[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[Oexmelin]

The right to vote was suspended?  Are you sure about that?

Would be, if he is convicted. As per sect. 568 of the Loi électorale du Québec.

Every person who is convicted of an offence that is a corrupt electoral practice loses, for a period of five years from the judgment, the right to engage in partisan work, vote or be a candidate in an election and, for the same period, shall not hold any office to which appointment is made by an order of the Government or by a resolution of the National Assembly.

Furthermore, where the person convicted of an offence contemplated in section 557 or 558 is a Member of the National Assembly, his election is void.

[Drakken]

Except that the infraction was linked to his candidacy in a municipal district election in Chicoutimi. It has nothing to do with either the federal election or his position inside the PLC(Q).

He didn't slip phony ballots into voting booths, or embezzle campaign funds into his own pocket. He is standing accused of spending passed the provincial legal limits for municipal elections. While technically it is 'electoral fraud', it is because his spending was not rigourously counterchecked and verified before submitting. He declared spendings that he thought would be recognized as being legit, but finally was not according to the DGEQ. It is hardly on the level Viper attempts to suggest.

Second, he was already declared inactive as PLC(Q) Treasurer since last week because he was not able to attend to his BoD duties as Treasurer, even before the whole thing became public. The PLC(Q) Congress is due in two weeks, anyway, and the whole Board of Directors standing as incumbents.

Vip, your attempt at smeering is pitiful. At least get your facts straight, first.

[viper37]

Forgotten about Mike Duffy and friends only a few years ago? Corruption doesn't know a political leaning, it thrives on oppertunity.

There were no criminal charges against the Senators.
Mike Duffy's expenses were reimbursed to the State.

[viper37]

Vip, your attempt at smeering is pitiful. At least get your facts straight, first.

I have my facts straight.  He is accused of committing an electoral fraud.  Just like Mike Duffy is accused of fraud.  Just like Nathalie Normandeau is accused of fraud.  Just like Chrétien &co committed fraud during the sponsorship scandals.

EDIT:
as judged by prior incidents, if it had been a simple mistake, he would have been asked to repay the overdue sums only, no criminal charges filed.  This indicates he was attempting to hide it.

[Josephus]

Sounds rather unconstitutional.

[crazy canuck]

Sounds rather unconstitutional.

Yeah, I would be very surprised if that penalty was constitutional.  There is a link between the offence and the right to participate as a candidate.  But prisoners are allowed to vote.

Perhaps this is an old statute that has not been reconsidered in light of the Charter?

[Drakken]

But to test that, one has to be prosecuted and declared guilty under said law, and then appeal that the penalty is unconstitutional.

[crazy canuck]

But to test that, one has to be prosecuted and declared guilty under said law, and then appeal that the penalty is unconstitutional.

I would think that the constitutional argument would be raised at the trial level first.  If the argument isnt raised at the lower court there is a strong argument that it cannot be raised for the first time on appeal.

[viper37]

yeah, well Trudeau knows quantum physics

http://gizmodo.com/everyone-should-be-able-to-explain-quantum-computing-li-1771397386

Quelques secondes avant le début de l'extrait diffusé sur le web, M. Trudeau, derrière son lutrin, met au défi les journalistes de lui demander «d'expliquer le fonctionnement de l'informatique quantique, parce que j'étais vraiment content de pouvoir parfaire mes connaissances» lors de sa visite des locaux de l'université plus tôt en journée.

Translation:
A few seconds before the clip shown on the web, Mr Trudeau, behind his lecterne, defied journalists to ask him "to explain quantum computing, because I'm very happy to better my knowledge", while visiting the university early that day.


So, planted question because he searched the answer first.

Still dumb.

[Josephus]

I think Trudeau is gonna be Canada's Obama. By that I mean that people who didn't vote for him will find every reason to hate him.

Trudeau: "I'm pleased to announce that we have discovered a cure for cancer."

Conservatives. "Oh, what about cerebral palsy?"

[crazy canuck]

So, planted question because he searched the answer first.

Still dumb.

Or one could conclude - a Prime Minister who shows an interest in science

[garbon]

I think Trudeau is gonna be Canada's Obama. By that I mean that people who didn't vote for him will find every reason to hate him.

Trudeau: "I'm pleased to announce that we have discovered a cure for cancer."

Conservatives. "Oh, what about cerebral palsy?"

That was later stage. Initial stage for Obama was all the fanbois saying how awesome he was going to be / he was just ramping up (including the Nobel Prize committee).

[Valmy]

That was later stage. Initial stage for Obama was all the fanbois saying how awesome he was going to be / he was just ramping up (including the Nobel Prize committee).

He has been...a'right.

[garbon]

That was later stage. Initial stage for Obama was all the fanbois saying how awesome he was going to be / he was just ramping up (including the Nobel Prize committee).

He has been...a'right.

Aight.

[viper37]

Or one could conclude - a Prime Minister who shows an interest in science

when in front of a camera? sure.