Is Power Corporation tampering with election in Whitby Oshawa?

Why are paid Investors Group Consultants canvassing door to door in Whitby Oshawa touting Flaherty’s Tax Free Savings Account during an election?

These Investor Group employee(s) are handing out full colour brochures whose cover carries the Government of Canada logo and flag and read:


Budget 2008
Responsible Leadership
February 26, 2008
Tax-Free Savings Accounts
Government of Canada (in English and French) and the Canada logo
Cover depicts a child waving the Canadian Flag


The brochure then depicts the TFSA as the second coming of RRSPs and directs inquiries to the Department of Finance. Attached by staple to the brochure is the business card of the Investors Group Consultant.

As you all know Jim Flaherty as Finance Minister introduced the TFSA, to lukewarm response, given its true intentions to undermine RRSPs and acceleraate withdrawals from RRSPs and to discourage RRSP contributions.

If you want a copy of the Investor’s Group/Government of Canada brochure please email me at brent.fullard@rogers.com and I will fax you a copy.

I consider this blatant election tampering by commercial interests. The not so subliminal references to The Harper government and the Minster of Finance are something only Polly Anna would consider not to constitute election tampering.

Investors Group is owned and controlled by Power Corporation through Power Financial.

The Consultant whose brochure I was given by an enraged constituent works out of the Peterborough office of Investors Group.

We know that Stephen Harper’s and Jim Flaherty’s income trust tax was a bespoke tax policy designed to benefit the life insurance companies in Canada. That is why the CEO of Manulife gave testimony in favour of this policy at the oublic hearings. It is also why Paul Desmarais Jr. was reported (Globe and Mail November 2, 2006) as engaged in the following lobbying activities:

“Paul Desmarais Jr., the well-connected chairman of Power Corp. of Canada, even railed against trusts in a conversation with Prime Minister Stephen Harper during a trip to Mexico, and told him he should act quickly to stop the raft of conversions, according to sources.”

Are Power Corporation and Jim Flaherty are involved in an exercise of back scratching? You scratch my back, and I will scratch yours. Pathetic.