alleged 2011 campaign calls aimed at annoying and misleading opposition party supporters.
What is it?
The CIMS is a massive database with information on millions of Canadians. It was started from scratch after the Canadian Alliance and the federal Tories merged to form the Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. All parties use databases to track supporters, but the Conservatives are considered to have the largest and most effective. The CIMS measures the degree to which individuals support the Conservative Party and includes data on whether they are a member, when and how much they’ve contributed, what policy issues they are interested in, whether they will volunteer and whether they will take a lawn sign. The individual entries can be matched with census data that would show information about their neighbourhood, such as average income, age and ethnic profile.
Where does the information come from?
At its core, the database builds on names and addresses from the Elections Canada voters’ list and numbers from the phone book. Then, details are added. Much of the subjective information in the database comes from years of work by a Toronto-based telemarketing company called Responsive Marketing Group. The company does live phone calls on contract for the Conservatives to identify potential supporters and their priorities. Other data come from phone calls and door knocking by local party volunteers. How Canadians respond to party flyers and brochures will also affect what’s reported in the database. While parties could purchase consumer data about the spending habits of specific neighbourhoods, Mr. Flanagan says that information was never added to the database when he was with the party.
How is it used?
The main reason for the database is for GOTV – what parties refer to as “Get Out The Vote” efforts. Once supporters are identified, parties can offer rides to the polls or make phone calls reminding them to vote. But CIMS is also behind the crowds of Tory supporters who pop up on short notice to Mr. Harper’s public events and announcements. Only strong Tory supporters are invited. Also, the Conservatives are the most successful fundraisers and CIMS is a big part of that.
Could it be connected to voter-suppression allegations?
When the main purpose of a database is to identify supporters and get them to vote, it stands to reason that lists of non-supporters could be used to launch tactics to dissuade them from voting. High-level Conservatives acknowledge that may be possible, but are adamant that voter suppression was not condoned and would not be worth the political risk. The database was designed so that local campaigns could access and update the data for their riding, but not others. The national party can access the entire database. Mr. Flanagan said there is a middle level of access that applies to regional campaign managers who can access a group of ridings.
Robo-call furor focuses attention on massive Tory database - The Globe and Mail
Here's a pretty good video from CBC power and politics where all three parties pretty much duke it out. It even has the forum fave Pat Martin.
I'll let you guys decide who looks disingenuous and who looks sincere.
MPs on robocall investigation on MSN Video
I'll let you guys decide who looks disingenuous and who looks sincere.
MPs on robocall investigation on MSN Video
There will be increasing pressure on Elections Canada to step up to the plate here.
The problem is we have had these rules for decades and no one seriously abused
them until now and the Elections Canada people got free skating for decades and
now they are about to earn their money. If this is not dealt with several serious things
could come out of it.
1 The last remaining vestige of trust in the electoral system will die
2 More and more infractions will happen as there will be no teeth in the legislation
3 The threat to fair and democratic elections will raise the profile of deceit that has
been going on in smaller ways for a long time.
4 We will see others use the same methods as the conservatives and thus the system
resemble Mexico before long and we will need UN inspectors to conduct a vote.
This needs to be addressed and the parties responsible must be prosecuted to the
full extent of the law. Tracing the outlets back in not good enough there must be serious
penalties. Dirty tricks is a measure of politics but outright breaches of the law, Federal
Law I might add cannot be tolerated and should not be tolerated.
It is time for the party or parties to come clean. Who was it Buddha who once said there
are three things that cannot be hidden. The Sun, The Moon and the Truth.
It is now time for the truth to emerge.
The problem is we have had these rules for decades and no one seriously abused
them until now and the Elections Canada people got free skating for decades and
now they are about to earn their money. If this is not dealt with several serious things
could come out of it.
1 The last remaining vestige of trust in the electoral system will die
2 More and more infractions will happen as there will be no teeth in the legislation
3 The threat to fair and democratic elections will raise the profile of deceit that has
been going on in smaller ways for a long time.
4 We will see others use the same methods as the conservatives and thus the system
resemble Mexico before long and we will need UN inspectors to conduct a vote.
This needs to be addressed and the parties responsible must be prosecuted to the
full extent of the law. Tracing the outlets back in not good enough there must be serious
penalties. Dirty tricks is a measure of politics but outright breaches of the law, Federal
Law I might add cannot be tolerated and should not be tolerated.
It is time for the party or parties to come clean. Who was it Buddha who once said there
are three things that cannot be hidden. The Sun, The Moon and the Truth.
It is now time for the truth to emerge.
I'm 3:55 in, and it sure isn't Easter, or Martin.
Martin, "Why don't you join us in a call for a nation wide investigation...?"
Ummm, did he miss the RCMP and Elections Canada investigation?
Easter, "In the in and out scandal, the Conservative Party, pleaded guilty to election fraud..."
Ummm, no, they plead guilty to over spending, not election fraud.
But hey, it's OK Fuzzy, you have poo to help fling.
if you have any poo fling it now - YouTube
Maybe Harper knew something when he embarked on building all those new prisons, but it would be really ironic if he ends up occupying one the bunks. LOL Nonetheless by the size of this monster I would say there are quite a few involved. Bernie Madoff got 150 years, so I think the ring leader of this skulduggery qualifies for 149.
I don't disagree with the hair splitting you've brought forward.
But somehow you've decided not to comment on the Conservative accusations blaming the Liberals for being primarily responsible, and the fact that it is the Conservatives that are under the greatest scrutiny right now.
I'm just commenting on the main discourse right now, which puts the CPC under scrutiny more than the other parties.
Del Mastro was called on his assumption that the Liberals used a U.S. company and that was not the case.
MPs on Liberal robocalls on MSN Video
Also, the Conservatives said in the house that parties using U.S. companies are suspect, but CBC actually found the that the Conservatives used a Washington-based company on the National.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaiNX6ulj2A&context=C3b81817ADOEgsToPDskIuPF9NTg2ngBm7BC--QCaR
Last edited:
LOL, hair splitting.
Harassing phone calls are a separate issue from the accusations of election fraud, currently being investigated by Elections Canada.
Exactly, lol. Despite...
There's no evidence (<<< You should look that word up Jimmy) the CPC is culpable yet. Unless we listen to you and Jimmy, and many of the other Usual Suspects.
A mistake the CPC should walk away from, for now. But I'd still like to see the LPC's full disclosure.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqskN194RXc&context=C3076219ADOEgsToPDskI35HtGd6i3i2hfIhWI47pf
Of course there's no direct evidence. I've told you 3x now that there's no smoking gun linking this to the CPC.
I posted that in the first page of this thread.
But that doesn't mean we can't talk about these stories that are about the Robocalls in Conservative ridings and the stories that are related to Conservatives just as I have no problem with you talking about Pat Martin being sued.
So, in conclusion - you're accusing me of something I don't disagree with you about.
I have no idea why you would do that.
The prime minister and his parliamentary secretary, Peterborough MP Dean Del Mastro, claimed in the Commons that the Liberals were the only party that used American calling firms.
“We’ve done some checking,” the PM said, and “we’ve only found that it was the Liberal Party that did source its phone calls from the United States.”
But documents show 14 Conservative campaigns enlisted the telephone services of an Ohio company called Front Porch Strategies.
Yea, this is not confidence-building stuff, that's for sure.
If any good comes out of any of this, it is closer scrutiny of the use of call centres by Elections Canada. Canadians must have confidence in the electoral process. We don't want foreign observers mocking our democracy.
You can say that until the cows come home, your commentary tells a completely different tale.
That's good, admission is always the first step on the way to recovery. With a little work, maybe one day you won't be a partisan hack, pretending to be objective.
Whatever. I told you this in the last page as well and still you persist in jumping on me with your fecal ridden paws, accusing me of flinging poo.
Not my problem, brah.
My paws only have crap on them, because I've been walking over your posts.
You aren't my "brah" even in the most limited sense. You lack the skill, fortitude and objectivity.
May be a disclaimer starting with "For the record"??
Naahh... wouldn't work....already being used...
Being in the same club, maybe they could share?May be a disclaimer starting with "For the record"??
Naahh... wouldn't work....already being used...
How about no comment on this one so I don't get labelled a partisan hack by a Pooh Bear.
RackNine defamation lawsuit an attempt to ‘silence critics,’ NDP MP Pat Martin says
New Democratic Party MP Pat Martin does not think much of the $5-million defamation lawsuit filed against him and the NDP by RackNine, the company at the centre of the robocall scandal.
Martin said Friday evening that he suspects the lawsuit has a purpose other than simply seeking damages.
In an email to Postmedia News, Martin said RackNine “pulled the trigger on this lawsuit without even waiting for our response to their original letter of complaint which leads me to believe this is more a … suit to silence critics than any legitimate grievance about damages to reputation.
“There’s a strong public interest in defending the integrity of our democratic institutions,” Martin said in the email. “As an MP, I think it’s my job to defend the right of Canadians to cast their ballot in a fair election, free of interference.”
Robocall scandal: NDP MP Pat Martin says $5M RackNine defamation lawsuit an attempt to 'silence critics' | News | National Post
RackNine defamation lawsuit an attempt to ‘silence critics,’ NDP MP Pat Martin says
New Democratic Party MP Pat Martin does not think much of the $5-million defamation lawsuit filed against him and the NDP by RackNine, the company at the centre of the robocall scandal.
Martin said Friday evening that he suspects the lawsuit has a purpose other than simply seeking damages.
In an email to Postmedia News, Martin said RackNine “pulled the trigger on this lawsuit without even waiting for our response to their original letter of complaint which leads me to believe this is more a … suit to silence critics than any legitimate grievance about damages to reputation.
“There’s a strong public interest in defending the integrity of our democratic institutions,” Martin said in the email. “As an MP, I think it’s my job to defend the right of Canadians to cast their ballot in a fair election, free of interference.”
Robocall scandal: NDP MP Pat Martin says $5M RackNine defamation lawsuit an attempt to 'silence critics' | News | National Post