Calgary Skyview MP George Chahal — the only Liberal elected in Calgary — has been caught on camera allegedly removing his opponent’s campaign material from a voter’s property.
Video captured shows Chahal approaching the house in northeast Calgary, checking the mailbox, seeing that a Conservative poster was taped to the voter’s door, allegedly removing said poster before replacing it with his material, and walking away.
Glenn Pennett, the homeowner, spoke with The Counter Signal on Wednesday night and confirmed that he was filing a police report on Thursday.
“And that’s him,” Pennett said, referring to the video of Chahal. “And that’s the sheet from Jag. And then he’s putting this [Liberal flyer] under my [door].”
Having been forced to respond due to the overwhelming evidence, Chahal’s campaign admitted that Chahal took the flyer and replaced it with his own but said that he did this because his opponent’s flyer contained misinformation regarding poll locations.
“While dropping off polling info flyers prior to polls opening on Election Day, George removed a piece of campaign literature that identified an incorrect polling location for the person residing at the address,” wrote campaign manager Randall Zalazar.
“All through Election Day, campaign volunteers found incorrectly labelled materials across the eastern side of the riding. Our campaign contacted Elections Canada and advised them of the issue.”
Pennett disagrees completely with Zalazar’s assertion, contending that it was actually Chahal’s flyer that contained false information regarding the correct polling locations for the area.
During our interview, Pennett showed The Counter Signal the new election material, directing Pennett to vote at Saint Clare Elementary School — the wrong location given his address.
“And actually, that isn’t even a voting station,” continued Pennett. “People have emailed me and told me that it isn’t a voting station.”
“[Jag’s poster] just reminded me to go to vote, reminded me to vote, and where to vote, which is a Catholic school just around the corner from here,” explained Pennett.
“And this here — if you look at that — Coventry is 9.6 kilometres North of me. And, then, that’s not even a polling station.”
When asked what he believes Chahal’s intentions were, Pennett said, “Well, he wants to get rid of Jag’s [election material] on my door. And that was from Jag, and she had the proper address and that. And I can’t prove it now because [Chahal] took it away with him.”
The Counter Signal looked into the issue, and indeed, given Pennett’s address, the correct polling station for his area is a different school, which is significantly closer than the school Chahal tried to direct Pennett to.
Pennett then says that the only reason he can think of that Chahal targeted his house was that he is not a Liberal supporter, having voted Conservative ever since he had the opportunity and supporting Jag Sahota in the last election.
He now plans to submit a report to Elections Canada and contact the police.
According to Section 325 (1) of the Canada Elections Act, it is illegal to “… prevent or impair the transmission to the public of an election advertising message without the consent of a person with authority to authorize its transmission.”
We also spoke with several of Pennett’s neighbours who say that they did not receive any Conservative election material directing them to their polling station, despite having a Jag Sahota lawn sign in their yard.
The Counter Signal reached out to the Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections (CCE) to see if they were aware of the issue.
Though a confidentiality provision binds them, they suggested that they are aware of the situation.
“In keeping with the confidentiality provisions of the Act, the CCE generally does not confirm whether it has received a complaint or has initiated an investigation into a particular issue,” said a senior communications advisor for the Office.
“That said, I can tell you that the Act contains a prohibition on “impairing or preventing the transmission of election advertising” — which would include, but is not limited to, defacing or removing election signs or other advertisements.”
According to the Office of the CCE, “… every person who is guilty of this offence is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not more than $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term of not more than six months, or to both.”
However, they add that the Commissioner has several formal and informal means to address issues that emerge.
