Robert Jago: The most dangerous blogger in Canada - Macleans.ca - Aaron Hutchins:
September 16, 2015 - "It’s not just — as Robert Jago calls it — 'some random political blog.' It could very well be the bane of the Conservative campaign’s existence. Jago, a 39-year-old from Montreal who works for an education services firm, uses his spare time to dig into the social media history of Conservative candidates for the upcoming election—and there’s plenty to dig up. Earlier this month, he uncovered that Toronto–Danforth hopeful Tim Dutaud posted YouTube videos of himself making crank phone calls that make fun of those with disabilities. On Tuesday, Jago published that Blair Dale, a Tory running in the Newfoundland riding of Bonavista—Burin—Trinity, made controversial comments about women, abortion and racial minorities on social media.
Q: That’s two Conservative candidates dropped within two weeks because of what came to light on your blog.
A: Three....
Q: A lot of people are likely wondering: Who are you?
A: I’m some nobody, basically. I have no political aspirations. I’ve been volunteering in politics since I was a kid. My first election, when I was 19, I volunteered for an NDP minister of finance who lied for the entire campaign. After that, I volunteered with the Tories for a bit in 2006, 2008 and 2011, designing materials for them.
Q: Is this a job of yours? Are you working for someone?
A: No. This is a project. I’m a busybody. I want the electoral system to change, because it’s terrible. What the Conservatives are doing with Natives and the environment is terrible. I’m not generally the kind of person who waits for somebody else to deal with it. If I don’t like the way something is, I change it.
Q: What do you hope to accomplish?
A: I hope to move a few thousand votes in the GTA and the 905, and a few thousand votes in the Lower Mainland. I want to move those votes from Conservative switchers in those regions—people who are soft Tories who gave them a chance with a majority and who are regretting that decision now. Hopefully, if I can [change] enough votes to move one or two seats with the election, we’ll end up with a different government and a government that supports electoral reform.
Q: Why are you targeting the Conservatives when other parties might have candidates with Twitter or social media scandals?
A: The Conservative party is the only party that doesn’t support electoral reform. The NDP, Liberals and Greens each say that if they’re elected, we’ll have proportional representation or have preferential ballots. Those things will go a long way to fixing our system.
Q: You were a Tory volunteer. Why did you change your allegiance?
A: I’m a libertarian, and Stephen Harper says he doesn’t want us in the party. He had some big Christmas gala and he made fun of libertarians. He went on to pass laws that put potheads in jail, and that restrict civil liberties through Bill C-51. This group does not have any time for libertarians....
Q: Between the Liberals and the NDP, is there a party you support?
A: I live in the riding with Gilles Duceppe, so I will be voting for anybody — including a Conservative— if they can beat Gilles Duceppe. I want electoral reform, but I want electoral reform in Canada."
Read more: http://www.macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/robert-jago-the-most-dangerous-blogger-in-canada/
'via Blog this'
September 16, 2015 - "It’s not just — as Robert Jago calls it — 'some random political blog.' It could very well be the bane of the Conservative campaign’s existence. Jago, a 39-year-old from Montreal who works for an education services firm, uses his spare time to dig into the social media history of Conservative candidates for the upcoming election—and there’s plenty to dig up. Earlier this month, he uncovered that Toronto–Danforth hopeful Tim Dutaud posted YouTube videos of himself making crank phone calls that make fun of those with disabilities. On Tuesday, Jago published that Blair Dale, a Tory running in the Newfoundland riding of Bonavista—Burin—Trinity, made controversial comments about women, abortion and racial minorities on social media.
Q: That’s two Conservative candidates dropped within two weeks because of what came to light on your blog.
A: Three....
Q: A lot of people are likely wondering: Who are you?
A: I’m some nobody, basically. I have no political aspirations. I’ve been volunteering in politics since I was a kid. My first election, when I was 19, I volunteered for an NDP minister of finance who lied for the entire campaign. After that, I volunteered with the Tories for a bit in 2006, 2008 and 2011, designing materials for them.
Q: Is this a job of yours? Are you working for someone?
A: No. This is a project. I’m a busybody. I want the electoral system to change, because it’s terrible. What the Conservatives are doing with Natives and the environment is terrible. I’m not generally the kind of person who waits for somebody else to deal with it. If I don’t like the way something is, I change it.
Q: What do you hope to accomplish?
A: I hope to move a few thousand votes in the GTA and the 905, and a few thousand votes in the Lower Mainland. I want to move those votes from Conservative switchers in those regions—people who are soft Tories who gave them a chance with a majority and who are regretting that decision now. Hopefully, if I can [change] enough votes to move one or two seats with the election, we’ll end up with a different government and a government that supports electoral reform.
Q: Why are you targeting the Conservatives when other parties might have candidates with Twitter or social media scandals?
A: The Conservative party is the only party that doesn’t support electoral reform. The NDP, Liberals and Greens each say that if they’re elected, we’ll have proportional representation or have preferential ballots. Those things will go a long way to fixing our system.
Q: You were a Tory volunteer. Why did you change your allegiance?
A: I’m a libertarian, and Stephen Harper says he doesn’t want us in the party. He had some big Christmas gala and he made fun of libertarians. He went on to pass laws that put potheads in jail, and that restrict civil liberties through Bill C-51. This group does not have any time for libertarians....
Q: Between the Liberals and the NDP, is there a party you support?
A: I live in the riding with Gilles Duceppe, so I will be voting for anybody — including a Conservative— if they can beat Gilles Duceppe. I want electoral reform, but I want electoral reform in Canada."
Read more: http://www.macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/robert-jago-the-most-dangerous-blogger-in-canada/
'via Blog this'
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