More than just robo-calls

The investigation into the robo-calling has expanded into other harassing phone calls that happened during the election, which
targeted at least 14 different Liberal ridings. (The Toronto Star, mind you, reported much of this back in April.) It
seems that Elections Canada already dropped at least one investigation into
potentially misleading calls during the last election, which could indeed prove
the robo-calling was more widespread than in just one riding. A young
Conservative staffer who was fingered as being part of the robo-call complaint

has left his position – though no one will say if he was fired or left
voluntarily. Bob Rae wants an emergency debate on the robo-calls and other
voter-suppression tactics.

At his stop in Iqaluit on Thursday, Harper let it be known that he cares only about his priorities and not how they
affect provincial budgets (such as the impact the omnibus crime bill will have
on filling provincial jails). Why? Because his party received a Strong Mandate®
in the last election. Open federalism, everybody!

Statistics Canada finds that voter turnout
is particularly low among single parents and recent immigrants from certain
regions like eastern Asia. Interesting, but I’m not sure how much of a light it shines on longer-term voter turnout trends.

Peter MacKay still insists we’re buying 65
F-35 fighters, despite the fact that their costs are increasing and the budget
for acquisition isn’t.

A Manitoba judge rejected the bid to
suspend the new law abolishing the Canadian Wheat Board. In other words, it’s
now officially a goner.

And there’s another official NDP leadership
debate this weekend, this time from Winnipeg on the topic of “Connecting people
and regions.” In the meantime, here is a lengthy profile of Brian Topp and an interview with Peggy Nash to keep you busy.