In a nutshell, here’s why the whole Robocall Scandal is something to be seriously concerned about.

During the 2006 election, the Conservatives used a little bit of creative accounting that’s since come to be known as the “In and Out” scheme. Under this scheme, which Conservatives at the highest levels approved, money was funneled into local ridings and then withdrawn to be used for federally-disseminated campaign material. Through this perceived loophole in Canadian electoral law, the Conservatives were able to spend well beyond the limits that traditionally apply to federal campaigning. The Tories could use money that was, on the books, being spent locally, to actually fund, say, federally-run commercials.

This scheme was discovered, deemed illegal, and the Conservatives were made to pay a fine and apologize. Which they did.

But now they have a history of gaming the system.

So when the National Post—not a newspaper that’s particularly unfriendly to the Harper government—comes out with a scandal that traces itself right back to the doorstep of 24 Sussex Drive it’s something to give Canadians, perhaps, at least a slight cause for concern.

The idea of a robot making a telephone call is, to me, pretty hilarious but unfortunately this isn’t a laughing matter. The fact that Stephen Harper himself has used the company behind the robocalls for his own election campaigns is troublesome. The fact that the Tories have, in the past, broken electoral rules makes all of this a bit more than a weekend news story. There is a precedent for Conservatives behaving badly during election campaigns. There is a history to this and because of that, robots aside, this is serious business.

Our Prime Minister Stephen Harper  has been on a trade mission in China this past week. His first since 2009 when he was chided for not visiting sooner. This trip, from all accounts, including the Prime Minister himself on CBC’s The House, has been successful. But is it successful for the wrong reasons? Would it have been a success if, say, the Prime Minister brought up some of the pressing issues facing that country and, more importantly, its citizens?

For a country that supposedly prides itself of its Charter of Rights and Freedoms and its generous immigration and refugee policy isn’t it our job—even if no one else will step up—to ask the tough questions of foreign powers? Read the rest of this article »