Conservatives ask court to dismiss election case

[Machjo]

Conservatives ask court to dismiss election case - Politics - CBC News

Certainly if there is a reasonable suspicion of irregularities, the MPs in question would willingly choose to rerun, IMO.

 

[CDNBear]

The Conservatives should STFU and let it play out.

 

[damngrumpy]

The conservatives want this to stop right now because it could spread to
other riding's as the truth begins to ooze out about the riding's in question
not to mention those robocall riding's. This is a case where the courts do
need to act to make sure there is no other group decides to abuse or in
fact circumvent the electoral process. In the end it might even be determined
these acts were not part of any organized intent. We won't know unless we
actually examine what happened and who might or might not be involved
in something not appropriate in Canadian Politics.
Some say the courts should not be involved. in a society that is based on
respect for the law, sometimes the courts are the only relief we have, after all
the concept of an open society depends on the law and people rights and in
that we owe it to ourselves to ensure that our political system is above board.

 

[mentalfloss]

They have nothing to worry about. These are baseless smears after all.

 

[Cliffy]

They have nothing to worry about. These are baseless smears after all.

Shouldn't your post be in purple?

 

[Goober]

They have nothing to worry about. These are baseless smears after all.

Perhaps an overlooked Govt Dept needs to be given scrutiny.
And yes Elections Canada fought against this ruling. Seems to be a smell rising.

Stephen Maher: Court-ordered Toronto byelection raises troubling questions about Elections Canada

What did Elections Canada do?” says Stephen Thiele, Wrzesnewskyj’s lawyer. “If they didn’t know, that’s a problem. If they did know, that’s a bigger problem.”

The returning officer for a riding can seek to have an election thrown out, and Elections Canada investigators — the same bunch of former Mounties who are running the robocall probe — can investigate election officials who do not do their jobs.

 

[mentalfloss]

The sad part is that the Conservatives may get what they want if the courts decide that the claims brought forward do not have sufficient evidence at this time. The irony is that they also have to file these complaints within 30 days and the CPC are correct in that the council is well past that date.

We know how long electoral investigations can take so the plaintiff kinda gets screwed in this case.

 

[Goober]

The sad part is that the Conservatives may get what they want if the courts decide that the claims brought forward do not have sufficient evidence at this time. The irony is that they also have to file these complaints within 30 days and the CPC are correct in that the council is well past that date.

We know how long electoral investigations can take so the plaintiff kinda gets screwed in this case.

And anyone with sense realizes that these cases will be appealed to the SCoC. And I am sure they will throw the 30 days out when evidence that comes available after such time should be given due and careful consideration by the courts and that they can exclude the 30 day rule in such cases. The vote - is the main stone of democracy - SCoC will not rule differently. And this investigation will be used as the stone upon which they build their decision- That the deliberate thwarting /interference with of the Democratic franchise cannot and will not be tolerated.
But then again I am just a DDH- Dumb Downhomer. But then again educated in PEI.

 

[mentalfloss]

And anyone with sense realizes that these cases will be appealed to the SCoC. And I am sure they will throw the 30 days out when evidence that comes available after such time should be given due and careful consideration by the courts and that they can exclude the 30 day rule in such cases. The vote - is the main stone of democracy - SCoC will not rule differently. And this investigation will be used as the stone upon which they build their decision- That the deliberate thwarting /interference with of the Democratic franchise cannot and will not be tolerated.
But then again I am just a DDH- Dumb Downhomer. But then again educated in PEI.

Yea, I think the 30 days will be forgiven as well. I don't know how they'll rule on the "evidence" as it stands now, but I think that anyone willing to go to court on this must be pretty confident they can bring something credible to the table.

 

[WLDB]

I never liked the idea of statute of limitations. A crime is a crime. You shouldn't be able to get away with it just because you managed to go a certain length of time without being caught.

 

[Tonington]

If the applications didn't provide compelling evidence of irregularities/fraud/misconduct, then the Conservatives are right to respond as they did. The Courts treat elections seriously, and won't overturn results lightly. But the Courts shouldn't even hear the case if there isn't some prima facie evidence of a contravention of the Elections Act. To allow weak applications invites fishing expeditions that waste resources.

 

[Machjo]

The conservatives want this to stop right now because it could spread to
other riding's as the truth begins to ooze out about the riding's in question
not to mention those robocall riding's. This is a case where the courts do
need to act to make sure there is no other group decides to abuse or in
fact circumvent the electoral process. In the end it might even be determined
these acts were not part of any organized intent. We won't know unless we
actually examine what happened and who might or might not be involved
in something not appropriate in Canadian Politics.
Some say the courts should not be involved. in a society that is based on
respect for the law, sometimes the courts are the only relief we have, after all
the concept of an open society depends on the law and people rights and in
that we owe it to ourselves to ensure that our political system is above board.

Even if we never discover who's responsible, just knowing that the result undermined the democratic process is reason enough to call bielections. And if the Conservatives truly believed in democracy, they'd wholeheartedly agree.

Of course it's not fair to tarnish all conservatives with the same brush, not to mention the possibility, as remote as it is, that the Cons were framed by fanatical anti-conservatives. Either way though, bielections should occur in the ridings involved while treating the Conservative candidates with enough respect not to blame them for this without proof.

However, for the conservatives to actually stand in the way of this is truly shameful. Again, don't blame any local MP who should stand against his party on this, but as for the party per se, it has truly gone down the gutter if it's opposing bielections in this case.

Honestly, if I were an MP, and the court so much as officially suggested that it would be preferable that I rerun, I would do so for the sake of democracy.

 

[Cliffy]

Honestly, if I were an MP, and the court so much as officially suggested that it would be preferable that I rerun, I would do so for the sake of democracy.

Maybe the Cons are just being concerned that the poor Liberals cannot afford a bunch of bi-elections. They are broke, after all, and they may not want to put too much strain on the opposition. It might cause them to cry.

 

[Machjo]

Maybe the Cons are just being concerned that the poor Liberals cannot afford a bunch of bi-elections. They are broke, after all, and they may not want to put too much strain on the opposition. It might cause them to cry.

Riiiiiggggghhhhhttttt....

The Conservatives should STFU and let it play out.

But ve must do vatefer ve kan to keep zi evil sozialists out of government, right?

Zer ar mor important zingz zan demokrasi.

 

[mentalfloss]

But ve must do vatefer ve kan to keep zi evil sozialists out of government, right?

Zer ar mor important zingz zan demokrasi.

It looks like Das was right about how we'll be transforming the English language to German.

 

[Cabbagesandking]

Interesting to see the commonality of indignation over a real issue.

 

[Machjo]

The idea that since we don't know who's responsible we should not have byelections is ridiculous. We know the effect it's had and that ought to be enough!

It would be as if I own a stolen computer but because no one knows who stole it that the police cannot therefore confiscate it and give it back to its rightful owner until it figures out who stole it? In the meantime you don't get your computer back even though the police know exactly where it is?

Sure I might say I paid for it, but it's still a stolen computer.

 

[JLM]

Maybe the Cons are just being concerned that the poor Liberals cannot afford a bunch of bi-elections. They are broke, after all, and they may not want to put too much strain on the opposition. It might cause them to cry.

yep, that's got to be it, Cliffy! It's a wonder someone else didn't think of that!

 

[mentalfloss]

wtf is wrong with these people?

"It is evident that the Council's 'business plan' is to leverage anti-Conservative sentiment in order raise money and continue to employ professional agitators like Ms. Barlow," the motion says.

"The applications have been brought solely to provide the Council with a platform to criticize Conservatives, who the Council views as its enemy," the motion says.

In a tart response, Council of Canadians executive director Garry Neil says, “unlike the epithets thrown at their political opponents, we aren’t being accused of being Nazi sympathizers, or terrorists, or being on the side of the child pornographers."

Conservatives move again to have robocalls suits tossed - Politics - CBC News

 

[B00Mer]

I love that pic in the new article..

followed by a picture that shows who really runs government....