[UPDATE: I've been told that The Star is working on this as we speak.]
[UPDATER: Alison seems to have found another one. See list below.]
[EVEN UPDATIER THAN THAT: Toronto Centre? See the addition at the bottom.]
[SUPER DUPER UPDATE: CTV is on the story. And the furious backpedaling begins. More below.]
Ah ... the beast awakes, and here's how it works. We hammered home the Montebello agent provocateur story and, within a day, there were public mea culpas and frantic finger-pointing. And we can do the same thing here.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the ideological aisle, Canada's wankers can go pat themselves on the back by freeping another poll or something. It's what they do best.
The media links at the moment:
Leave any new links in the comments section, and I'll add them here.
AS A REFRESHER, there are apparently
- Sharon Smith (above)
- Brendan Bell, Yellowknife (as yet unconfirmed)
- John Duncan(?), Vancouver Island North (allegedly representing actual NDP MP Catherine Bell)
- John Weston, West Van Sunshine Coast Sea-to-Sky
TOTALLY GRATUITOUS OBSERVATION: Like, you had to ask?
IT KEEPS GOING AND GOING AND GOING ...
CC, I had no idea this was a trend. Now I wish I had kept the letter I got two weeks ago from the Cons.
I'm in Toronto Centre, and the letter said that since Bill Graham had retired, our liaison would now be a Con MP. I don't remember the name (her name?), but I believe it was the Con party Whip.
I remember being extremely irritated, thinking, "Even if I don't have a sitting MP at the moment, do you think for a second I'll be going to a CON for help if I need it??" I'd be getting in touch with Stephane Dion or, more likely since I'm in Toronto, Jack Layton.
Anyone else from Toronto Centre have something to add to this?
Never mind, false alarm on the Toronto Centre story. See Phyl's comment.
SUPER DUPER UPDATE, REDUX: Unfortunately, while the CTV story is a start, it mentions only budding porn star Sharon Smith, and none of the other "go-to" eager beavers listed above. So when you read this:
Government officials have distanced themselves from Harris's unofficial appointment of Smith as the riding representative in Ottawa.
"He just kind of did that himself,'' government spokesman Ryan Sparrow said of Harris's move.
"(Smith) is the Conservative candidate in the next election. That's her only official capacity.''
it's not particularly convincing.
11 comments:
Alison might have found another one?
This is a great victory for Canadian bloggers, to have awakened to this travesty before the MSM and bring it up to them.
Now, could all "big blogs" likewise pick up on a little something that I have feebly attempted to bring up to the MSM' attention ( http://pov-mentarch1.blogspot.com/2007/08/illegal-us-spying-where-is-our-canadian.html )?
Help would be much appreciated in this matter - thanks in advance.
Toronto-Centre? Well, that really shows a lot of coordination and balls, I must say.
Fucking Conservatives.
Catherine Bell isn't the "go-to" for Van Isle North. She's our MP(NDP). I believe the "liason" is John Duncan, Conservative candidate and former MP for the riding.
Ti-guy: from your comment elsewhere, it sounds like you should lobby CC to add the Quebec MP to the list, the one that Fortier was usurping long before all this.
It really sounds like she was the canary in the coalmine on this 'end run' stuff and it would be unfair to leave her out while focusing on the new awareness out West.
lenny:
Right, it's been corrected. The actual "go-to" person isn't listed in that article, but I'll go with Duncan for now until I hear differently.
Niles..good point. It was Red Tory who first posted about it here.
I'm sure Fortier would claim it's different, but it's all in the same vein.
Fucking Conservatives.
Dammit, blogger ate my comment, and now I have to tell you again. This is punishment.
I just found the original letter I got, and I have to grovel and apologize. The person appointed to take care of Toronto Centre after Bill Graham's retirement is Karen Redman -- a Liberal.
When they gave her name, she had "P.C., M.P." after her name, and my mind made the immediate connection to the Progressive Conservatives, out of long habit. Which is why I went ballistic and tossed the letter right away.
So you'd better do a correction in this blog post. And you may quote me, grovelling in humble apology. Not your fault. I had dashed home, planning to scan the letter and post it, and then... well.
Sorry sorry sorry! I'll go to the other two blogs (one which quoted my original comment, and another on which I added a comment of my own), and make the correction, so they'll know it was my mistake, and not yours.
John Duncan is the go-to guy in Vanc. Island North., no question. From Podunk, quoting the Rupert news story:
"Vancouver Island North MP Catherine Bell has already had a similar situation happen to her in her riding. Several months ago, the Tories named a candidate as the “go-to person” for the Conservative party, in what Cullen feels is an effort to undermine her and give the perception that she is not doing her job.'"
The candidate of record is John Duncan.
The Canadian Press have the story up.
"eager beavers"
Heh.
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