Annette Desgagne: Former Employee For Group That Worked For Tories Files Sworn Affidavit On Polling Location Calls

Posted: 04/18/2012 4:02 pm Updated: 04/20/2012 10:58 am

OTTAWA - A former employee of a call centre that did work for the Conservative party in the last election says she was instructed to tell people Elections Canada had changed their polling locations.

In a sworn affidavit, Annette Desgagne says she and other workers at Responsive Marketing Group's call centre in Thunder Bay, Ont., became suspicious when people questioned them about the new polling locations.

"I recall one woman in Winnipeg telling me that the address I just gave her was over an hour away," Desgagne says in the court document.

"I tried to problem-solve this over the phone with her for a few minutes, but she was sure the new address was wrong. There was a phone number at the bottom of the screen in front of me that I was to give people if they had further questions.

"That lady said she had called that number but that it was not a correct number."

Desgagne says her co-workers had similar experiences. She says her supervisors told her to "just stick to the scripts" when she told them of her concerns.

"Our concerns were ignored and we had to keep reading and repeating the same scripts about changes of address for polling stations made by elections Canada," says Desgagne's affidavit.

Desgagne's affidavit, filed as part of a court action launched by the Council of Canadians, repeats most of the claims first reported by the Toronto Star in February.

She says she went to work for RMG three weeks before election day.

She says she started out making calls in which she identified herself as calling on behalf of the Conservative party. She recorded people's voting preferences and asked Conservative supporters if they would put up yard signs.

Desgagne says the script changed about three days before the May 2 vote, dropping all mention of the Conservatives. The new scripts said Elections Canada had changed some polling stations, and directed voters to the new locations.

RMG says it was not part of any effort to keep people from voting by sending them to the wrong polling locations.

The Conservatives hired RMG to identify supporters ahead of the May 2 federal election, and the company has said all callers were instructed to clearly identify the fact they were calling on behalf of the party.

"At no time during the 'Get-Out-The-Vote' period did our calls target non-identified Conservative Party supporters," the company said in February.

"Again, our calls targeted identified Conservative party supporters. With the goal of helping the Conservative party win the election, it would make no sense to provide Conservative party supporters with incorrect voting locations."

RMG has also said calls were placed to identified Conservative supporters to notify them of changes to their voting locations, noting Elections Canada moved 127 polling locations during the run-up to the election.

"The purpose of this calling was to re-confirm their support, ensure they had correct voting location information, and encourage them to vote on Election Day," RMG previously said.

"This is a core element of our business, and something RMG has performed on over 20 election campaigns for various political parties at every level in Canada."

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OTTAWA - A former employee of a call centre that did work for the Conservative party in the last election says she was instructed to tell people Elections Canada had changed their polling locations.In...
OTTAWA - A former employee of a call centre that did work for the Conservative party in the last election says she was instructed to tell people Elections Canada had changed their polling locations.In...
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paintitblacker
shit happens life goes on
09:01 PM on 05/04/2012
not a word on c.t.v. or c.b.c. , tax revolt
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
ProgressiveCDN
A Progressive Moderate
06:12 PM on 05/04/2012
#OccupyCanada .. This is just too much. We were once a smart and progressive country, let's bring down these ridings! #RECALL
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
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Maria Korovessis Sewell
To decimate is to reduce by one tenth.
02:41 PM on 04/19/2012
Time for a ROBOrecall.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
4evercanadian
Still my guitar gently weeps
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4evercanadian
Still my guitar gently weeps
11:16 AM on 04/19/2012
One of the directors of RMG is listed as Stewart Braddick. He looks like a heavy hitter in both RMG and the CPC: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1137730--marketing-strategist-stewart-braddick-plays-role-in-conservative-party-s-electoral-success. This story has been picked up by a number of sites as I found it in several locations.

Also RMG has had issues with links to a charity that has been getting government funding: http://www.leaderpost.com/news/Charity+funded+government+links+Tory+call+centre/6399771/story.html
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russellmcneil
Research Associate (Vancouver Island University),
08:14 AM on 04/19/2012
Curious why corporate media - the Globe & Mail in particular - continues to downplay a story that could well provoke a constitutional crisis.
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Michael747
10:39 AM on 04/19/2012
Hey, it's not even visible on CBC's or CTV's websites :p This country is done! no accountability for these criminals.
This comment has been removed due to violations of our [Guidelines]
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
efell
Careful with that axe, Eugene
07:53 AM on 04/19/2012
Drip. Drip. Drip. The inability of the Conservatives to get in front of this story is trademark Harper. Hear no evil, see no...... This is election fraud at it's basest form. The only honorable thing to do is to dissolve parliament and call an election. Not holding my breath for that one. The only way Harper will leave is in handcuffs. One can dream, can't one?
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gravescanada
06:35 AM on 04/19/2012
As this controversy continues to grow, its is becoming more and more apparent we have an illegitimate government here in Canada. If this spreads wide enough, the entire election will be called into question. Mr Harper, you do not deserve the title of Prime Minister, you have betrayed the trust of the Canadian People. I only hope your party is ousted before you do to much damage.
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Carlyn Craig
Post Hypnotic Press Audiobooks
03:55 AM on 04/19/2012
You know, maybe if more people had read Lawrence Martin's book, "Harperland: The Politics of Control," we wouldn't be putting up with these clowns now. Mind you, at this point you're better off to visit our site and pick-up the audio version - entertainingly read by Michael Puttonen - but that's just my opinion. : ) www.posthypnoticpress.com.
02:40 AM on 04/19/2012
Saw Harper on TV tonight at the Senators game. Kept hoping a ninety mph slap shot would get him in the head.
paintitblacker
shit happens life goes on
10:14 PM on 05/04/2012
right between the eyes @110
10:19 PM on 04/18/2012
4evercanadian, you should send your findings and links to the Council for Canadians. Don't expect anyone else to connect these important dots for us.
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4evercanadian
Still my guitar gently weeps
11:18 AM on 04/19/2012
I'll consider that, but have to weigh my anonymity as well. Hopefully they will be reading what is being discussed on this and other forums.
12:02 PM on 04/19/2012
What good does anonymity do you when you're sitting on extremely prevalent information that might otherwise not be brought to light?

What are you afraid of? You think the Conservatives are gonna come after you for turning that in? They'd just be shooting themselves in the foot and confirming everything you exposed.

And if you're that worried about it, just make a new, anonymous e-mail adress at your local library and send the e-mail from there.
05:05 PM on 04/19/2012
Take it to the National Post. They have been the very best at investigative journalism on these stories.
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Kristopher Leang
training to take down the elite
10:17 PM on 04/18/2012
Kris yells "Brianmould?! Stancan?!"

...echo....echo..echo...
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Another Pesky Canadian
Talk - action = 0
09:51 PM on 04/18/2012
Re: "With the goal of helping the Conservative party win the election, it would make no sense to provide Conservative party supporters with incorrect voting locations."

Thank you, Captain Obvious.

So let's get this straight; that's why you provided supporters of the OTHER PARTIES with incorrect voting locations, right?
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opprobrious
More speech. Less Flagging.
09:49 PM on 04/18/2012
Someone mentioned she get a medal of honor earlier. Perhaps we SHOULD nominate her for the Order of Canada...

http://www.gg.ca/document.aspx?id=70
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Rob Vann
Hope for the best,Plan for the worst,Take what cms
07:44 AM on 04/19/2012
Brigette Marcelle ..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkHY-50uVTY
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
opprobrious
More speech. Less Flagging.
09:46 PM on 04/18/2012
I'm guessing if you want to get away from the trolls hang out in this thread.
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4evercanadian
Still my guitar gently weeps
09:48 PM on 04/18/2012
And the truth shall set you free.
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Jason Bullock
10:45 PM on 04/18/2012
They do seem to always disapear when articles like this are posted, don't they?
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BCSLAVE
Got a key?
11:41 PM on 04/18/2012
They don't know if they are digging up or down and the talking points have not been issued for the day from OKH : Wolfschanze HQ