It appears that holding a political rally with Prime Minister Stephen Harper has become a major security concern - at least in Vancouver.
Here's an email from Vancouver Centre Conservative candidate Lorne Mayencourt to his supporters about how to pre-register to attend a rally tonight:
From: Lorne Mayencourt - Information [mailto:lorne.mayencourt.info@gmail.com]
Sent: October 07, 2008 3:21 PM
To: lorne.mayencourt.info@gmail.com
Subject: Important Invitation from Lorne Mayencourt!
The Prime Minister will attend a major rally in Vancouver.
Details are as follows:
Date: Wednesday, October 8th
Where: The Westin Bayshore Hotel, 1601 Bayshore Drive, Vancouver, BC
Doors Open: 6:00pm
Rally Starts: 7:00pm
Registration: MANDATORY, call 1-778-565-4965
For RCMP security reasons, you must pre-register by phoning 1-778-565-4965. You will need to include your name, address and phone number.
Please note that large bags, satchels, backpacks or similar items will not be allowed in. Campaign signs on metal or wooden sticks will not be permitted either.
We are looking forward to having a large contingent of Vancouver Centre supporters!
Looking forward to seeing all of you on Wednesday!
Sincerely,
Lorne Mayencourt
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
18 comments:
You know what is really scary? This is a repeat of 1930's Germany. Since when are the police, IN CANADA, an arm for a political party? Cadman in Surrey - RCMP were used to keep the press at bay. What the hell is going on anyway. The only difference is the Brown Shirts were street thugs formed into a private gang for political purposes. We can thank Liein Brian for this current mess by making the head of the RCMP a political appointment. And one only has to look at how long the fascist movement stayed alive in South America and Spain. And here we go again history repeating itself. One would have thought Western Society had learned a lesson not to go down that path again.
Uh huh. I see. A name, address and phone number.
Riiight.
Does it matter if I give them a FAKE name, FAKE address and FAKE phone number?
Are they asking for ID? I doubt it. That would take a lot of nerve, and likely be illegal (and if it's not it should be).
Well I just called that number to check. The number is the office of someone named Nina Greenwald not the RCMP as the story led me to believe. Registration is now closed, but (and I quote loosely from here on in) "if you have a friend that is registered they can take you along and 'vouch' for you".
Me: Will I need to present ID
Answer: It would help to bring it in case you are asked.
Me: Does the person who registered need to present ID?
Answer: It would be a good idea to bring it along in case they are asked.
Me: No, can you tell me if a person is REQUIRED to present ID to attend?
Answer: Well, I'll be quite frank with you, in this day and age with al qaida and all that, and Premier Harper has received threats, we have to consider these things so you may be asked for ID.
Me: Laughter. Do you mean to tell me you that you truly believe al qaida doesn't know how to create fake ID?
Me: Loud long laughter, hangs up.
I don't want to belong to a country of idiots that subscribe to such nonsense as the above illustrates.
Seriously? What The Eff?
I wasnt allowed in because someone had pulled the fire alarm and I was too late. I wasnt allowed to loiter either. I had to leave the floor.
I wasnt allowed in because I was fifteen minutes late AND someone had pulled the fire alarm. I wasnt allowed to stay on the floor it was being held on either for security reasons I wasnt allowed to listen to the yelling form inside the ballroom.
I expect you will have to provide proof to Herr Harper's political intelligence operatives that everyone in attendance at the rally is at least 50% Master Race.
The GREAT SATAN
Sad situation for sure.
The registration tables were open for 2 hours and the room was packed full of people. I'm not astonished that a person was stopped at the door for being a quarter of an hour late.
Master Race? Herr Harper, brown shirts? 1930's Germany? Because you're asked to show your driver's license? Is this what Totalitarian Statism means to you folks...photo ID?
I simply called the number and showed up early. Got a fairly good seat and heard the man talk. Though I didn't hear anything I didn't already know and the fact that I'll most likely vote Green, the event was nevertheless enjoyable.
Do you remember the Canadian deaths on the beaches of Dieppe in the fight against National Socialism? I think it's absurd to be hurling fascist epithets at a man you've never had the experience of meeting.
Mr Paranoid uneven Steven. Definitely is not warm and fuzzy like his adds. If anything uneven Steven is definitely not a man of the people for the people. As to the RCMP. People seem to respect the Image but seem to losing respect for the force. Especially when it comes to politics.
So Emma had a good time and that's just great for her. Never heard of a vetted list to hear a Canadian Politician but if that's the route one heads, so be it. Did Mayencourt get around to telling you how he would handle legislation after declaring bankrupcy not once, which would smarten up most people, but TWICE.
Keep you hands off our money you turkey. Voting green is voting for SteveBoy and his cronies. Seems a number of them don't bother to show up at all candidate meetings. Are they really very open ? I doubt it. If being a Conservative was such a great thing you would think they would be shouting out their mantra from the top of buildings, not checking driver's licenses and addresses, prior to a meeting. One thinks that so many people dislike Harper that he needs extra security. Now they have your information Emma, keep an eye on your bank account as crooks tend to steal personal information.
Martha & DPL, you seem to be as paranoid and ignorant as those yammering on about 1930's Germany and the Brown Shirts. I suspect that you have no post-secondary education (maybe a liberal arts B.A.). This would explain why it appears you have no grasp of the real issues in this election campaign but instead try achieve a sense of self-worth by regurgitating rhetoric that you likely heard some other ignorant person, who you consider cool, spout off.
I attended the event last night and I did not mind providing one piece of photo identification. I believe that this is a practical security measure that is not intrusive to those who legitimately want to attend the event. I also believe that this simple security precaution must be working since it was able to keep the likes of you people out of the event.
I would suggest that you forego watching today's episode of Oprah or whatever else you intend to watch from your couch today and instead read the political parties' platforms. Hopefully, you have something more insightful to post next time.
Emma, thank-you for your considered, well drafted and non-partisan comments.
Thanks for making that phone call and reporting back Martha!
Demanding photo ID to attend an event featuring a PUBLIC official is merely the thin edge of the wedge folks. I agree that using terms like brown shirt and fascism is over the top at this stage and reflects a lazy mind and piss poor logic.
I believe that those terms were used to bring attention to the outrageous nature of the request for ID and because they probably couldn't be bothered typing a lot - brown shirt = short form term. sigh.
Let's examine for a moment what requesting a photo ID accomplishes?
Does it make the event immune from terrorists (as mentioned by the person on the phone)? No. I would imagine that any committed terrorist could easily by pass a photo id requirement.
Does the photo id requirement discourage people from attending? Yes, more likely than not. This sort of action leaves a bad taste in the mouths of a lot of people. A lot of people understand how easily your right to privacy can be compromised. Society eats away at and erodes our privacy every single day. From your purchase trends and history being tracked by 'customer cards' to being asked for your postal code when you pay cash for a set of towels. To having to provide personal details in order to receive a sale price at a grocery store. Those are daily irritants that are easily avoided.
HOWEVER, as a citizen of Canada and a voter I do not feel that I should have to provide photo ID and have my name/address etc recorded in order to hear an ELECTED PUBLIC OFFICIAL speak. That is beyond the pale. Not only because it doesn't accomplish anything useful, but because it causes harm in that people are put off and step back from the process instead of participating.
I'd like to hear from anyone who was able to attend (I'm not in Vanc) if there was any indication on the sign in sheet as to how your personal information would be used and/or destroyed and who would have access to it. I have a bet with myself as to the answer.
When I attend public hearings or Metro Vancouver hearings I do not sign anything. This nonsense of the man with the Big Ego is just one sign of the trouble we are in. Gordo has invested in sub-prime mortgages. Scotiabank hs lost $82 billion. All is not as it appears. Spend no extra money. Cheers.
I see that common sense person has called Martha and I paraniod so that must be the case. I figure I can compare my education and qualifications to anyone else. Not that that has anything to do with providing a bunch of personal information to some political party hack to get into a meeting. A highly educated person doesn't normally insult someone with a different opinion.
It's rather silly to tell us just how brilliant you are and indicate a person with possibly a Liberal Arts degree is stupid. I don't have a Liberal Arts degree. I sure as heck don't watch some silly program like Ophra either, but I guess a lot of folks do. I spend little time on the couch but I think maybe common sense person might, but it's really none of my business how he or she spends their time.
I don't simply hand over any identification to some people running a supposedly open meeting for some politician. My God, people are warned about identity theft constantly, we are told to shred old envelopes with our name on them. So why hand anything over to get into a open meeting.? I guess some folks are gearing up to be able to hand over their identification to anyone who asks.
I'm not one. My God, John Diefenbaker refused to have a Social Insurance Card, and he ran the bloody country.
My gosh even under the Geneva Convention we are trained to only provide our name rank and serial number.
A Harper supporter gathering is a way down the scale. They seem far more paranoid than any of us.
It's sad that someone here belittles a couple of others for not being prepared to do as told by someone with zero authority.
Next time a cop stops you, try to open the window before handing him everything you possess. With Harpo we should expect identity cards as part of our future. Maybe a sign saying "unclean" for those of us who don't support the Conservatives. And according to the statistics that well over 65 percent of Canadian voters.
It is no secret, as it has appeared in the Mop and Pail and The Post, that the Prime Minister has had death threats from a number of domestic and two international sources. That happen twice to Paul Martin, his detail was increased. There was an event in Toronto that had similar security. And it's happened to each of Pierre Trudeau and Jean Chretien.
The measures in Trudeau's case, some forty years ago, were identical. Chretien, to his credit, cancelled events instead.
Where was your outrage then? The vitriol about the Nazis is absolutely fucking ridiculous and embarrassing considering I know the person who posted it and he should be ashamed. It makes my partially Jewish blood boil that every time someone doesn't like a particular public figure, the Nazi epithets roll out. Shame! And stop it! You desecrate the memory of everyone who perished in those fucking ovens.
I apply this to any public figure, Layton, Dion, May, Duceppe, any of them: What would you tell their children or wives if they were lying in a pool of their own blood post-speech??? Sorry?
There are some very sick people out there folks, and they could be a few bongs hits away from Hinckley infamy...would you trade that in just for your opportunity to get in a heckle? Or have your asinine protest?
All it's takes is one nutbar's fifteen minutes of fame to overtake them, and then we've all got a problem.
On one end of the continuum you have liberty, and on the other--death.
Indignant fools. Give your heads a shake.
And Tieleman, you do a huge disservice to the excellence of this blog by allowing postings from people who will not respect the memory of those who died at the hands of the evil bastards who committed the greatest crime in human history. Those aren't analogies that belong on such an august site, that is as informative as it is dignified.
Enough already. First Ms. May and now another Nazi piffle pusher.
Shame, again.
Alex - I don't disagree that comparing a minor Conservative rally with the Nazi regime is simply ridiculous.
But this blog is not going to censor comments, except for obscenity and libel.
As anyone who reads this blog knows, I welcome a full and open debate. If boneheads want to foolishly make such statements I have great faith in my readers to reject and discard such intemperate and ignorant rantings.
But I prefer to see these comments published and denounced than to hide them and let those who promote them think they are victims of censorship.
DPL & Martin,
I am not sure why you believe that you are entitled to attend any place where an elected public official is speaking? There is no reason why an elected public official cannot hold a private event that is not open to the general public provided that public money is not being spent on the event. In this case, it was the Conservative Party's funds that were being spent to put on this event. Regardless, the public was welcome to attend this particular event, provided that you show one piece of photo identification prior to entering the event. This is a reasonable security measure, presumably taken upon the advice of Mr. Harper's professional security detail.
Further, I actually asked those to whom I provided my personal information about their use of it (I considered myself to be somewhat paranoid until I started reading some of DPL's posts on this Blog). I was given a written (email) assurance that my personal information would not be provided to anyone else or used for any purpose other than the intended security measure. Although, I wonder whether such a written assurance would satisfy those who are paranoid about the use of their personal information (which, by the way, was only name, address and phone number)?
I can also tell you that this minor security measure did not seem to discourage people from attending, as suggested by Martin. The room was completely full of people who appeared to me to be very engaged in the process.
By the way, my previous comment regarding the liberal arts degree was made, somewhat, tongue-in-cheek, as I hold a liberal arts degree myself.
A. G. Tsakumis, I understand and agree with everything you posted except that I must agree with Bill that it is better publish the outrageous comments. Allowing preposterous comments, such as the analogies to the Nazis and Brown Shirts, to be published in a public forum allows for such ideas to be exposed by others for what they are really worth (not much).
DPL & Martin,
I am not sure why you believe that you are entitled to attend any place where an elected public official is speaking? There is no reason why an elected public official cannot hold a private event that is not open to the general public provided that public money is not being spent on the event. In this case, it was the Conservative Party's funds that were being spent to put on this event. Regardless, the public was welcome to attend this particular event, provided that you show one piece of photo identification prior to entering the event. This is a reasonable security measure, presumably taken upon the advice of Mr. Harper's professional security detail.
Further, I actually asked those to whom I provided my personal information about their use of it (I considered myself to be somewhat paranoid until I started reading some of DPL's posts on this Blog). I was given a written (email) assurance that my personal information would not be provided to anyone else or used for any purpose other than the intended security measure. Although, I wonder whether such a written assurance would satisfy those who are paranoid about the use of their personal information (which, by the way, was only name, address and phone number)?
I can also tell you that this minor security measure did not seem to discourage people from attending, as suggested by Martin. The room was completely full of people who appeared to me to be very engaged in the process.
By the way, my previous comment regarding the liberal arts degree was made, somewhat, tongue-in-cheek, as I hold a liberal arts degree myself.
A. G. Tsakumis, I understand and agree with everything you posted except that I must agree with Bill that it is better publish the outrageous comments. Allowing preposterous comments, such as the analogies to the Nazis and Brown Shirts, to be published in a public forum allows for such ideas to be exposed by others for what they are really worth (not much).
Given the fact Mr. Harper was in the Vancouver Centre riding, did it occur to any of you that perhaps he is aware of the apparent dislike people in the riding have for Lorne Mayencourt?
Post a Comment