Electoral Fraud: Result Tossed
May 18, 2012 15:02:50 GMT -5
Post by franko on May 18, 2012 15:02:50 GMT -5
Conservative MP Ted Opitz's 2011 federal election win last year in Etobicoke Centre was declared null and void today in a challenge by former Liberal MP Borys Wrzesnewskyj.
Opitz won the May 2011 election by 26 votes, but Wrzesnewskyj challenged the results over voting irregularities. The case required more than 26 votes be thrown out for it to be declared void.
Conservative Party spokesman Fred Delorey said they're disappointed with the court decision after 52,000 people in Etobicoke Centre "followed the rules, cast their ballots and today had their democratic decision thrown into doubt."
"The judge has found problems with the way that Elections Canada ran the election in this riding," he said in an emailed statement.
"As the judge took care to point out in the decision, Ted Opitz and the Conservative campaign team followed the rules.
Wrzesnewskyj told CBC News that the riding needs a by-election to restore democracy.
"Something broke in the last federal election," he said. "It's a terrible thought not to know whether or not someone who is in the House of Commons, voting on laws by which we govern ourselves, whether those individuals are actually an expression of the will of the people."
He and the Conservatives seem to agree there's a need for more training for the volunteers and temporary workers the election agency takes on in advance of voting day.
"Elections Canada has to have the resources to properly train their officials, to make sure that people who vote are — it's as basic as making sure that they actually are Canadian citizens."
a whole lot more
my reading: the Conservatives were not necessarily at fault [Elections Canada workers were the problem] but with robocalls and airplanes and oil sands and $16 glasses of orange juice and . . . well, is there enough ink? . . . Harper is going to hear of it. Liberals will probably pick up the seat, but Harper will still have his majority.
appeals possible . . . depends if Opitz has his six years for his pension in -- or how close he is to it -- to see how far they will go.
Opitz won the May 2011 election by 26 votes, but Wrzesnewskyj challenged the results over voting irregularities. The case required more than 26 votes be thrown out for it to be declared void.
Conservative Party spokesman Fred Delorey said they're disappointed with the court decision after 52,000 people in Etobicoke Centre "followed the rules, cast their ballots and today had their democratic decision thrown into doubt."
"The judge has found problems with the way that Elections Canada ran the election in this riding," he said in an emailed statement.
"As the judge took care to point out in the decision, Ted Opitz and the Conservative campaign team followed the rules.
Wrzesnewskyj told CBC News that the riding needs a by-election to restore democracy.
"Something broke in the last federal election," he said. "It's a terrible thought not to know whether or not someone who is in the House of Commons, voting on laws by which we govern ourselves, whether those individuals are actually an expression of the will of the people."
He and the Conservatives seem to agree there's a need for more training for the volunteers and temporary workers the election agency takes on in advance of voting day.
"Elections Canada has to have the resources to properly train their officials, to make sure that people who vote are — it's as basic as making sure that they actually are Canadian citizens."
a whole lot more
my reading: the Conservatives were not necessarily at fault [Elections Canada workers were the problem] but with robocalls and airplanes and oil sands and $16 glasses of orange juice and . . . well, is there enough ink? . . . Harper is going to hear of it. Liberals will probably pick up the seat, but Harper will still have his majority.
appeals possible . . . depends if Opitz has his six years for his pension in -- or how close he is to it -- to see how far they will go.
