Friday, July 28, 2006

Cons fundraising on the Mid-East conflict

Well, just when you think you've seen it all, you're proven wrong. But it seems the Conservative Party of Canada is using the current conflict in the Middle East as a fundraising pitch to solicit donations from Canadians. All while the bombs are still falling, and Canadians are still being evacuated.

Sean Holman has the scoop over at Public Eye Online, with the text of a fundraising pitch sent to the party faithful via e-mail yesterday by CPC executive director Michael Donison.


I debated doing a para by para 'Fisking' of the e-mail, and I could go on a rant about the shamelessness of this. But really, I think why this is disgusting is obvious and the e-mail speaks for itself.


I don't know what else to say, except I don’t know how this could be defended.


Here's the e-mail:


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Finally - A Leader who's willing to stand up and take a tough stand
Date: Thu, 27 Jul 2006 18:20:16 -0700
From: Conservative Fund Canada

Reply-To: donate@conservative.ca

En Francais | In English


During the last federal election, Stephen Harper promised to give Canada a principled foreign policy that advances and defends the Canadian values of freedom, democracy and the rule of law. As Prime Minister, he is delivering.

Dear,

Our Conservative Prime Minister, Stephen Harper was amongst the first of the world's leaders to take a principled stand on the new turmoil in the Mid-East. Since then, leaders the world over have risen to stand with Stephen Harper. Our nation has every reason to be proud.


Admit it: Moral clarity feels a lot better than the endless equivocation we found with our previous government.


But not everyone is grateful for the strong, clear direction of Canada's new government and this includes in particular the opposition parties who are only interested in maneuvering for party advantage.


And so, I must turn to you to ask you for your support. The fact is: the opposition is not thrilled with the growing strength of the Harper government and the resurgence of national pride Canadians are showing in their country. You need only look at their ceaseless machinations to see that they are doing everything in their power to bring this government down..


We must be ready for an election now because the opposition is blindly determined to drag the country to the polls, on any pretext they can contrive.


As a matter of public record, everyone knows the Conservative Party of Canada managed the last election without adding a dime to the Party's debt. You made that possible, it's just that simple. And if we intend to win the next election and win a majority - we need to continue moving heaven and Earth to be ready.


When an election comes, we will have just days to mount a campaign and ensure the continuance of the most dynamic and forward-looking Canadian government in recent memory. The time to lay the foundation is right now and we continue to need your help if this effort is to succeed.


It is a wonderful thing to be reminded of the power of ideals, principles in which we believe and on which we will act. We have had far too many years of vacillation on ideals and fundamental values about which the majority of Canadians are clear and certain.


Unsurprisingly, Don Martin got it just right in his July 20th National Post column, speaking of Prime Minister Harper, he wrote: " He's proven himself bold, imaginative and unpredictable. This is something refreshing on the Canadian political landscape - a leader willing to take risks to do what's right in the face of certain criticism. It stands him in stark and favourable contrast to the hesitant poll-driven Martin reign."


What did surprise me, though, were the private comments of a Liberal acquaintance, among them the following: " I have never been so proud to be Canadian. I'm thrilled that we're investing in our military. I'm thrilled that we're staying to finish a job in Afghanistan, and I'm ecstatic that we are finally taking a position on issues of global importance like what is happening in the Middle East. Please let Stephen Harper know that I've never been more proud of being a Canadian."


Ultimately, not everything is about party politics. Canadians know what's right and wrong and it is a great satisfaction even if one may not politically admit it - to have a government that has the courage to tell the plain truth.


This government is worth the fight; help us make sure we win the next election whenever it comes. We can expect an avalanche of Liberal fury to get back into power and a flood of media support for their effort. Help us keep the focus on principle and character and Canada's return to its place in the world.


I ask you to make a special contribution now of $150 or $75 to the Party today and help us be prepared to defend the decisive leadership of Stephen Harper and our New Conservative government.


With my sincere thanks,


Michael D. Donison
Executive Director, Conservative Party of Canada


P.S. - Your contribution is tax deductible. To find out the specific tax advantage of your contribution, we've provided a simple tax calculator. For more specific information on the rules governing personal contributions to political parties, click here.


If you prefer that I not contact you again by email, please click here.


Authorized by Conservative Fund Canada, Chief Agent of the Conservative Party of Canada.

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16 comments:

BW said...

This is absolutely disgusting.

Bailey said...

Oddly enough, to me, the craziest thing in all of that is the claim opposition is trying to bring the government down and go to the polls....???

???

Yet, the Conservatives are the ones who are asking for the money for an election....

???

Anonymous said...

That is the lowest of the low.

Or, par for the course in US politics.

Mark Richard Francis said...

"Admit it: Moral clarity feels a lot better than the endless equivocation we found with our previous government."

MORAL CLARITY?!?!?!?!?

I am beside myself.

carmilevy said...

Political opportunism at its finest. Can't say I'm surprised...the leopard doesn't change its spots.

Sigh...the world in which we live is such an imperfect place.

Anonymous said...

Hesitate no more, actions speak louder than words. Please make out your cheques to the Liberal Party of Canada today, right now, immediately.

Anonymous said...

Incredible and I am wondering how it is being received among the great 37% (actually the core-Tories are about 26%, but since the current polls seem to be stuck on the seven-month itch number...)... There's gall and then there's GALL. Harpor has neither come across as a Canadian voice nor a stabilizing voice. And we know who is always pulling out the 'I'll make it a non-confidence vote' card at each turn. Hope this gets some play in the msm.

Anonymous said...

Some how the general public (those that don't read the wonderful blogs you young people have) should be made aware of this including comments about how disgusting this is.

Opposition trying to bring the government down??? Where did this come from......Harper's been threatening and bullying on every issue present in parliament - surely Canadians can't be that stupid to believe this?

Unfortunately, I don't think Canadians in general pay attention to this stuff........they were aware of every Liberal flaw because the neo-cons drilled it into their heads.

Thank you for pointing this out - I'll make sure everyone I know is aware of this garbage.

Harper has broker all the rules so far and is getting away with it. He's getting it all in prior to the passing of the Accountability Act I guess.

Anonymous said...

Hmmm - second thought - I'm thinking about writing the Conservative party indicating my disgust and pointing out the lies in their and misleading statements in their email, etc. and to copy in the Editor of my local newspaper. You see, I live in a small town where the people stupidly voted in a Conservative MP (who was previously a member of the Alliance Party) who does absolutely nothing but photo-ops and sends out material (scripted by the PM - you can tell by the wording).

People in small towns do read the letters to the editor in the local papers.....the rural people and farmers (who tend to vote conservative).

Enough is enough.

Anonymous said...

Hell, I'll give money to the CPC because they are supporting Israel. Im sick and tired of Canada's inflated sense of self-importance in the world and our ability to be the biggest pussy in G8 and NATO.

Bailey said...

It appears that the Canadian Press (Joan Bryden) has picked up on this story now, even with a quote from Gerard Kennedy.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060728.wFundraise0728/BNStory/National

Jeff said...

Thanks Bailey, I saw that too. A Google news search show the CP piece is getting wide pickup, we'll see how the papers play it tomorrow.

Richard said...

Wow, accuracy sure seems to get you folks in a tizzy. You're probably still bruised because the country rejected lib-left values in the last election and that's ok. I don't mind if you feel bruised. We're on a better path now...

Jeff said...

If you were concerned about accuracy richard, you'd note that in he last election 62.7 per cent of Canadians voted for parties that embrace the "lib-left" values that you claim they rejected.

But, hey, don't let facts get in the way of your accuracy mon ami.

Anonymous said...

I like the 'private comments of a Liberal'. Because people always speak in concise, well-rounded paragraphs that sound like the kind of lame copy you always get in direct-mail advertising.

Anonymous said...

Admit it: it feels good to have a useless cut in the GST while your income tax gets bumped. It feels good to know that the raised tax will not be going to a national daycare policy. And it feels good to know that our government won't do a thing if Israel throws a missile at you, except to say "Um, it was someone else, maybe".

Good times.