WATERLOO REGION — When Carolyn Siopiolosz answered the phone days before the May 2 federal election, she knew something was wrong.
The anonymous caller informed the St. Clements resident that her polling station had been changed to a park in Kitchener.
“I said ‘what do you mean I have to vote in there,’ ” said Siopiolosz.
“In a small town, you know if something has happened and I knew you didn’t have to go all the way down there.”
After using the “star-69” command on her phone to track the telephone number, Siopiolosz decided to contact Kitchener-Conestoga riding’s returning officer and Elections Canada.
Siopiolosz said she has no party affiliation. She has often voted Liberal in the past, but says when it’s time for a change, she can vote the other way. But in this case, she contacted her riding’s federal Liberal association, which filed its own complaint with Elections Canada.
The complaint filed by Joe Nowak, president of the Kitchener-Conestoga federal Liberal association, was obtained by The Record and includes the phone number Siopiolosz traced.
When called, the number goes to a voice mail for the “Conservative Party.” The message asks callers to leave their name, number and a detailed message and says the party will get back to them within three business days.
Frank DeLorey, director of communications and deputy director of political operations for the Conservative Party of Canada, confirmed in an email “that the number was ours.”
Kitchener-Conestoga Conservative MP Harold Albrecht, reached on Monday, was so surprised by the situation that he called the number himself. He said he found the ownership of the number troubling and the message unprofessional.
“I will be asking some questions, absolutely,” said Albrecht, adding he will investigate. “It’s not the kind of actions I would support.”
Research suggests the number, which has a 519 area code but is a long-distance call, originates in Lambton County.
Albrecht’s constituents weren’t the only regional residents to receive such calls in the run-up to the last federal election.
Elections Canada says it has a policy of not commenting on investigations and could not confirm or deny whether Chief Electoral Officer Marc Mayrand is investigating any complaints from the region.
But, in Mayrand’s report on the last election, he states he is looking into “crank calls designed to discourage voting, discourage voting for a particular party, or incorrectly advise electors of changed polling locations.”
On May 2, Elections Canada reported it received more than 100 complaints of phone calls offering fake polling station information from the Waterloo Region and Guelph areas, telling residents to go to the poll on their voter registration card.
Dorothy Venkiteswaran was called so often by political operatives seeking her support it started to feel like harassment.
Venkiteswaran used to volunteer for the Liberals before moving to Waterloo seven years ago. She said she hasn’t worked for the party since.
None of the pesky calls stuck in her mind as clearly as one that said her polling station had changed.
“I thought, why would they change it? It’s always been at a school,” she said. “I think they said it was at a church.”
She lives in conservative MP Peter Braid’s Kitchener-Waterloo riding.
Braid denied any involvement.
“There’s absolutely no connection whatsoever between those calls and my campaign,” said Braid. “In fact, many of my own supporters received similar calls.”
These stories come as parliamentarians are decrying a rise in “dirty tricks” by the Conservative party. The party recently employed the market research firm Campaign Research to call constituents in Liberal MP Irwin Cotler’s Mount Royal riding. The calls asked residents who they would support in a byelection should Cotler step down, which the MP says he has no plans of doing.
Cotler raised the issue in the House of Commons, and the Speaker last week called the tactics “reprehensible.”
Yet Campaign Research was contracted by many Conservative MPs during the election, including Speaker Andrew Scheer, Albrecht, Braid and Kitchener Centre Conservative MP Stephen Woodworth, according to their statements of electoral campaign expenses.
Albrecht paid the firm $367.25; Woodworth paid $630.26; while Braid doled out $19,210.
Albrecht said he used the firm for a one-time phone call to recruit volunteers. Woodworth could not be reached for comment.
Cambridge-North Dumfries Conservative MP Gary Goodyear’s electoral files have not yet been filed.
Nick Kouvalis, the head of Campaign Research and the mastermind behind Rob Ford’s mayoral campaign victory in Toronto, was brought in to manage Braid’s election-day get-out-the-vote efforts.
“I don’t discuss the work that I do for my clients,” he said Monday when asked about his firm’s role in Braid’s campaign and its use of telephone research.
“I used them for a very specific and limited purpose and that was phone calling to constituents and voter identification,” said Braid. “Nick has a particular expertise in this and that’s why it was helpful to have him involved.”
Braid said he’d consider using Campaign Research again, citing its excellent record with live phone calls. He added “It doesn’t necessarily mean I agree with everything they do.”
acsanady@therecord.com
December 20, 2011
December 1, 2011
6 Year Old Charged With Sexual Assult
Six Year Old Wisconsin Boy Being Prosecuted For Playing Doctor, With A Five Year Old
Parents of a five-year-old girl in Grant County, Wisconsin are pressing charges for first-degree sexual assault against a then six-year-old (now seven-year-old) boy. The accusation? Playing doctor with their daughter. Although too young to be prosecuted, the boy could be listed on the permanent sex offender registry when he turns 18.The boy’s parents are suing Grant County District Attorney, Lisa Riniker, a social worker and a former Sheriff’s Office investigator. The plaintiffs, who are listed on the complaint as Jennifer and Kurtis B., tried to get Riniker to drop the charges. She replied, ”The legislature could have put an age restriction in the statute if it wanted to. The legislature did no such thing.” They are asking $12 million in damages.
Madison.com reports:
Among the suit’s claims is that the boy was selectively accused of a felony for playing doctor with the daughter of a Grant County political figure. It also alleges that the investigations by Kopp and Moravits were haphazard and biased in favor of the girl’s father because of his political status and that Riniker did not act reasonably in charging a 6-year-old with first-degree sexual assault.
“I think his life has been ruined, and I think it’s been ruined by reckless conduct by the defendants without any regard for the little boy and his future,” said Chicago attorney Christopher Cooper, who is representing the boy and his parents in the lawsuit.
The boy, who is now 7 and has a developmental disability, has been diagnosed with stress disorders that medical professionals attribute to the defendants’ actions, according to the suit. He has experienced fear of going to jail, as well as anxiety, depression, sleepless nights, vomiting, crying and missed school time.
The petition for protection or services states that the girl’s mother found her daughter “with her skirt and underpants around her ankles,” and the boy allegedly penetrating her.
The girl said they were playing “butt doctor” and said the boy only touched the outside of her body.
The girl is listed in the complaint as the “daughter of a well-known political figure in Grant County.” Her brother was allegedly involved in the ‘doctor’ game as well. He is not being charged. The social worker, Jan Moravits, is the girl’s aunt.
The boy’s family has now been placed under a gag order. His attorney, however, did speak to WISC-TV:
“That behavior by a prosecutor is outrageous,” said Christopher Cooper, an attorney for the boy’s parents….
“She [Riniker] bypassed the parents and sent a 6-year-old boy a summons, on which is a threat that the 6-year-old will go to jail for failure to appear,” Cooper said.
The attorneys said they have sought the opinion of many experts who said that children “playing doctor” is not a sex crime.
“[The experts say] a 6-year-old child is unable to intellectually and emotionally associate sexual gratification with the act that D has been accused of committing,” Cooper said….
Repeated calls to Riniker and an attorney for [her] and two co-defendants have gone unanswered since Friday, WISC-TV reported.
November 19, 2011
Happy 7th Birthday Aislyn!
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November 2, 2011
Janice the Wonderful Witch
These are photos I took of Janice last night, just heading out the door and in our front yard:
I hope you were entertained and enjoyed the photographs of us four.
If you are viewing this via FaceBook, or Email, please post any comments directly onto the Blog and not onto Facebook or replying to an Email. Thanks.
Marty.
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| One - Two - Three - Fera Verto! |
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| !otreV areF - eerhT - owT - enO |
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| Witch Hunting! Spot The Witch |
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| hctiW ehT topS ! gnitnuH hctiW |
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| You've Been Spotted! |
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| !dettopS neeB ev'uoY |
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| Phew! She's A Good Witch! |
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| !hctiW dooG A s'ehS !wehp |
If you are viewing this via FaceBook, or Email, please post any comments directly onto the Blog and not onto Facebook or replying to an Email. Thanks.
Marty.
Woodcock, the werewolf
These are pictures of myself taken with my BlackBerry:
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| Wanted! Dead Or Alive $10,000 Reward! |
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| !draweR 000,01$ evilA rO daeD !detnaW |
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| The Two Faces Of Marty |
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| ytraM fO secaF owT ehT |
Danika The Supergirl
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| After saving the Woodcock Werewolf from the Vampire, Supergirl does her super dance in the front garden |
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| After a Hard day, saving the world, Supergirl needs a rest |
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| Supergirl's very first Halloween dance party |
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| What a way for a superhero to unwind, after saving the world! PARTY! |
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| After leaping upon high concrete structures (The bench out front), Supergirl raises an arm in victory! |
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| Supergirl wasn't "scary" enough, so she needed some Werewolf makeup to scare away those bad guys after a hard night, saving candy from candy jail. |
Aislyn as Mona The Vampire
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| An Inverted copy of "Mona The Vampire" |
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| Mona the Vampire awaiting her school bus Halloween morning |
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| The inverted copy of the below original |
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| After vanquishing the Woodcock Werewolf, Mona stands tall |
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| The inverted copy of the image below |
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| Mona The Vampire preparing to vanish in a cloud of smoke |
Our Bloodcurdling, Cackling, Howling, Super Halloween
Not only did the girls dress up, so did Janice and I too. It was the most enjoyable Halloween I've had as an adult! Because it was so fun, next year Janice and I will dress up again. Here are some photos I gook of us all. For file size reasons, I'll brake it up into four blogs: "Aislyn as Mona The Vampire", "Danika The Supergirl", "Janice the Wonderful Witch" and "M. Woodcock, the werewolf".
If you are viewing this on Facebook, or an email, please make any comments on the blog itself.
October 24, 2011
Life Is!
Life Is!
Some question: what is life? The answer in this seemingly complex question is amazingly simple in it’s complexity! Life, simply, well, is! It is in error to put “not”, anywhere near the word “Life”. Life is not – well – not, because life is! Within that simple statement: Life is!, are three related, yet unrelated things:
- Life is aspiration, with all its failures, successes and stalemates. Aspirations that never got out of the thought process, one’s that were stifled by naysayers and aspirations that took flight.
- Life is also vision, how we see reality and how everyone else sees it at the same time, all together, mixed up into one pot of stew. For everyone sees reality quite differently from everyone else, yet everyone’s reality is the truth within his or her own limited point of view. If we put everyone’s reality together, mix them up, apply heat and pressure, reality, though so vastly different to everyone else, is crystal clear, once our own blinders are taken off.
- Life is finally choice. We chose what we believe, regardless if that belief is brainwashed into us, or if we seek it out. We chose to believe – whatever it is we believe. We chose to accept or not to accept, we chose to turn right, left, go forward or turn back. We chose to stay or to go, to live or to survive without life. Life is made up of our own choices that we, ourselves chose.
We have no choice but to live and to die by our own choices, visions and aspirations. If a vision inspires you, chose to pursue it, for if you let it die, apart of you dies with it, and you will feel it’s loss – called regret!
In short:
Life Is!
If you are not viewing this from: http://madjwoodcock.blogspot.com/, please do not comment. Instead, comment on the blog itself. Thank you.
Marty.
September 24, 2011
Happy Birthday Sweet
This is our friend's birthday (Sweet in English), in Taiwan Happy birthday Sweet. This is just a little message for her:
Our entire family misses you Sweet. It is your day Sweet, so let loose and act as if you are 18 years old again! Happy Birthday Sweet.
Our entire family misses you Sweet. It is your day Sweet, so let loose and act as if you are 18 years old again! Happy Birthday Sweet.
September 23, 2011
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JANICE
It's Janice's birthday today and I just finished a real cake and an electronic cake. Here is the electronic one for you Janice. I love you.
September 22, 2011
Right as Rain
Danika went to preschool today. She was feeling great yesterday afternoon, after not going to preschool that morning. She wanted her duckie blacket arround her shoulders, in a cape, soshe can play "Super Red Danika". Then after about a few houres of having her blanket around her, she wanted to become "Princess Danika" and changed dresses a few times before Aislyn came home. At preschool today, her class went for fairly long walk before parents picked them up. The children wore their backpacks the entire walk (surprisingly without complaining to the teacher or her helpers) which tired them out that they just wanted to go home and not linger on the school's playground.
This afternon, Danika helped wash the kitchen cupboards, stools, and other things needing cleaning. For a 3 and a half year old, she did a fantastic job too! Now, after I'm finished this blog post, Danika and I will clean the livingroom then the diningroom, hopefully before Janice comes home.
Speaking of Janice, (and because she hardly looks at this blog), I want to send Janice a message, if she reads it on the morrow;
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY LOVE!
Also, I want to send a happy birthday to my mother-in-law: Eleanor:
Happy Birthday Eleanor. I hope you are having a great day.
September 20, 2011
Hockey Star Aislyn
Aislyn, whilst at her school’s BBQ family picnic, she lost one of her bottom teeth. (unfortunately, Danika and I were at home. Danika is sick. :-( ). Shortly after coming home, settling in a bit, Janice pulled the VERY loose upper tooth. Two teeth in one day! And AFTER school pictures, earlier today.
Poor Little Girl
It’s clear, clear as puke, as to why Danika was in a snuggly mood all afternoon today. At a quarter to four this afternoon, she started tossing her cookies. First she had a nap in our bed. I thought it was just because she was tired from being active and learning lots at school. But Noooo! She awoke, still tired and snuggly, so I snuggled her in the couch and watched Blue’s Clues then snuggled her back in bed. She didn’t sleep but we talked and had gentle plays. Then we came back out to the living room and snuggled in front of the computer. We weren’t there 5 minutes when her tummy exploded all over the both of us! Needless to say, the bath called. I tossed a few myself too. We’ve both been coughing and sneezing, the past few days, but it hasn’t been that bad at all, till 3:45 this evening that is. I’ll have a bath after she goes to sleep for the “night”.
Aislyn said she had an awesome day at school. She had school pictures, thus was dressed very nicely. Her hair is in ponytails and looks very sweet, especially with her missing front tooth. We had plans, as a family, to go to Aislyn’s school BBQ, but for Danika and I, that won’t be. I hope Janice and Aislyn will have fun.
Aislyn said she had an awesome day at school. She had school pictures, thus was dressed very nicely. Her hair is in ponytails and looks very sweet, especially with her missing front tooth. We had plans, as a family, to go to Aislyn’s school BBQ, but for Danika and I, that won’t be. I hope Janice and Aislyn will have fun.
Danika The Sleeping Beauty
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| She looks so much like Janice in this picture! What a beautiful little (oops! I mean Big) girl! |
Danika came home from Pre-K (Preschool), so tired, she needed a nap. When I picked her up, she was having so much fun with her friends, on the school's playground, but when she ran up to me, all she wanted, was be carried and cuddled.
She loves school so much ( about as much as she loves to dance btw) that whenever she wakes up in a bad mood, all we need to do is mention she has school and her attitude instantly changes! She can be very tired, sick or any number of feelings that can make a person grouchy, but as soon as the words "you have school today" exits our mouths, the light from a thousand suns enters her big, beautiful green eyes!
September 18, 2011
Pam n' Aislyn @ Dinobouncers
It's hard to see, because of the net, but That's Pam (a classmate of Aislyn's) and Aislyn sliding down a blowup slide at Dinobouncers. They all had a blast at Dinobouncers. That was, until it was almost time go go. Then they started to become tired and cranky. Good thing we were going to leave soon anyway.
The food sold there, was healthy and at a decent price too. Yes, they did have junkfood, but they also had a lot of good, healthy foods too.
The biggest complaint was the fans were too loud. we had to almost yell to be heard over the fans, children playing and the music. Overall, I'd have to give Dinobouncers a 7/10 It would have been a 9/10 if it dhaden't been for the noisy fans.
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Danika in the construction sight @ Dinobouncers
Danika is just reaching the bottom of a slide in the blowup construction sight at Dinobouncers. The girls (Danika, Aislyn and a classmate of Aislyn's - Pam) all had a blast at Dinobouncers. That was, until it was almost time go go. Then they started to become tired and cranky. Good thing we were going to leave soon anyway.
The food sold there, was healthy and at a decent price too. Yes, they did have junkfood, but they also had a lot of good, healthy foods too.
The biggest complaint was the fans were too loud. we had to almost yell to be heard over the fans, children playing and the music. Overall, I'd have to give Dinobouncers a 7/10 It would have been a 9/10 if it dhaden't been for the noisy fans.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld
September 12, 2011
First Circle Time
Danika was so, so, so, looking forward to her first day at school! Since Aislyn first started going, she thought she should be going too! Now's her chance! After breakfast, we put her hair into a ponytail and she dressed herself in her favorite colour - purple! (That was after we reminded her, that her teacher recommended no dresses, as they tended to get dirty awfully fast).
Janice and I drove Danika to school after Aislyn caught her bus. We let her play in the playground for a few minutes then went inside for her very first morning of Pre-K. She was one of the first ones inside the classroom after taking her outside shoes off. We fond her locker, put her inside shoes on and she knew just what do do! She went and sat down in the empty area, soon joined by her fellow classmates. They needed to empty their backpacks and give the tissue boxes to the teacher then put their coats and backpacks into their lockers.
Janice and I stayed for a few minutes longer then left. I have to admit that my eyes were a bit misty, walking out to the van. (darn allergies anyway!)
Pleaded as punch
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld
August 31, 2011
July 24, 2011
Our Lil' Hatched Egg
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July 16, 2011
June 13, 2011
To Observe Or Not To Observe
Although not used by most of the world's people, daylight saving time is common in the Northern Hemisphere high latitudes.
DST observed
DST no longer observed
DST never observed
"Most of the world is on some form of 'daylight savings time', and it just makes sense for Saskatchewan to 'catch up' with the rest of the world."
Well, most of the world IS NOT on DST! It is just a vast minority who are slaves to DST! Saskatchewan should stay the course and resist the onslaught of dumb-asses who want DST and the rest of North America should abandon the money wasting DST! Most business owners who run international businesses, loath DST, so why do some jurisdictions (Provinces, Territories and States), insist on following this waste of time and money we call Daylight Savings Time? I'd like some thoughts on this.
May 22, 2011
Aislyn's First Elephant Ride
Danika didn't even want to try yet, which is ok, since she's only 3.
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May 11, 2011
Rid em Cowgirl Danika!
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May 6, 2011
Relationships
In my opinion, for a strong relationship to last, a marriage must be a partnership, with each partner helping the other. By helping, I do not mean necessarily doing the same things all the time, but helping out, equally, with chores, raising the children or personal hobbies or goals. For example, if my spouse wanted to do some stained glass crafts for a hobby, but did not know how to start, I would help by doing some research, asking people who are doing it, et cetera, and help by obtaining the tools needed for them to do the hobby. I have very little interest in doing it, but I would do my best to help them. On the other side, if I wanted to start my own business, she would help by doing some research, getting me in contact with appropriate people, and help keep me motivated. She has no desire to go into business, but if she helps, it draws us closer. Likewise, I have no desire to do stained glass, but if I help, she appreciates the effort.
If on the other hand, we just do our own thing, and never lend a hand to our loved one, especially without being asked to do so, it puts a strain on the relationship and is less likely to succeed in the long run.
If you truly love your partner, you will help them out to the best of your ability, without them asking you. Spontaneous assistance is appreciated more than requested assistance.
Having a mutual hobby also helps the bonding process. Everything I said above also helps in the communication area of relationships.
If on the other hand, we just do our own thing, and never lend a hand to our loved one, especially without being asked to do so, it puts a strain on the relationship and is less likely to succeed in the long run.
If you truly love your partner, you will help them out to the best of your ability, without them asking you. Spontaneous assistance is appreciated more than requested assistance.
Having a mutual hobby also helps the bonding process. Everything I said above also helps in the communication area of relationships.
May 3, 2011
Thank you Canada - NOT!
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| Above: Canada's evangelical, right winged, tyrannical dictator! |
My prediction was dead on! Almost , completely due to vote splitting with the non-con voters, Canada now has the most evil, vile, majority government EVER in Canadian history! I thank all the stupid voters who split the vote, to reduce the best party, that WOULD have kept the cons in check, to there worst showing EVER! The NDP have very little backbone, thus WILL take it up the ass and love it! Thanks for allowing the cons to rape EVERYTHING Canada stood so proudly for! Thanks!
April 26, 2011
Reading to my stuffies
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