The Duffy Affair exploded with controversy Tuesday when disgraced senator Mike Duffy implicated Prime Minister Stephen Harper in the scandal in a speech to the senate to save his job. The speech has led a domino effect exposing over a dozen Conservative insiders who knew of the affair – despite Harper’s claims that former Chief of Staff Nigel Wright acted alone.
What started as an isolated set of robocalls misdirecting voters in Guelph expanded to effect over 50 ridings as irregularities happened during the 2011 election campaign that gave the Conservatives their coveted majority. Did the Conservatives legitimately win the 2011 election campaign? Let’s take a look at the scandal from how it unfolded.
Earlier today, it was reported that 29 ridings and counting were effected by Robocalls in the last election. An updated count pits 34 as the cumulative total among the Liberals and NDP, accounting for 11% of the total seats in the House of Commons.
Liberal Interim Leader Bob Rae said in a press conference today that he wants a full investigation into the Robocalls that have affected over 29 ridings so far. The Liberals have evidence that links 27 ridings to automated calls which falsely told voters that their polling stations had changed.
NDP researcher James Valcke has released images via his Twitter account which add more links between the Conservatives and Racknine President Matt Meier.
The Liberals and NDP have collectively counted 29 ridings that were affected by Harper’s robocall scandal during the May 2011 election campaign.
In 2006, Stephen Harper’s Conservatives won a minority over Paul Martin’s Liberals. The campaign consisted of two main themes: the sponsorship scandal and tax cuts. One must wonder why the Conservatives won: was it in protest against the Liberal sponsorship scandal? Was it because the GST was promised to be cut by 2%? Or was it because the votes were rigged?
The Conservatives have a notorious record with electoral fraud being fined and having four prominent members nearly charged criminally. During the 2011 election campaign, Liberals from across the country got harassing phone calls and after an Elections Canada probe, links have been found with the Conservative Party.
While Vic Toews fights to the brink for his bill, and attempts to retract claiming he didn’t know it would permit warrantless access to all online and mobile activities, Canadians and activists are fighting back. As Toews hides behind child pornography and attempts to do what Conservatives do best: divide and conquer, the joke is on him as parts of his life entered public light.