I wrote a quick note (see below) to Elvin Kao, our local Green party candidate.  His response was:

Hello Peeter,

Thank you so much for taking the time to write to me. Unlike the other political parties, the Green party is the only party that does not whip votes. I am responsible to listening to my constituents first, and then the party second. This is what makes the Greens different and why we need government reform, so that Greens in all ridings are properly represented.

The Green party was the first party, with the help of Elizabeth May, to say that we would repeal Bill C-51. I agree with the party stance on this. The current bill as written has too much ambiguity in the definition of terrorism, has no oversight on CSIS, is an invasion on Canadian’s human rights to privacy and free speech. There has also been no proof over the existence of government monitoring, how effective it is in counter-acting terrorism and I would like to see conclusive data from CSIS before granting even more over-reaching powers.

If you have any other concern, feel free to contact me again.
I hope to have your support October 19, 2015.

Thanks,
Elvin Kao

He doesn’t touch my embedded question on “Canada’s increasing warmonger status”.  I don’t know if that means he’s not familiar with “our” role in world oppression, or if he just missed the question.

My side of the correspondence, including a previous note to the incumbant as context is below.

Hi Elvin,

As part of my investigation of current running candidates, I’d like to hear your stance on bill C-51, and Canada’s increasing warmonger status. I’d written the following to the previous incumbent for our riding, expressing my displeasure with the liberal party acceptance of the police state bill. I didn’t expect (nor ask for) a response, but he answered by voting for the bill.

Presuming the Green party ends up with a more significant membership in this election, does this party also plan, like the other parties, to also have the insane policy of enforcing voting the party line, or will members be allowed to vote according to what they perceive to be the desires of their constituents?

Peeter Joot
—

The Honourable John McCallum,

I’m writing to call on you to take a firm stand in support of the government’s carefully thought out, harmless, and effective Bill C-51. I’m asking you to side with Canadians and vote for this legislation.

I applaud the Canadian government initiative to exploit the fear-porn potential of the recent parliamentary shooting to its advantage.

The bill is prudent because it turns CSIS into a ‘secret police’ force with little oversight or accountability. Oversight and accountability are both highly overrated. History has proven that secret police forces have been important forces in many effective governments. Without a secret police force Stalin would not have been able to cull so many millions of the excess citizens of his country. Without a secret police force Hitler would not have been able to implement his death camps. In this day of omnipresent globalism Canada clearly needs its own secret police force to remain competitive.

The bill is useful because it opens the door for violations of our Charter Rights including censorship of free expression online. If people are able to express themselves openly, how can they be controlled?

The bill is effective because it will lead to dragnet surveillance and information sharing on innocent Canadians. Stephen Harper, Justin Trudeau or any other current or future politician would love to have such powers available for blackmail and manipulation purposes.

I applaud the government for trying to push this law through parliament in record time without a proper debate. No Canadian wants to see meaningful discussion in government. Reruns of Jerry Springer is clearly sufficient debate for most people. Inhibiting discussion is prudent since questioning authority and the power elite just feeds uncertainty in these difficult times.

If this bill doesn’t pass, it would limit opportunities for the Canadian government to spy on anyone, at any time. No Canadian wants to know when such spying has occurred. We want to create a shadowy and unaccountable secret police force that will have such a critical role in removing the freedoms of a nation that cannot be allowed to question government and authority.

Please, side with the majority of Canadians who are clueless and have never heard of this bill. Please don’t talk about or vote against this important legislation. Assuming you decide to vote for this bill, I hope you also won’t have any part in educate Canadians about this bill. Nobody needs to know what government allows itself to do “in our names.”

I’m one of the millions of Canadians who are perfectly happy with the status quo, which includes politicians who will not represent us in any meaningful way. I am assuming that you will be towing the party line and will vote for this bill. I already know that free expression is not tolerated in government, so when I see an affirmative vote for this bill, I’ll know that the world as I know it is stable and cannot be changed by individual action.

Please don’t respond to this letter. I do not want a response outlining the reasons that you will not be voting for this bill. Such a response would serve to destroy my worldview that assumes no politicians act for nor truly care for their constituents or Canadians in general. I want to continue to view politicians as pawns placed in positions of powerlessness and ineptitude, incapable of altering or even accurately observing the world around them.

Sincerely,

[signed]

Peeter Joot