New information reveals not even the private contractors hired by Elections Canada to investigate the possible 2011 "robocalls" are neutral, non-partisan individuals.
Information on who the private contractors conducting the "robocalls" investigation are is scarce, but the very fact that Elections Canada has outsourced one of its vitally important responsibilities to private firms is shocking.
It is even more shocking that such responsibility has been delegated to paper companies: private companies with no website, no phone numbers, and no email addresses, which only seem to exist in the eyes of Elections Canada. Google searches bring up nothing more than Elections Canada's listings of contracts (and perhaps the odd LinkedIn profile).
Certainly the least Elections Canada could have done before hiring these private contractors was to ensure they were hiring neutral, non-partisan individuals. Especially with the odd and significant amount of recurring $78,444.35 contracts, Canadians deserve to know that their tax money is being put towards professional, neutral individuals.
But that's not the case according to a search of Elections Canada's contributors' database.
A search of the sole contractor involved in the robocalls investigation with a website - Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton - reveals that many members on their board of directors have donated money to the Liberals and Bloc Quebecois - the same parties which have the most to gain in propagating any sort of "robocall" voter conspiracy myth, ramping up the rhetoric to the extent that some members are now being sued for slander and libel.
In July 2008, Emilio Imbriglio, Chair of Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton, donated $300 to the Liberals. In January 2009, he donated $1000 to the Michael Ignatieff leadership campaign.
In February 2010, Eric Bergeron, Assurance Partner, donated $375 to the Liberals.
Marc Bergeron, Vice President of Recovery and Reorganization, donated $287.79 to the Liberals in June 2007; another $340 in August; and another $250 in December.
Lynda Coache, Assurance Partner, donated $255 to the Liberals on February 28, 2010.
Martin Deschenes, Assurance Partner, donated $405 to the Liberals on February 28, 2010 and $400 to the Bloc Quebecois on June 8, 2011.
Eric Labelle, Tax Partner, donated $465 to the Liberals on February 28, 2010.
Jocelyn Renald, Vice President Management Committee, donated $300 to the Liberals in December 2008.
It is unclear whether any of these individuals have a direct involvement in the current robocalls investigation, however the firm has been given a $214,700 contract to conduct its investigation. This is the largest robocalls contract I've come across to-date, so at least the company, if not its employees, would be neutral, right?
Wrong. In 1999, when businesses and unions were allowed to donate to political parties before the days of the Liberal's AdScam and the Conservative Party's Accountability Act to address that Liberal corruption, Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton donated $4406.48 to the Liberal Party. And another $1000 in 2000.
In 1998, Grant Thornton, the apparent head office of RCGT, donated a staggering (and odd) $12,657.18 to the Liberals.
They also audited the 2004 books for the Marijuana Party of Canada, although the party barely received $11,000 in donations (I guess the rest went up in smoke).
During the 37th general election, the company gave $450 for the re-election of Serge Cardin, a then-sitting Member of Parliament for the Bloc Quebecois and a currently-sitting Parti Quebecois Member of Provincial Parliament. They also gave $500 to support his opponent, then-Liberal candidate and now City Councillor Jean-Francois Rouleau. What better way to make friends with both the sitting Bloc Quebecois MP and his Liberal challenger than to just donate money to them both?
It is startling that Elections Canada did not properly vet the neutrality and worthiness of allowing yet another partisan investigator (after Andre Thouin) onto this investigation. These are not small amounts of money, and throwing thousands of dollars behind a leadership contestant or political party indicates strong, decisive support.
Canadians are well on their way to spending $1 million on this "robocalls" investigation. What has that investigation dug up or accomplished? So far, nothing.
How can Canadians have confidence in any of this investigation when the very investigators have a strong, clear, undeniable political bias?
If this investigation has uncovered anything, it needs to be laid bare immediately. Otherwise, this rank investigation needs to be swiftly thrown out.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Robocalls investigators have donated money to Liberals, Bloc Quebecois
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Congratulations on your very informative post.
ReplyDeleteBecause I'm having problems with my Flash Player, I didn't get to watch the CTV interview of former Conservative staffer Michael Sona yesterday, so I don't know if this report of what he said is accurate.
http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/ex-tory-staffer-linked-to-11-robocalls-speaks-out-about-latest-scandal-1.1150811
I wonder what you think of what he's been reportedly saying.
-- Gabby in QC
Just my 2 cents, but you've got to remember that when the story first broke a year ago, the Conservative Party threw this guy under the bus pretty hard as the person who was responsible. After he was proven innocent, I don't think they apologized or did anything to make it right, which they probably should've done since they were wrong and he had to bear that burden. Now it turns out that the Conservative Party is still using this same robocall company in Saskatchewan and even their own senior Caucus members like Tom Lukiwski are condemning Jenni Byrne and Headquarters for it. So this guy's not alone in the Conservative Caucus in questioning the Conservative HQ's explanation. At the end of the day, Elections Canada needs to conclude this case one way or the other, which is exactly what he says in the interview. If they have nothing, then tell the truth and come clean with Canadians so people and Parties can move on.
DeleteOf course you won't see any of this reported by those two wizards of slease and innuendos, McGregor and Maher
ReplyDeleteThe duo have been nominated for newsperson of the year, if you can believe it. Maher has completed an e book of fiction, similar to his reporting on robocalls.
DeleteI'd believe anything from the Brain Dead Media party.
DeleteMakes one wonder just who should be investigated?
ReplyDeleteSomething smells at EC.
Agreed?
Elections Canada has as much credibility as the IPCC,the manner in which they've conducted this "investigation" is nothing more than a boondoggle in favor of anti-Conservative friends.
ReplyDeleteIf they really wanted to get to the bottom of the Robocalls,which I'm convinced they DO NOT,they should have hired an outside detective agency, maybe the Pinkerton Agency, world renowned,and in business since 1850.
But,again, I don't believe EC wants to do more than have an ongoing faux scandal to keep the theme of Conservatives/corruption before the public for years. Maher and McGregor are part of this liberal/Liberal agenda,whether one wants to call it a conspiracy or not.
I often wonder if the robocalls were not done by a Liberal operative,knowing they were not about to win the election,but determined to make life miserable for the Tories as long as they could.
EC would rather leak and punish than actually do their jobs in a professional, non-partisan manner. This is how they've rolled since the conservatives arrived. And they are bureaucrats. They want to milk sick-days, not serve.
DeleteWhy hasn't Harper launched an inquiry? OK, dumb question.
ReplyDeleteI kind of lean towards the conspiracy theory, one designed to discredit the Conservatives' and Stephen Harper's electoral wins as illegitimate.
ReplyDeleteOf course, I have no proof, only conjecture, but I also think that the infamous Pierre Poutine could be some well-known activist comedian -- who shall remain nameless.
-- Gabby in QC
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ReplyDeleteGeneral Questions
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Yes, lets contact them indeed.....
Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton is the Quebec arm of Grant Thornton LLP, a major Canadian firm of chartered accountants, auditors and business consultants. They have over 40 offices across Canada. It is also affiliated with Grant Thornton International. As professional accountants, staff assigned to specific files MUST remain impartial or risk having their professional designation revoked.
ReplyDeleteGrant Thornton is similar, and as reputable as Deloitte or Price Waterhouse.
You are looking for conspiracies where none exist. Every large national company in Canada will have made corporate and individual employee political donations to ALL political parties.