Michael Moore broke Canadian election law

[Columbia]

Moore broke election law, student says
chargemoore.com: Filmmaker urged Canadians not to vote for Harper

Martin Patriquin
National Post
http://www.canada.com/national/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=7069d2f4-7750-4463-b2c9-19a364ab4bf0

Saturday, July 10, 2004

An Ontario-based conservative group is petitioning Parliament to charge Michael Moore with attempting to influence last month's federal election, after the left-wing U.S. filmmaker urged Canadians not to vote for Stephen Harper.

At a Toronto screening of his film Fahrenheit 9/11, an indictment of the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush, Mr. Moore said Mr. Harper "has a big pair of scissors in his hands and wants to snip away at the social safety net that distinguishes from ."

He suggested a Conservative victory in the June 28 election would "be such a blow to those of us trying to get rid of Bush."

As far as Kasra Nejatian, a 21-year-old Queen's University student, is concerned, Mr. Moore broke the law. Specifically, the Canada Elections Act, which states " person who does not reside in Canada shall, during an election period, in any way induce electors to vote or refrain from voting or vote or refrain from voting for a particular candidate" unless the person is a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident.

_________________________

Which is more of a travesty to free speech? This law or McCain Feingold?

[Massacure]

1. This is a catch-22

How do they enforce it if he is a U.S. Citizen, and never visited Canada.

[amlouden]

2. they can't

they just need a scapegoat

[Columbia]

4. Actually, he did visit Canada

Read the article carefully, it states that he made these remarks at a film screening in Toronto.

Also, the US and Canada have a mutual extradition agreement. I doubt though that Canada would request extradition for such a seemingly small matter. But I suppose if they did charge him and file a warrant for his arrest, he would be picked up if he entered Canada again.

[iverglas]

14. I'm sorry, but: duh

Perhaps you have heard of Toronto ...

[Newsjock]

3. Consider the source

It's from the National Post, pretty much the house organ of the Conservative Party of Canada. You don't see the CBC getting worked up over this.

And it's not like Moore's been charged with anything -- it's a bunch of wingnuts saying they don't like what he did. Normally that's not what we in the biz consider "news." But, y'know, when you're the Asper family and you've got a Party to serve, well, then anything goes.

[Columbia]

5. Typical

Can't stand the criticism, so they try to silence the source.

[-..__...]

6. But, how good of a hockey player is he?

http://www.campusconservatives.ca/contact.htm#Kasra


Kasra Nejatian - President

Kasra Nejatian, a third year Commerce student at Queen's University, is a 7-year veteran of political activism. Since the age of 14, Kasra has fought for conservative causes (and against Liberal ones) all across North America. Kasra's first work in politics was during the 1997 federal election, volunteering for Joanne Flint on her campaign in the riding of Don Valley West. Since then Kasra has worked on campaigns in two countries, three provinces, dozens of cities, and many university campuses.

...... 8< snip ......

An activist by nature, Kasra has always sought out political training. In the past two years he has worked with and learned from senior Republican advisors in the United States,a communication advisor to the Christlich Demokratischen Union in Germany, a former advisor to the British Conservative Party, and College Republicans from across United States. He has also attended the Conservative Political Action Conference in Alexandria, VA, the Young America&'s Foundation training conference in Washington DC, and the Conservative Leadership Foundation.

......8< snip ......

Kasra lives in Kingston, Ontario, in a Kingston Ghetto house with three friends who still don't quite understand the allure of politics.
Yaakov Roth - Vice President

[Wonk]

8. Nice catch.

So Nejatian has been doing essentially the same thing for years (cross border expression of political opinions) that he wants Moore charged with.

Hypocrisy, thy name is Kasra Nejatian.

On a side note, I'm curious if Columbia originally found this story here, where it's featured prominently on their homepage?

[Columbia]

9. Yup

That is indeed where I found it. Is that where you saw it too?

[glarius]

7. It's much ado about nothing!

The National Post never miss a chance to try to stir up trouble for the left.....This will fade into NOTHINGNESS....trust me!

[3trievers]

10. conservative rag

This is just background noise from the peanut gallery after a crushing defeat.The conservatives were handed their heads in Ontario in the election and are trying to rationalize the loss.

[MrBenchley]

11. Too TOO funny...

The only thing McCain Feingold is a threat to is the sort of phony ads the NRA used to blow their money on...now when they run an ad they have to say it's from the NRA, which most decent Americans rightly consider extremist lunatics.

It's hearttening to see you sticking up FOR Michael Moore, though, even though there really isn't anything to this story except a bunch of right wing blowhards huffing and puffing.

[FatSlob]

12. Both McCain-Feingold and the Canadian laws are evil

The restriction of speech by the AFL-CIO, NRA, Brady Bunch, and whoever is wrong. The Canadian law is not nearly as oppressive, as it only applies to non-Canadians, however it is still evil.

[mosin]

13. Agreed.

The Canadian law and the news report are both silly.

The US Bipartisan Campaign "Reform" Act was the most blatant attack on the First Amendment since the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798.

Sadly, the BCRA has no sunset provision, so we need to repeal it.

[iverglas]

15. ah, those liberals

If toting a firearm around is "speech", what would making donations to political candidates be?

And are non-citizens permitted to make donations to political candidates in the US? I have an idea that the answer is "no"; anybody wanna let me know for sure?

For a bunch of people who continually whine about non-USAmericans expressing their opinions about US policies on internet discussion boards, those are sure some big crocodile tears falling over Canadian laws against foreign interference in domestic elections ...

Specifically, the Canada Elections Act, which states " person who does not reside in Canada shall, during an election period, in any way induce electors to vote or refrain from voting or vote or refrain from voting for a particular candidate" unless the person is a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident.

Of course, y'all know that "an election period" in Canada lasts four weeks.

Of course you do.

[MrBenchley]

16. You might recall

the little clot of nutcases and crackpots in California suing to overturn the .50 caliber ban are pretending toting one of those around and blowing holes in crap is "free speech."

Of course, it's only because they honestly FORGOT about that claim that the Second Amendment confers some individual right that they didn't sue under Second amewndment grounds...

Or maybe it was a typo, and they meant to type "2nd" all along...

http://www.trivalleyherald.com/Stories/0,1413,86~10671~2257292,00.html