Green Party activist angry Director authorized to approach members to work on pro-STV campaign; using military company email for Green Party business

A veteran BC Green Party activist is angry that a Director of the Party has been authorized by the Party to contact members about joining a pro-Single Transferable Vote campaign run by another organization, Fair Voting BC.

And Stuart Hertzog objects to Green Party members getting emails sent from a military technology corporation that sells missile tracking systems.

Hertzog says that an email sent late last month by Roy Ball, a provincial Green Party Director and also a Director of Fair Voting BC, left the impression that the Party list was being used to solicit support for the pro-STV campaign.

Hertzog says that after complaining to the Party he was assured that Ball had only sent the email to some members, not to the Party's list, and did not have access to that list.

But Hertzog is still concerned and is also upset that Ball sent the email to members from his company, Imago Machine Vision Inc, which is involved in military technology for defence and aerospace applications, including air to ground and ground to air missile video tracking.

"Even though it claims not to have given out the entire membership list, the party has failed its prime duty to safeguard members' privacy. Now, there is no assurance who has access to the BC Green party membership list, or what they're going to use it for," Hertzog told me by email.

"This is especially disturbing at a time when people are becoming increasingly alarmed at the ability of corporations, governments, and the security industry to monitor every aspect of citizens' lives," he says.

The Imago Machince Vision website states that: "IMAGO specializes in providing fully integrated, portable video target trackers, miss distance and trajectory systems, that are used to measure the performance missiles, aircraft and mortars and other targets."

Hertzog, who runs a website called GreenPolitics about Green political issues, wrote to the Green Party's Provincial Councilors and leadership candidates to complain about Ball's military connections as well as his email requesting support for the STV campaign.

"My consternation is compounded by the fact that Mr. Ball is an owner of and gives as his email address Imago Machine Vision Inc. of Gatineau, Quebec, (Imago Trackers) a company that makes automatic video target tracking, artillery miss distance calculators, and missile guidance systems for military and civilian use," Hertzog wrote.

"Imago Machine Vision Inc. is a member of the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI), a not-for-profit national business association that represents the Canadian defence and security industries. That a member of CADSI sits on the provincial council of the Green party of BC has already been raised as a concern by party members," he wrote.

Hertzog says that in response to his complaint he was told by the Green Party that the membership list was not provided to Ball but that he was authorized to approach individual members about the Fair Voting BC campaign. And Ball has been requested to not use his Imago company email to contact Green Party members in the future.

Ball's email reads as follows:

"I have been authorized by the BC Green Party Chair to approach GPBC members to encourage you to actively get involved with the upcoming STV – Yes campaign which is being coordinated by Fair Voting BC."

"We must build strong regional teams as soon as possible if we are to guarantee beating the 60% threshold in the 2008 referendum."

"In addition, please reserve your advance tickets before 5 October to get the early bird rate for the 10 November conference on electoral reform at UBC. Details at: http://fairvotingbc.com/node/24

"We need volunteers for many things. Please indicate your interests

• join or help start local organizing committee for your constituency
• help to recruit other electoral reform supporters in your constituency
• having a lawn sign or bumper sticker
• learning more about STV
• monitoring the press & writing letters to the editor
• hosting private or public events (dessert parties, public forums, etc)
• joining an FVBC committee (for example: publicity, fundraising, school programs)
• making a financial contribution other (specify)
  
  Best Regards
  
  Roy Ball
  
  Director BC Green Party
  Director Fair Voting BC