How much should I care about this political scandal?

[ulmont]

I was twice a campaign manager in a real election - once federally, once provincially.  They were efforts we were always doomed to lose as we were up against strong incumbents, but it gave me some appreciation for political campaigns.  And I, for one, respect and enjoy "hard nosed politics" that got right up to the line, but don't cross it.  There's no problem with negative campaigning, or trying to supress your opponents vote, for example.

My wife was a campaign consultant at one time.  I agree with all of this, other than the voter suppression bit (I understand your later characterization).

As for the campaign finance violations - it appears to be more of an issue that the funds could have been used in this way, they just didn't want to admit it and thus failed to report it.  It's more of a regulatory offence than a criminal one.

Also that generally speaking campaign violations can be somewhere from "meh" to "Jesus Christ, what the hell."  More data is needed.

[Barrister]

Negative campaigning to try to get people to not vote, not ok.

Disagree.  It's a continuum.  Vote for me, don't vote, vote for the other candidate.

Egg McMuffin's candidacy was essentially a placeholder for tribal Republicans to abstain from voting from Trump.  He wasn't seriously running for president.

Really, you don't understand the difference between trying to convince someone not to vote for the other candidate and trying to convince a person not to vote at all?

I think the words "voter suppression" are a bit of a trigger for Americans, and I understand why.

I think there's a difference between trying to convince a person not to vote (fair game!) and trying to prevent a person from voting (not cool!).  And the later has a long history in US politics through things like Jim Crow laws

[crazy canuck]

Convincing a person not to vote includes as lot more than convincing them not to vote for the opposing candidate. 

[PRC]

Jason Kenney lost another UCP candidate this morning.  Caylan Ford resigned because comments she made after the Charlottesville riots, about how white supremacist terrorists are treated unfairly, have come to light. 

https://calgaryherald.com/news/politics/ucp-candidate-caylan-ford-resigns-after-controversial-online-comments-surface

[crazy canuck]

There is always going to be a group of racist wingnuts within a right wing party. The issue is how the leader and party deals with them.  It appears she was forced out quickly.

[Oexmelin]

I think there's a difference between trying to convince a person not to vote (fair game!)

Back in my more activist days, I used to think that. But no longer, not with declining participation rates. The crisis of democracy requires us to empower the democratic process, and that means encouraging everyone to vote - and to participate more largely. In our moment of "victory, no matter the cost", we need to appreciate anew the value of the process itself, over the result. And convincing a person not to vote is always done in a somewhat disingenuous way.

[Barrister]

There is always going to be a group of racist wingnuts within a right wing party. The issue is how the leader and party deals with them.  It appears she was forced out quickly.

It has been a big priority for years to Kenney dating back to his time in Harper's cabinet to increase Conservative support amongst recent immigrants and visible minorities.  The racial dynamics of Canada are quite different than in the US after all, with visible minorities being being mostly south and east asian (rather than black and hispanic), more financially successful, and often more socially conservative.  And it has shown some success.

I was going to say that I didn't think this particular candidate needed to go - the first comments I saw were more about process than substance.  But then I see she did say that she was 'saddened by the demographic replacement of white people', and that 'would not be a peaceful transition', and that such comments were only 2 years old, not in the distant past, so I can understand and agree with her going.

[Oexmelin]

It has been a big priority for years to Kenney dating back to his time in Harper's cabinet to increase Conservative support amongst recent immigrants and visible minorities.  The racial dynamics of Canada are quite different than in the US after all, with visible minorities being being mostly south and east asian (rather than black and hispanic), more financially successful, and often more socially conservative.  And it has shown some success.

Top five countries for immigrants in Canada (2016):

1. Philippines 2. India 3. China 4. Iran 5. Pakistan

Top five countries for immigrants in Quebec (2016)

1. Algeria 2. Morocco 3. France 4. Haiti 5. China 

(Philippines comes in at 9; Iran at 13 and India and Pakistan do not break the top 15).

[viper37]

I think there's a difference between trying to convince a person not to vote (fair game!)

Back in my more activist days, I used to think that. But no longer, not with declining participation rates. The crisis of democracy requires us to empower the democratic process, and that means encouraging everyone to vote - and to participate more largely. In our moment of "victory, no matter the cost", we need to appreciate anew the value of the process itself, over the result. And convincing a person not to vote is always done in a somewhat disingenuous way.

the Parti (and Bloc) Québécois used to call me each election, reminding me how important it was too vote.  Until I told them I voted for the other guys.

[viper37]

It has been a big priority for years to Kenney dating back to his time in Harper's cabinet to increase Conservative support amongst recent immigrants and visible minorities.  The racial dynamics of Canada are quite different than in the US after all, with visible minorities being being mostly south and east asian (rather than black and hispanic), more financially successful, and often more socially conservative.  And it has shown some success.

Top five countries for immigrants in Canada (2016):

1. Philippines 2. India 3. China 4. Iran 5. Pakistan

Top five countries for immigrants in Quebec (2016)

1. Algeria 2. Morocco 3. France 4. Haiti 5. China 

(Philippines comes in at 9; Iran at 13 and India and Pakistan do not break the top 15).

damn French trying to invade and replace us

[PRC]

I think there's a difference between trying to convince a person not to vote (fair game!)

Back in my more activist days, I used to think that. But no longer, not with declining participation rates. The crisis of democracy requires us to empower the democratic process, and that means encouraging everyone to vote - and to participate more largely. In our moment of "victory, no matter the cost", we need to appreciate anew the value of the process itself, over the result. And convincing a person not to vote is always done in a somewhat disingenuous way.

the Parti (and Bloc) Québécois used to call me each election, reminding me how important it was too vote.  Until I told them I voted for the other guys.

There is the old belief that high voter turn out helps left of centre parties more than right wing ones, so it may make sense that  Conservative parties would see the benefits of voter suppression and be more willing to engage in it.

[Barrister]

There is the old belief that high voter turn out helps left of centre parties more than right wing ones, so it may make sense that  Conservative parties would see the benefits of voter suppression and be more willing to engage in it.

I never heard that in Canada.

[crazy canuck]

There is the old belief that high voter turn out helps left of centre parties more than right wing ones, so it may make sense that  Conservative parties would see the benefits of voter suppression and be more willing to engage in it.

I never heard that in Canada.

Why do you think Conservative party operatives engaged in robo call voter suppression?

[saskganesh]

Harper government made it harder to vote under the Fair Elections Act. ID that is acceptable in a provincial election, is not always acceptable nationally. The bar was needlessly raised.

[saskganesh]

I am shocked that a Conservative politician is corrupt.