Election's Canada investigating "Robocall" Guelph Riding (and other ridings).

[worth]

Parliament should be replaced by skynet robots that do whatever is the most logical thing to do. Would get a lot more done. Or maybe if we can get some Vulcans...

[Slava]

If the Conservatives honestly believe their party had no involvement, they ought to be incredibly concerned. Maybe they should have the RCMP investigate this? I know that I would be very worried about what took place here. Some deviant got access to their database and used it for illegal purposes. I think we all agree that it's time to get tough on crime!

[Tinordi]

What matters more than partisanship is stuff like this. Subverting the democratic process, to me, is tantamount to treason. Sure there will be no proof of any one person or any one directive to do this, but never-the-less we should hold those guilty in the court of public opinion. It is simply not credible for the CPC to wash their hands of this. Someone was involved here who had party ties. The CPC should be held to account for that next election.

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

What matters more than partisanship is stuff like this. Subverting the democratic process, to me, is tantamount to treason. Sure there will be no proof of any one person or any one directive to do this, but never-the-less we should hold those guilty in the court of public opinion. It is simply not credible for the CPC to wash their hands of this. Someone was involved here who had party ties. The CPC should be held to account for that next election.

I know it's a couple of years away but I think they are going to be.

[Zulu29]

Is there a way to impeach a PM in Canada like you can a President in the US?

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by Zulu29

Is there a way to impeach a PM in Canada like you can a President in the US?

Pretty sure Harper has skirted that before when he illegally disbanded the senate or whatever before a major vote.

[Daradon]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Pretty sure Harper has skirted that before when he illegally disbanded the senate or whatever before a major vote.

Prorogued parliament you mean?

That was more to make sure he didn't suffer a vote of no confidence, (or I think that was why he did it) which is obviously a special circumstance because of a minority government. That could get him ousted yes, but only because of a new vote and election, which is a normal thing for any candidate, and of course a very big possibility when heading a minority government. But it's not the same thing as getting impeached for wrong doing.

And actually I think impeachment is just reserved for times presidents lie under oath. As wrong doing is obviously a very subjective thing.

As far as if something equivalent to impeachment can happen in Canada, I really don't know, but I imagine there's got to be something similar. Course only one president in history was impeached so it's not really a common thing anyway.

Actually just looked up the stats. Two unsuccessfully impeached and one who resigned before he could be impeached.

Andrew Johnson, 1868. Conviction failed by one vote.
William J. Clinton. 1998. Conviction failed on a vote of 53-46.

Richard Nixon resigned from office, 1974, while facing a vote of impeachment.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Zulu29

Is there a way to impeach a PM in Canada like you can a President in the US?

Well the CPC was found to be in contempt of parliament leading to the last election, but CPC supporters would have you believe that was a political stunt. That was over the fighter jets (which as predicted by the opposition turned out to be a complete mess).

[Smartcar]

Originally Posted by rubecube

And now we have Conservatives refusing to cooperate with investigators. This just keeps getting better.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/He...961/story.html

And complaining about how long the investigation is taking
http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/05...nvestigations/

Mayrand was testifying in front of a Commons committee into proposed legislative changes to update the Elections Act, in part to give the agency greater powers to prevent and investigate fraudulent calls.

Conservative MP Tom Lukiwski opened questioning by complaining about the price the Conservatives are paying for delays in the investigation.

“I can assure you that our party more than any other would like to see a speedy resolve to this because as you know, many in the opposition have been accusing our party as being the ones who perpetrated the voter suppression calls, the infamous ‘Pierre Poutine’ investigation,” he said. “We did not.”

Lukiwski cited the legal maxim “justice delayed is justice denied.”

Speaking to reporters after the committee testimony concluded, Mayrand pointed to delays in the Pierre Poutine investigation, in which three Conservative campaign workers have declined to talk to investigators probing the Guelph, Ont. robocall that sent hundreds of opposition supporters to the wrong polling station in 2011.

“In some cases, appointments are cancelled at the last minute,” Mayrand said. “People who have agreed suddenly decide that they don’t want to meet with the investigator. That adds time, delays, and makes the investigation a little bit more complex than needed be. And again, as we go back to this issue of justice delayed, justice denied, well that’s where it starts, among other things.”

[Slava]

Sona was found guilty and the judge says he doesn't think he acted alone.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/mich...rial-1.2735676

[c.t.ner]

Originally Posted by Zulu29

Is there a way to impeach a PM in Canada like you can a President in the US?

I don't think there's any rule that would allow something like this. The easiest way to get rid of the Prime Minister is to have his own party turf him as leader or force him to step down... but given how much power the Prime Minister has over their own party now not sure we'll see much of that going on.