Now I can see how Williams could get worked up about this, but it has been close to two years. Is this confrontational blowhard attitude really still required? I mean whose this going to hurt in the end? Why the people of Newfoundland and Labrador that's who.
Now the CTV is reporting that Williams will make good on his threat to campaign against Harper in the upcoming elections. Oh, I forgot to mention, this includes Ontario!
I am not a lawyer and don't pretend to be but would this not define Williams as a "third party advertiser" according to the Elections Canada Act?
The Canada Elections Act regulates third parties who engage in election advertising. A third party may be a person or a group. The Act defines a group as an unincorporated trade union, trade association or other group of persons acting together by mutual consent for a common purpose. A corporation may also be a third party.
Candidates, federal registered political parties and the electoral district associations of registered political parties are not third parties.
What is "election advertising"?
"Election advertising" is defined in section 319 of the Canada Elections Act. "Election advertising" may be interpreted as a message that is:
- transmitted by any means during an election
- transmitted to any person or persons with whom the originator of the message does not have some common cause or connection, and
- intended to influence how an elector might vote, by promoting or opposing a registered party or the election of a candidate, including a message that takes a position on an issue with which a registered party or candidate is associated
- Does this mean Williams will need to register as a third party advertiser? Even if he doesn't expressly take out media in his fight against Harper he will still get free air time courtesy of the networks.
- Would his expenses count towards the limit on third party advertisers? Or would he be counted as a pundit? Like those "strategists" that appear on shows.
- Would he ride on the campaign bus/plane?
- What would the pundits say if a gun lobbyist was out campaigning with a Conservative candidate? Or for that matter a pro-choice advocate campaigning with a Liberal or NDP candidate?
5 comments:
Danny Boy is great for Newfoundland, but he miscalculates his relevance outside of the Rock.
He has been very, very quiet lately, who is he going to support Dion and the Green Shaft??
I believe hi is calling the conservative plan the Blue Shaft!
Ha
Look it up, its in a cpl reports
Danny supports the Green Shift!
Good question about third party advertising.
McGuinty has said that he'll go after Harper as well.
Williams is a lot like Garth; he just likes to complain and hear himself talk.
If Williams really thinks that his rants are going to get any traction in Ontario, he's completely delusional! At a time when Ontario's economy is slumping and his oil-rich economy is booming, Newfoundland is in a better fiscal position than Ontario. His beef with the PM centers around his believe that his equalization should not be clawed back, and that less abled provinces like Ontario should keep sending him cash. Danny, good luck finding Ontarians who agree with you!
Williams is just one more small, petty little man trying desparately to be a big fish. People of Newfoundland seem to love these "ranting and roaring" types and have suffered mightly because of it. This type is more interested in being loud than being effective. Off the rock, many will simply shrug their shoulders and laugh at yet one more screaming, self-serving politician. Whether Newfoundlanders realise it or not, many believe Canadians have sent billions of dollars in transfer payments over the years and now that Newfoundland has oil, those transfers should stop and, quite possibly, Newfoundland should start sending some transfer payments to other areas of the country --- I don't see anything wrong with that view and for Williams to demand all revenues stays in Newfoundland, AND Ottawa keeps sending money to Newfoundland is just wrong - rant on Danny, it only makes you look smaller and more petty. Unfortunately your taking the province with you. - Only in Canada you say - Pity.
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