By Joe Gaetan
March 18th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
To The Honourable Karina Gould
In 2015 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said,
“2015 will be the last federal election conducted under the first-past-the-post voting system.”
Then Minister of Democratic Institutions and Burlington MP Karina Gould.
As Minister of Democratic Institutions, you were once tasked with leading the charge to change Canada’s 150-year-old voting system. When the Prime Minister not surprisingly did an about face on his promise, the message was clear, winning elections was more important than our democratic institutions.
A link to the CBC broadcast during which Gould announced that changing the way the public elects their government was not in her mandate is HERE It is 15 minutes in length. The part where she makes the announcement is at minute 2:51. The media give her a rough ride,
As a result of what I believe is interference in our electoral process by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) I have lost what little confidence I had in our electoral process and your government. I frankly do not know who to believe in anymore.
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet said that while he has “nothing against” Johnston personally, the prime minister “should pick someone who is not notably and admittedly a friend of the family.” Blanchet called the role a superfluous waste of time since opposition parties will still demand a public inquiry.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said he believes Johnston is a “non-partisan” person of “integrity” and that he trusts him to do the work. He maintained, however, that Johnston’s mandate as special rapporteur should include answering “the fundamental questions that Canadians have.”
“What did the prime minister know, when did he know about it and what did he do about it, when it comes to foreign interference?” he said. Singh said again that he believes the government should launch a public and independent inquiry into election interference.
Not a good look…
With the backing of NDP and Bloc Québécois members, the Conservatives have the votes to pass a motion to summon Katie Telford to testify before the House procedures committee. But Liberal MPs have staged a multi-day filibuster to keep the motion from going to a vote.
According to Andre Coyne, “David Johnston is a man of high integrity. But as rapporteur? We should be in high dudgeon.”
I am in high dudgeon, as should you be as well.
Nothing less than full, formal non-partisan public inquiry will satisfy my concerns.
Regards,
Joseph A. Gaetan BGS
Burlington ON
I don’t know what you were hoping to achieve with this letter, Joe? Ms. Gould is a card-carrying member of the Justin Trudeau Party of Canada, & obviously in good standing. You have the answer, even before you ask! Sad, though.
Don: I believe it is my democratic responsibilty to not only vote but to let my elected member(s) of parliament know where I stand on certain issues. It is a cherished right that I Iove to exercise and have done so regardless of party status. Sadly and based on how our elected members are closely managed I can only hope that Hon. Minster Gould will at least know that 1 person in the Burlington riding cares about foreign interference in our elections. Whether Minister Gould does anythng, speaks to the character of Ms. Gould and the Liberal party.
Agreed.