NDP write to elections commish with new info on vote suppression

List of ridings where voters faced alleged suppression tactics grows

OTTAWA – NDP Ethics Critic Charlie Angus and Treasury Board critic Alexandre Boulerice sent a follow up letter to the Elections Commissioner today with additional information about harassment of New Democrat supporters during the last general election.

The NDP also included an updated list of ridings where they have received complaints about alleged vote suppression and harassment activities against its supporters.

In the letter, New Democrats continue to urge the Commissioner and the RCMP to conduct a full investigation and charge those responsible for these reprehensible dirty tricks.

February 25, 2012 Commissioner of Canada Elections c/o Elections Canada 257 Slater Street Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0M6 Dear Commissioner: I am writing to follow up on our letter sent earlier this week regarding allegations of illegal voter suppression in Canada’s 41st General Election involving Conservative Party officials and a company called RackNine Inc.. A further investigation of our records and new information forwarded to us since we wrote has produced specific additional information we would like included in your probe. We received the following reports on the evening of April 29, 2011 from local NDP campaigns. Thunder Bay-Superior North: On the evening of April 29th, 2011 the campaign for Bruce Hyer received calls from supporters claiming that they had just received a harassing phone call from someone telling them to “Fire Hyer”. The callers refused to identify who they were when pressed. It was clear to the local campaign that the calls were targeting NDP supporters in what was anticipated to be a competitive Conservative race. Source phone number: 406-426-3982 Carrier: http://lrn.callwithus.com/api/lrn/index.php?username=422277607&ei=1&password=dir3ctl3ap&number=14064263982 Caller ID: http://lrn.callwithus.com/api/cnam/index.php?username=422277607&ei=1&password=dir3ctl3ap&number=14064263982 Edmonton East: On the evening of April 29th, 2011 the campaign for Ray Martin received two accounts of people getting phone calls from individuals representing themselves as employees of Elections Canada. The callers then attempted to confirm the address and names of the residents. Source phone number: 780-665-2272 Carrier: http://lrn.callwithus.com/api/lrn/index.php?username=422277607&ei=1&password=dir3ctl3ap&number=17806652272 Caller ID: http://lrn.callwithus.com/api/cnam/index.php?username=422277607&ei=1&password=dir3ctl3ap&number=17806652272 We are continuing to search for additional information from our campaign workers and supporters that could help further. We are also following up on allegations we have received of harassing phone calls to NDP supporters in the following ridings:

• Parkdale—High Park
• South Shore—St. Margaret's
• Ottawa Centre
• Davenport
• Windsor—Tecumseh
• Sudbury
• Elmwood—Transcona
• Essex
• Winnipeg South

We are happy to provide you with contact information for people who contacted us with allegations. As we unearth additional specific evidence, we will forward it to you. Voter suppression is an unacceptable practice that violates sections of the Elections Canada Act. Any individual or campaign that aided or abetted these voter suppression calls designed to disrupt Canadians from exercising their right to vote should be fully investigated. We urge you, in the strongest possible terms, to ensure that the people or parties responsible for these dirty tricks are held to account and charged accordingly. Please let us know if there is any way we can help with your investigation. Furthermore, if there is anything parliament can do to aid your probe into this reprehensible election fraud, you have the support of New Democratic Party of Canada. Sincerely, Charlie Angus, MP Timmins—James Bay Alexandre Boulerice Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie