You Were Asking? About Volunteer Work and Citizen Smear Campaigns
I've never had so many people express so much interest in my volunteer work as they have in recent days -- and I've been an active and committed volunteer for many years.
In the letter of complaint I filed with Elections Canada on Monday morning, I thought it was important to state my involvement with all local political campaigns. (I try to err on the side of transparency wherever possible.)
This is what I wrote:
"I have not contributed financially to any candidate's election campaign since 2008. I am not affiliated with any candidate's campaign, locally or nationally. I did offer to participate in a national event [as a volunteer] for the Liberal Party of Canada, but there was a scheduling conflict so I was unable to participate. I do intend to volunteer with the local Liberal campaign on May 2nd . I have had Liberal lawn signs at my home and office since the election was called. My office lawn sign was vandalized between Thursday afternoon and Sunday morning."
I should have also stated that I do not hold a membership in any political party. That has been the case since approximately December 2009, when the membership I held in the Liberal Party of Canada expired.
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It is my hope that Peterborough MP Dean Del Mastro will eventually see fit to moderate his message board and remove the libelous attack posts directed at me. Shortly after CHEX-TV interviewed me on Monday night, Del Mastro removed the attack posts that had been directed at me until that time. I expressed my appreciation to him immediately. Unfortunately, the attack posts resumed immediately and, 48 hours later, the new round of attack posts remains. The attacks have also spilled over to a number of related websites. I know things get nasty during political campaigns (and I hate that), but typically the attacks go from politician from politician. Maybe I'm just old-fashioned and I haven't caught up with the latest trends in our rapidly evolving political culture: the citizen smear campaign.