Misleading election call traced to Conservatives, says B.C. woman
Woman says repeated calls asked for donations then claimed polling place changed
CBC News
Posted: Mar 1, 2012 5:59 PM PT
Last Updated: Mar 1, 2012 11:55 PM PT
Related
A Mission, B.C., woman says she was given misleading information by the Conservative Party a few days before the May 2011 federal election.
Astrid Dimond said she had been called six times for Conservative donations during the last election. After a seventh call, she said she did an internet search on the caller’s phone number, which had shown up on her call display.
"It came up as the Conservative Party in Victoria," Dimond said.
The next time she received a call from the same number, she told the caller she was supporting the NDP in the election in the hopes the calls would stop.
Two days before the election, Dimond said she got another call from the same number.
“[The caller] just said, ‘Did you know the polling station had changed,’ and basically, I said, ‘No it hasn't,’ and that was the end of the conversation. I wouldn't let her continue because I knew it was a falsehood."
Dimond said some of her neighbours were getting similar calls and they all knew the information was wrong.
Complained to Elections Canada
Dimond said she sent a complaint to Elections Canada about the aggressive and ultimately misleading calling.
In an email response to Dimond, the federal agency said that, "no issue of compliance or enforcement arises.”
However, the agency also suggested it was already aware that misleading or nuisance calls were being made.
"Your complaint will also be considered in context with a broader inquiry ongoing with regard to irritating calls that have been occurred during this general election campaign," Elections Canada said.
The "robocalls" issue has dominated House of Commons question period for most of this week.The riding in which Dimond lives — Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge-Mission — has been held by Conservative Randy Kamp since 2004.
CBC News has been told about suspicious calls in nine B.C. ridings:
- Burnaby-Douglas.
- Burnaby-New Westminster.
- New Westminster-Coquitlam.
- North Vancouver.
- Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge-Mission.
- Prince George-Peace River.
- Saanich-Gulf Islands.
- Vancouver Quadra.
- Vancouver South.
Share Tools
Latest British Columbia News Headlines
- Dog snared on baited hooks near Grouse Grind trail
- RCMP in North Vancouver have issued a warning after a dog was snared by a cruel trap set with baited hooks near the Grouse Grind Trail yesterday morning. more »
- Railway conduit planned to ship oilsands bitumen
- With massive pipeline projects mired in controversy, the need to move crude oil to market could mean a big new boost to Canada's rail sector. more »
- VIDEO: Cruise ship chaos kicks off season in Vancouver
- The unofficial start to the cruise ship season kicked off in downtown Vancouver on Friday as more than 11,000 passengers got on or off three ships docked at the terminal at Canada Place. more »
- Motorists warned to avoid Washington bridge collapse area
- Officials in Washington are warning motorists ahead of the U.S. holiday weekend to avoid the area where a bridge collapsed on Interstate 5 north of Mount Vernon last night. more »
Must Watch
Top News Headlines
- Royal Bank pledges not to outsource jobs for cash savings
- Royal Bank has promised it will never outsource a Canadian job to a foreign worker solely to save money. more »
- Washington police blame bridge collapse on Alberta trucker

- Washington State police say an Alberta trucker was responsible for hitting a steel beam precipitating a bridge collapse on one of the busiest routes in the American northwest. more »
- Man accused of killing child in patio crash granted bail
- Emotions ran high in a packed Edmonton courthouse Friday as Richard Suter, accused of causing a crash into a restaurant patio that killed a young boy, was granted bail. more »
- Senators' unlikely playoff run ends in Game 5 disappointment
- The Ottawa Senators can't hang their heads after a 6-2 loss in Game 5 ended their improbable run to the second round of the NHL playoffs, but questions abound whether their 40-year-old captain will hang up his skates. more »
- Dog snared on baited hooks near Grouse Grind trail
- UBC student took 'nose dive into water' after bridge collapse
- Motorists warned to avoid Washington bridge collapse area
- VIDEO: Cruise ship chaos kicks off season in Vancouver
- Man 'lucky to be alive' after Washington bridge collapse
- Vancouver man abandons Porsche on B.C. ferry
- Washington police blame bridge collapse on Alberta trucker
- Top court reinstates $4M award in plagiarizing-judge suit
- Inaugural Pride parade launched in B.C. Bible Belt

