Wednesday, February 20, 2008

More Shenanigans

Anyone remember when campaigns were about policies?

Me, neither.

The word on the street in Calgary Fish Creek is that there will be a meeting at Haultain School tomorrow (Thursday) night at 6:30 (yes, I know it's the same time as the leader's debate), at which PC candidate Heather Forsyth was invited to speak.

Since that invitation was issued, the Liberal candidate has since been added to the proceedings, and rumours persist that the Liberal campaign has been making calls all day, in an effort to stack the meeting gallery with friendly Liberal supporters, ready to pounce on Forsyth the moment she opens her mouth.

Nice to know that even an invitation to address a school council these days can turn into a surprise, desperate partisan attack. And we WONDER why more good people don't get involved in politics?

The meeting is being held at:
Haultain School
605 Queensland Drive S.E.
6:30 pm, Thursday Feb. 21

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's pretty easy to accuse a rival campaign when you start the accusation with "word on the street".

Word on the street is that Ed's going to resign as PC Party leader rather than last till March 3rd.

Shane said...

To be clear: Laura Shutiak asked to attend one of our meetings, I brought the question to council and it was decided that it would only be fair invite other candidates as well. That was when Heather Forsyth and Eric Leavitt were invited. Neither Jamie Buchan nor Kerry Fraser were listed as candidates at the time. The candidates will have only ten minutes to introduce themselves and summarize their education strategies and thoughts for Calgary - Fish Creek schools. There is another ten minutes alotted on our agenda for questions from the floor. No debates, no campaign speeches. 'Partisan shenanigans' will not be tolerated. Our regular council meeting will continue after the candidates are done, I seriously doubt any 'shenanigans' will occur then either though it may liven things up a bit.
Shane Campsall
Chair, HMSC

Enlightened Savage said...

Anon: You'd prefer "anonymous sources suggest..."? That's a perfectly valid way to start a sentence in the print media...

Also, I HAVE no rival campaign - the Enlightened Savage is not on the ballot. This time. :)

And I hadn't heard that about Ed... I'll have to check and see what the "word on the street" is... :)

Anonymous said...

ES:

Dude, if you're really going to run, you've got to develop a thicker skin on this stuff. This is just politics.

If you're going to run for the PC's, you'll have to develop a MUCH thicker skin. Some of the stuff I've personally witnessed would make you cry, if just trying to pack a room makes you grumpy.

Anonymous said...

I love how people think this stuff upsets you rather than excites or empassions you. Why is it that when Bloggers speak out against or for something strongly that people assume they are upset or hurt by it? Bloggers are able to express an opinion in a much different way then the media. I think it is possible Blog readers need a thicker skin, but not you!

As for the liberal tactics... typical really. Funny thing is that they think a school council meeting is the place to put such energies? Have they not noticed that they are in mid campaign? I think I know why they are doing so poorly!

Anonymous said...

I submit that a number of the Liberal plants going to the Haultain forum would be recognizable as those at the Leah Lawrence-David Swann debate on Tuesday. I guess the Libs are true about one thing... they like to recycle (at least in terms of their supporters).

Anonymous said...

You mean they HAVE TO recycle their supporters.

Truly... should a candidate being wasting their time at a school council meeting? How many potential votes are at a school council meeting? How many doors could one knock on in two hours and how many voters could they reach in that time? I'd think that most people going to a school council meeting are already decided voters and unlikely to be swayed by a ten minute speech and how well one sits through a meeting.

And... how presumptuous of of school council to think they even merit this kind of attention? Politics at that level is becoming very petty.