If you agree express your view to the powers that be.

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To-day I spoke to my postman about any reaction he'd had to 10-percenters he's been delivering in the Riding.  ("CANADA'S BACK", "Above the law?" and "TOXIC" were in the mail our neighbour collected for us while we were on vacation .  "Time to clear the air" came yesterday.) His response was "Some people are tearing them up as I give them to them".

Carol Goar wrote earlier in the year in "Alberta Tory MPs come calling:" http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/346327 "This initiative appears to have been orchestrated by party headquarters. Parliamentarians probably had little choice about participating." Substantiating this is that responses are to be sent to "c/o CRG-Government Caucus Services".rather than Members' offices

The PM's new chief of staff Guy Giorno is taking a new tack with the media, A media charm offensive. It may be he is open to being convinced utilizing Member's franking privileges are, on balance,  counterproductive.

As a Former Parliamentarian and as one assisting in composing 10-percenters between 1984 and 1993 my opinion is this: they are best employed in building contacts between Members and constituents through providing useful information on the one hand and seeking input on matters of importance through questionnaires on the other.

Their use as central party headquarters orchestrated partisan political pamphlets demeans the Member<>constituent connection and jades further already too cynical opinions among the electorate at large.

You may be in the dark if you haven't received one of the pamphlets. An example will be sent upon request.

Though not on the Digest mailing list Conservative Party of Canada decision makers may be sent a copy by someone so views expressed may reach them. Action one person has taken is cited below.

The normal Digest will not resume for another week or so. Our elder daughter and family have come to visit from Fort McMurray after a years absence so there's catching up to do.

         Joe

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^{An Open Letter To All Was Mailed on July 29th, 2008}

To:     Rona Ambrose, MP
        Ken Epp, MP
        Monte Solberg, MP

Cc:     Prime Minister Stephen Harper
        Stephane Dion
        Jack Layton
        Media
        Elections Canada

Re:     Waste of Taxpayer Dollars

Dear Madam / Sirs:

As I checked our mailbox on July 26th I was upset to find three separate partisan flyers (with free return postage for a clip and send coupon) apparently "compliments" of each of the three MP's to whom this letter is addressed.

As I understand it the cost of all this comes out of the MP's global budget, the material should be non partisan and in reality it is the taxpayers, like myself, who are paying the cost of this wasteful duplication of very questionable material. If you want to build up your mailing lists and fundraising lists please do so with your own funds  not mine.

I am sure I speak for the vast majority of Canadians, and certainly the many who directly deposited their flyers in the very convenient recycling bin, when I ask you to please stop this wasteful use of taxpayer dollars. I am sure the Government of Canada and yourselves as elected MPs have a lot better things to do with your time and with the hard earned money of local taxpayers.

I trust this will be corrected.

Sincerely,

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