quote:

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Originally posted by Albireo:
Along with complete shoe-in ridings like Crowfoot AB for the Cons, this riding is now ALREADY DECIDED. There is a 100% chance of electing NDP MP Alex Atamenko. The Libs were too far behind to catch up.

This must be among the most disastrous local candidacies in Canadian electoral history.

* The Conservatives nominate Zeisman to hold a seat that a retiring incumbant won by a razor-thin margin last time.
* An essay by Zeisman comes to light, in which he urges scrapping Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, getting rid of the Canadian dollar and sharing a currency with the U.S.
* Zeisman is seriously injured in a car accident, and is unable to campaign because he's in traction in the hospital.
* He is charged with illegally smuggling a luxury car and some booze across the U.S.-Canada border.
* Police are actively investigating whether he caused the car accident, and whether charges are warranted.
* His own Conservative party denounces him and says that he can't sit in their caucus even if (if!) he is elected.

Seriously, can anybody think of a more disastrous candidate for a major party, ever?

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/Drift

quote:

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Originally posted by West Coast Tiger:
Sounds like it should be a published book -- lord knows there is lots of material for 'the book'.

/Drift

Hi Boom Boom! Missed ya.

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Compared to the Martin Liberals, the Harper Conservatives are lookin' might good, even though they are basically one and the same.

250 seats for Martin - anyone remember those arrogant days! It sure seems the LPC has not learned their lesson very well yet, but I'm sure the Canadian people will deliver it to them on January 23.

Great opportunity for the Layton New Democrats here!

[ 12 January 2006: Message edited by: leftcoastguy ]

quote:

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Originally posted by HeywoodFloyd:
Missd ya LCG. Where have you been?

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Heywood et al - Happy New Year!

What's this I hear about Landslide Annie and other LPC candidates today making major apologies about the sicko LPC attack ads?

BTW you must be feelin' good these days, eh!

It's about time those LYING LPCers got their just rewards.

The spin, the spin. Harper looks good in the end, they say. But Reynolds sure didn't look so hot. And Zeisman looks like a weenie (also an Osmond brother).

So add those up and how do the Tories look?

Edited to add: On the bright side, yet another whacky page in the BC politics book

[ 12 January 2006: Message edited by: North Shore ]

The NDP can now focus more resources on other winnable ridings.

quote:

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Originally posted by Albireo:
Seriously, can anybody think of a more disastrous candidate for a major party, ever?

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My nominations are:

- Emmanuel Feuerwerker (Liberal - 1988 - Etobicoke Lakeshore) - withdrew after nominations closed, so no Liberal candidate on the ballot - highest ever vote share for the Libertarians

- John Beck (Reform - 1993 - York Centre) - expelled as a Reform candidate after nominations closed for making comments like this to "The Excalibur" (York U student paper): "if an immigrant comes into Canada and gets a job for $150,000, he is taking jobs away from us… the Gentile people, the white people."

- (Help me Ottawa babblers!) (Liberal - 1995 Ont. prov. - Carleton) - removed as a Liberal candidate after copies of his nasty little anti-Semitic, anti-Catholic book "To Pope With Love" were found

All NDP candidates are pure and chaste with the strength of ten.

[ 13 January 2006: Message edited by: Krago ]

quote:

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Originally posted by Krago:
- (Help me Ottawa babblers!) (Liberal - 1995 Ont. prov. - Carleton) - removed as a Liberal candidate after copies of his nasty little anti-Semitic, anti-Catholic book "To Pope With Love" were found

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Mohamed Bassuny.

And who can forget Betty "Asian Invasion" Granger, CA, Winnipeg, 2000?

quote:

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Originally posted by Privateer:
Anyone else think this is just the beginning? Zeisman and Rondo are probably comic relief compared to what the Liberals are still holding onto. The next week should be interesting.

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Rick Mercer has a Rondo video piece on his blog.

The conservatives only do the right thing when they are forced to. Law and Order is for other people not the conservatives that is until they are caught of course like in this case. Assholes.

This story proves they are lying to the Canadian public to win the election much like that other "compassionate conservative" George Bush lied to win his election. Gee Stephen Harper didn't have a problem with the republicans using negative ads to win the US election. Hypocrites again and again and again.

Lying through the sins of ommission is still 'lying'.

[ 12 January 2006: Message edited by: mary123 ]

quote:

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Originally posted by leftcoastguy:
[QB]Harper handled this incident like a champ - quite the contrast with the way Martin has blown the Income Trust caper and the lack of ministerial accountability by Goodale.

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I'd reserve judgment on that for a while ... CBC reported this morning on Newsworld that Zeisman says he actually told the CPC about the charges when he was charged.

quote:

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Originally posted by No Yards:

I'd reserve judgment on that for a while ... CBC reported this morning on Newsworld that Zeisman says he actually told the CPC about the charges when he was charged.

Harper may have known (or should have known) about the charges in advance of the news being publicly released ... Harper may have waited to see if he could ignore a criminal CPC MP until after he was elected (and why not, for the CPC, even a defrocked CPC MP is still better than a sitting NDP or Liberal MP.)

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Not that I'm one to defend the neo-Cons, but I wonder if Zeisman is just saying this to cover his own ass. Or to hurt the party, which was pretty quick to drop him (rightly so, IMO).

quote:

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Originally posted by No Yards:
Well, seems as though he was charged with this crime in July of 2004, so at best even if Harper didn't know, he's and the party have had over a year to find out ... and since he claims they do background checks (including criminal) for all their candidates, I don't know how they can claim they didn't know.

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Canada is so screwed if the cons are elected. Pray we don't have a New Orleans like disaster here because Harper will mess that up like the republicans did.

My hope is Canadians wake up from this election coma they seem to be in.

[ 13 January 2006: Message edited by: mary123 ]

quote:

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Harper handled this incident like a champ

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quote:

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Originally posted by Albireo:
Well, if he was charged last year, but has not been tried & convicted, then he doesn't have a criminal record. Would it even show up in a check?

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quote:

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Originally posted by mary123:
Yeah how many more criminals are running for the conservatives?

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More to the point: How many Conservatives in this country have ever been involved in a hate crime, serious/violent abortion protest, redneck fist fight, etc...? Or is only elitist, white collar type crime more palatable to them?

quote:

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Well, if he was charged last year, but has not been tried & convicted, then he doesn't have a criminal record. Would it even show up in a check?

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Police maintain records of pending charges, which are computerized.

As well, courts maintain a docket, and the accused names are displayed outside of a given courtroom to provide notice to the public that the proceedings are occurring.

Police often release information to the media concerning people they are charging, and the offences they are charging them with.

quote:

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Originally posted by Hephaestion:
It's interesting that in all the coverage that I've heard on CBC Radio about this, there has been hardly a WORD about who is benefitting from all this -- Alex Atamanenko.

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This is the big unanswered question – “where will the Con vote go?” Reporters are having a hard time finding a former Con who still intends to do so, although that might change once the shock wears off. Con signs are coming down. I have seen some with Zeisman’s name cut off, just leaving “Conservative”. I think that a lot on Cons will just stay home. Perhaps a bump for the Libs, but not much. I will repost my stats from the other thread:

2004:
Con: 36%
NDP: 35%
Lib: 18%
GRN: 8%

My call now:
NDP: 45%
Con: 25%
Lib: 18%
GRN: 12%

or best case:
NDP: 45%
Con: 24%
GRN: 16%
Lib: 15%

Also lets not forget that there are about 2.3% Independent, Canadian Action Party and Marijuana votes cast last time that are in play this time:
Wikipedia: British Columbia Southern Interior

quote:

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Originally posted by Hephaestion:
Y'know what's *really* fun, is knowing how frustrated all the Reformatories in this riding feel with nobody to vote for. *snerk*

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[ 14 January 2006: Message edited by: Maritimesea ]

quote:

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January 15, 2005

For immediate release

Zeisman Apologizes To People Of Bc Southern Interior

Seeks forgiveness; urges continued support of Conservative cause.

TRAIL -- Speaking from his hospital bed, in Trail, where he is still recovering from the Dec. 20th highway accident, BC Southern Interior Conservative candidate Derek Zeisman today made the following statement:

“Words cannot express how sorry I am for having betrayed the trust of the people of BC Southern Interior particularly my dedicated Conservative supporters and volunteers by failing to disclose that I remain under investigation for six charges under the federal Customs Act.

“It never was my intention to hurt or embarrass anyone as a result of this matter. Regrettably, the exact opposite has occurred. I sincerely apologize to my party leader, Stephen Harper, my fellow Conservative candidates, my hardworking campaign volunteers and most of all, the good people of BC Southern Interior, for having brought criticism and ridicule upon your beautiful riding.

“I want to ensure the people of Canada, and Conservatives in particular, that I have nothing but the highest respect for our law enforcement and judicial systems. The illegal and unethical behaviour of so many Liberals in recent years is as much a cause of concern for me as anyone else.

“Unfortunately, it is currently I who finds himself with a legal cloud over his head. I will have my day in court, shortly, and I am very hopeful that I will be fully exonerated of the charges now before me.

“Since I was a young boy, it has always been my hope, my dream, to help my fellow Canadians in the best way I know how. Just as other Canadians find their place in business, law, health care or the trades, so do I continue to believe my place lies in public service, namely politics.

“Contrary to media reports, I have not been removed as the Conservative candidate in BC Southern Interior. Party officials have assured me that they continue to support my candidacy. However, Mr Harper has made it clear that in the event that I am elected, I will not be permitted to join the Conservative caucus until such time as I am cleared of the charges before me. I think this is a fair and reasonable proposal, one that is in keeping with the notion that the accused is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

“I know my actions have angered and offended many of the fine voters of BC Southern Interior. Again, I truly regret having let you down at this crucial time in Canadaís existence. But regardless of my own imperfections, I wish to offer this plea: if you favour first-class health care, a stronger economy, lower taxes, safer streets, strengthened education and job training, and true democratic accountability in government, I urge you to mark your ballot with the Conservatives on Jan. 23rd. I promise you this: if elected, we will work harder than we have ever worked before, to earn your trust, confidence and respect. We owe it to Canadians to give them the kind of government they have long deserved but have long been denied.”

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However, Colin Metcalf of the BC Conservatives in Vancouver yesterday told an associate of mine that Zeisman was going to have to be responsible for everything he put in the press release above, as Metcalf "[didn't] know what 'party officials' Zeisman was referring to" when he maintained that there was still backing for his candidacy.

That's a cute pic btw.

[ 17 January 2006: Message edited by: Vansterdam Kid ]

quote:

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Originally posted by scott:

I have just come from the Green Party headquarters in Nelson. The staff there claim that they are getting a lot of dissafected Conservative voters coming in to ask about the platform, and some have left with lawn signs.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Hephaestion:
I wouldn't be surprised to see the Greens crest at over 10% in this riding, maybe even as high as 12% -- much of it due to Con voters.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Hephaestion:
Does he really think he has a hope in hell of winning?

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code:

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New Democratic Party 22742      49.0%   +13.9% 	
Liberal                      9383 	  20.2% 	 +2.2% 	
Conservative              8948 	   19.3% 	-17.3% 	
Green                       5258 	 11.3% 	 +3.4% 	
Marxist-Leninist            123 	  0.3% 	 +0.2%

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Pretty much as predicted.

Interesting to note that the overall number of votes was about the same - showing that a lot of Con voters switched rather than stay home (turnout was actually up). Full stats: Wikipedia: British Columbia Southern Interior

[ 05 February 2006: Message edited by: scott ]

quote:

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I believe that's the best result ever garnered by a babbler-candidate.

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Perhaps if you exclude babblers with names starting with "P" that might be the case

Pierre D. won 12.8% and Paul S. won 19.2% this election.

S. Piatkowski won 17.4% in 1988.

[ 06 February 2006: Message edited by: Paul Gross ]

quote:

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Originally posted by West Coast Greeny:
Nicely done scott!

I believe that's the best result ever garnered by a babbler-candidate.

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Thanks, but I am not Scott Leyland, who was the candidate.

quote:

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Originally posted by West Coast Greeny:
Oh, um... oops.

There are too many scotts around here, geez, I also got mixed up between the 2 green Cameron W's in Alberta.

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No prob. How about a candidate who's campaign manager is his identical twin brother.Kootenay Green Party: Nelson - Creston Riding - Luke Crawford's Bio (scroll down for photo).

I guess that it can be revealed now - this is a secret Green strategy - have double everybody - it makes campaigning a lot easier.

[ 07 February 2006: Message edited by: scott ]