‘ Pierre Poutine’ among robocallers
Bogus identity used to make calls, probe shows, while many Tory offices contacted telemarketer
OTTAWA — A robocall that misdirected voters in Guelph, Ont., came from a disposable cellphone registered to one Pierre Poutine, of Separatist Street, in Joliette, Que., court documents show.
The fabricated name appears to have been a ruse to evade detection in the event the number was investigated.
An Information to Obtain a Production Order was filed at the Edmonton courthouse in November to allow Elections Canada investigator Al Mathews access to records belonging to Racknine, the Conservative voice- broadcasting firm that was used by whoever made the fraudulent calls into Guelph, causing chaos at a polling station.
The “Pierre Poutine” phone was activated April 30, two days before the election, and called only two numbers other than its own voicemail. Both corresponded to Racknine.
The documents show that several other numbers, associated with Conservative candidate Marty Burke’s campaign, called Racknine during the campaign. The documents say the contact person given for those phone numbers was Andrew Prescott, Burke’s deputy campaign manager.
Prescott, who swears he had no role in the fraudulent calls, reportedly called Racknine on election day to send out a mass call warning Conservative supporters of bogus calls.
The records show that 31 calls to Racknine were made from phones associated with the Conservative campaign between March 26 and May 5.
Matthews, the Elections Canada investigator, used records to trace all phone calls from Eastern Canada to Racknine during the election period.
He found 40 calls from area code 613 — the Ottawa area — which he learned traced back to voice recordings for Rebecca Rogers and Chris Ruge or Ruger of the Conservative party.
A news release for Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s campaign gave Rebecca Rogers’ name as a contact person for local media during a campaign stop.
In question period Tuesday, the prime minister blunted opposition attacks on the robocall scandal by repeatedly stating that the opposition had no evidence of wrongdoing.
Harper accused interim Liberal leader Bob Rae of smearing Conservative candidates and volunteers across the country.
In the documents, Mathews said: “I think it is reasonable to believe that some sort of customer relationship existed between the Marty Burke Conservative Campaign in Guelph for the 41st general election, and Racknine Inc., or between certain Burke campaign workers and Racknine Inc.”
The documents point out that the campaign did not declare in its financial reports any expenses related to Racknine, as Elections Canada requires all campaigns to do.
Mathews also found three calls to Racknine from a number for the constituency office of Conservative MP and associate defence minister Julian Fantino and 27 calls from Peace River Conservative MP Chris Warkentin. There were also nine calls two days before the election from the Conservative party association in OkanaganCoquihalla, the B. C. riding of Conservative MP Dan Albas.
The fact that campaigns, or the central Conservative campaign, were calling Racknine during the election does not suggest wrongdoing or involvement in the campaign.
Racknine is helping Elections Canada with its investigation into voter fraud, and although opposition MPS have painted Racknine and the Conservatives as in league to disrupt voting, the Conservatives say that any mischief was caused by a local campaign, and there is no evidence that points to widerscale wrongdoing.