54 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

The BC NDP has not yet returned our calls for comment.

I would be very surprised if the TC picked up on this story considering the massive amounts of advertising revenues they receive from City Hall and the potential for advertising by Dean Fortin and pro-NDP candidate campaigns.

[http]

Even if you did tick off the box, it wouldn't apply to municipal election campaigns, unless you could find a way to consider an election campaign a non-profit organization.

So you expect election campaigns are expecting to make money? And here I was thinking I was cynical about municipal politics.

[Mike K.]

So you expect election campaigns are expecting to make money?

Of course. They just happen to spend, oftentimes carelessly, all the money they generate on marketing campaigns before they go out of business.

[martini]

I just got off the phone with the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner and the Office feels that there is grounds to complain to Elections BC and the Office to ascertain on what grounds the individuals using this information/dispersing this information believe they have the right to do so.

The Office cannot give an answer over the phone whether or not this is legal as they need to investigate the actual case, but putting together Barra's experience and the suggestion that there is grounds for a complaint we can come to the conclusion that if an individual feels their privacy has been compromised by Mayor Fortin's campaign team that they have the right to make a formal complaint. In fact the Office "encourages" individuals who believe their privacy has been invaded to come forward and make formal complaints.

Wow. Just wow. Nice work guys!
SMDH

[martini]

Has anyone moved this item forward so that it gets some widespread coverage, or are folks just content with playing reporter on here?

Can this topic also be added to both VV's Twitter and Facebook so we can disseminate it?

ETA: Sorry I missed the Twitter one. Didn't see it on Facebook though?

[tedward]

I got called by the Fortin campaign this week to ask if I was going to support him "again". I informed the volunteer that I have never supported Fortin and complained about the calls. He claimed I must have supported Fortin last time but they are clearly still using the database/list for the previous elections based on the old NDP list.

[Bingo]

Do you vote a NDP slate of councillors in at the municipal level, knowing that we will likely have a Liberal government provincially for another 18 months, or do you elect some new blood and hope the province coughs up some reward money?

[martini]

Do you vote a NDP slate of councillors in at the municipal level, knowing that we will likely have a Liberal government provincially for another 18 months, or do you elect some new blood and hope the province coughs up some reward money?

Vote for some new blood. We're in sorry need of change! jmho

[aaroninvictoria]

Wow. Just wow. Nice work guys!
SMDH

I will second that! I know some newsies... I will throw this one at them and see what they come up with... Most interesting! I might be a little biased since I am running against The Dean Team

[manuel]

(decided not to raise issue initially posted - and instead will avoid political forums on vibrantvictoria in the future)

[Bernard]

A letter arrived at our house today from Dean Fortin that could only have happened through use of the NDP membership list.

[Sparky]

Bernard, do you feel as though your son's privacy has been compromised, or do you think that it's OK for the NDP to share their provincial and/or federal membership lists with party insiders for their own personal use?

[Rob Randall]

All I can say is that I wish I had free and unlimited access to lists like that when I ran in 2008!

Edit: Actually, no I don't wish for that. I'd feel uneasy accessing names and addresses that clearly were not intended for me.

[Bernard]

Bernard, do you feel as though your son's privacy has been compromised, or do you think that it's OK for the NDP to share their provincial and/or federal membership lists with party insiders for their own personal use?

I have thought about how to answer that question and not sound like I am doing so in a partisan manner.

I find the use of the list disappointing more than anything. I encouraged my son to join a political party to become interested and engaged with politics. He has a very, very strong social justice streak in him. He identifies with the NDP but at age 14 he is trying to understand why an adult is knowingly breaking a rule.

He is not by nature cynical at all but I am afraid this will make him cynical about politics. Doing the right thing is very important to him, much more so than the result.

I suspect the NDP may lose him as a supporter because of this. This is not going to be beneficial for the NDP because he has a lot of natural charisma and is an opinion leader among his peers.

His interaction and treatment by John Horgan and Mike Farnworth in the BC NDP leadership race was inspiring him that politics is about trying to make the world a better place. At age 11 he asked Jack Layton a question in the 2008 election and felt since then Jack was his man, Jack and the NDP stood for doing what was right. I have not asked him who he would prefer to have as mayor.

Will he formally complain? That is up to him and not me. I have not told him that he can or should complain to the NDP and I have not given his name to any of my friends in the media. It is his call on what he does with it from here.

Knowing my son, if he does pursue this I suspect he would want to see a public apology by the people involved that acknowledges they did something wrong.

I am in a quandary because I can see how this would benefit the candidate I am backing but at the same time I strongly feel it is not my place to interfere in his learning and exploring about politics. Overall I find the banal stupidity of the situation depressing.

[Sparky]

^ Excellent response, thank you Bernard.

[Holden West]

Yes, very well handled. Perhaps it is best that he learns at a young age that politics reflects all aspects of life--there are dark corners to be discovered.

[Jessica Van der Veen]

Hi -- I heard there was some nasty campaign rumours being spread. Here to help clear them up.

For the record: To the very best of my knowledge, nobody is given access NDP member/supporters' lists except for the Provincial and Federal NDP (we are a united party). The lists are the most important asset the party has.

An NDP member in good standing who is running for Municipal Councillor or for School Trustee can apply to the Provincial Executive and (if approved) can pay head office to do a phone-through of the lists in their area. At no time are the lists or personal information released to the candidate or anyone else.

Thank you for your kind attention. Please resume campaigning on the issues that matter to the lower island.

JVDV, South Island Regional Rep for the Provincial Executive of the BCNDP.

ps. If you hear this sort of thing in the future, please don't hesitate to phone me and check in. I'd be happy to help.

[Sparky]

Thank you Jessica. Could you please clarify what a "phone-through" is?

For your information, please read posts # 31 and #34 above.

The title of your post " Rumours versus facts on party lists: Let's not campaign nasty" would suggest that you might believe that the information contained in these posts may not be factual.

How do you suppose this young gentleman was able to receive this kind of correspondance from the candidate? Accident?

[Mike K.]

For the record: To the very best of my knowledge, nobody is given access NDP member/supporters' lists except for the Provincial and Federal NDP (we are a united party). The lists are the most important asset the party has.

Further to what Sparky wrote above, the BC NDP admonished Vision Vancouver municipal candidates for gaining access to the lists and using them to solicit support in 2008.

[martini]

^ Excellent response, thank you Bernard.

Yes I second that.

Your son experienced what I did with the NDP, but over different 'unethical' behaviours.
It was very difficult to face being such a loyal member for so long.

Has he looked at the Green party? Or maybe simply getting his feet wet with nonpartisan?