By Pepper Parr
September 26th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
The Election Returning officer ensures tat the rules to be followed during an election are clear.
A third party advertisement is an advertisement in any broadcast, print, electronic or other medium that has the purpose of promoting, supporting or opposing a candidate in the election, or a “yes” or “no” answer to a question on the ballot.
A third party advertiser is any individual, corporation or trade union that causes an election campaign advertisement to appear.
The city recently released the name of a third party advertiser: Jennifer Beleck.
The Gazette reached out to Ms Beleck – there has been no response to date.
We made inquiries – Ms Beleck is believed to be associated with the parents at Bateman high school who oppose the closing of the school in 2020.
Ward 5 Councillor Sharman works closely with the Bateman parents.
The question posed by the people the Gazette talked to is – who is Beleck representing and what kind of election advertising are we likely to see?
And where will the money for the advertising come from?
Who has the most to lose if any of the incumbents are not reelected?
All questions to ask when you see advertising in local media.
Be vigilant. Follow the dots and follow the money.
The Elections Officer should investigate this as well. https://twitter.com/phlpwbb/status/1045385879336845312
both candidates are endorsed by a teachers union
https://twitter.com/HSUOECTA/status/1044943145241391105
Is that graphic a 3rd party advertisement?
Look how well coordinated the endorsed candidates are
Is this collusion? Even their websites are exactly the same!
https://brendaagnew4trustee.com
https://jasoncrawford4trustee.ca
And this!
https://twitter.com/EXDjm/status/1043597161005555712
I thought all signs had to list which campaign paid for the advertising!
Interesting speculations here. One should look at the party and candidate affiliations of this individual. One should also note that one mayoral candidate at the Ward 6 debates took considerable pain (and pleasure) in loudly raising a Spring 2016 video of a Council meeting in which Marianne Meed Ward apparently made a comment that was contrary to her anti-intensification campaign. The candidate claims “I have the video”. Now has this candidate gone back and researched the archived videos of all Council meetings for the past two or three years or has someone else been paid to do it? Look for the deep pockets (the means) and the political animus (the way). In my opinion, following the money leads in a very particular and nasty direction.
Interesting how another possible smear tactic opportunity can be linked to the candidate with deep pockets for paid research (phone polls, third party advertising, old vote research, etc) Why do all the fingers keep pointing in the same direction?? Only my opinion, of course.
My guess too is a MMW smear. Probably funded by developers who have their own reasons for opposing MMW, namely that she’s the only Mayoral candidate that has consistently stood up against overdevelopment.
I hope Burlington residents won’t be conned by these strange bedfellows. The fact of the matter is that the tenacity that Marianne has shown for those she represents – whether it is for downtown residents, or for rebutting the arguments mounted by the Director in his initial report recommending closing the only public high school in her ward – will serve the residents of Burlington well as mayor.
As I mentioned on the Facebook page, my guess is the funds are coming from the fundraisers the Bateman group had last year to ‘save their school’.
I’m also going to guess the target will be Marianne Meed Ward, who has been the main target of their anger over the decision to close their school.
This group has already targeted trustees, backing candidates running against Andrea Grebenc and Kelly Amos.
It seems this group is more motivated by getting their pound of political flesh for the decision to close Bateman than for what is actually good for Burlington.
I would caution voters to think long and hard before supporting who this group supports and opposing who they oppose.