Law-wielding North Vancouver MP Ted White is at it again. Earlier, we reported the Conservative incumbent had threatened legal action against an election prediction Website for posting defamatory emails accusing him of being a racist. Those emails have since been removed. But now, thanks to a concerned citizen, Public Eye has learned Mr. White is implying he'll involve "an outside organization" unless the North Shore News, a local newspaper, corrects "it's biased reporting" against him - a threat condemned by at least one of his supporters.

In a letter written to the newspaper's senior editor Anna Marie D'Angelo on June 20, Mr. White accuses her of violating the Canada Elections Act. The reason: according to him, Ms. D'Angelo has attempted to influence the election via the publication of untrue information about his character and conduct as an MP. If the courts agreed, she could be fined up to $5,000 or imprisoned for a maximum of five years.

Among the Conservative incumbent's grievances: an article reporting that, during an all-candidates debate, Mr. White was accused of making a racist statement in the House of Commons. In that statement, Mr. White said, "At least 40 percent of all the Iranians living (in North Vancouver) are refugee claimants. Most of them are bogus...I cannot say how many times that comment has been made to me by the decent Iranian immigrants in my riding who came in using the proper system."

According to the MP, "the real story, which should have been reported by your newspaper, was that political opponents had tried to label me as a racist."

He also takes issue with Ms. D'Angelo's refusal to publish his rebuttal to a critical letter to the editor from retired provincial court Justice Jerome Paradis. And Mr. White demands she rerun a candidate profile which stated he hadn't responded to a newspaper question about his accomplishments.

In actuality, the MP replied to that question in email to Ms. D'Angelo, writing that "An extensive list of my accomplishments over the past ten years appears in my election brochure number three which is available from my Campaign Office." But that answer was deemed inappropriate and, therefore, not published by the North Shore News.

The North Shore News hasn't responded to Mr. White's demand. But at least one supporter is on the newspaper's side. In an unpublished letter addressed to Ms. D'Angelo, former Progressive Conservative parliamentary assistant Wayne Hunter writes that the incumbent's threatened legal action against the North Shore News is "based on what I consider to be a convoluted interpretation of the Elections Act and a bullying demand for additional coverage." He then goes onto criticize Mr. White for "denying any support for public investment in our community."

The following are copies of Messer. White and Hunter's letters to Ms. D'Angelo.

June 20, 2004
Ms. Anna Marie D'Angelo, Senior Editor
North Shore News
1139 Lonsdale Avenue
North Vancouver, BC
V7M 2H4

Dear Anna Marie,

It is abundantly clear that you have been taking an anti-Ted White stand in the North Shore News for some time now, but I believe that you have taken your newspaper well outside the normal bounds of decency during the election campaign. The latest example, your decision to state on page 3 of the June 20th edition that I had not provided an answer to one of your candidate profile questions, is the straw which breaks the camel's back.

Our exchange of email messages on June 9, 2004 is absolute proof that I DID provide you with an answer to Question 9b. The fact that you did not like the answer does not give you the right to publicly state that I did not provide an answer, and in making such a statement you could well be in violation of Section 91 of the Canada Elections Act, which states:

"No person shall, with the intention of affecting the results of an election, knowingly make or publish any false statement of fact in relation to the personal character or conduct of a candidate of prospective candidate."

The June 20th example is just one of what I consider to be three serious breaches of protocol and/or decency during the term of this campaign. Here are the other two examples:

l. On June 4, 2004 you published a letter from retired Judge Paradis in which he criticized both me as the Member of Parliament, and a brochure which I had dropped to all homes in the Riding. On that very same day I sent you a letter of rebuttal with the reasonable expectation that it would be published because (a) It is normal newspaper protocol, even outside of an election campaign, to permit a public figure to rebut charges made against him or her in a letter to the Editor, and (b) During an election campaign any reasonable person would expect a newspaper to strive to show fairness in presenting both sides of a
particular issue.

ln this case you made the decision to prevent me from setting the record straight, even though you must have known that making that decision was biased and would perpetuate amongst your readers a one sided perspective on an important election issue.

2. On June 16, 2004 you published an article by Jane Seyd which incorrectly reported the circumstances surrounding a question posed at the all-candidates meeting sponsored by the North Vancouver Chamber of Commerce on June 14, 2004. It is my opinion that an attempt was made by Jane to distort the information so that the impression was left with readers that I had made a "racist" statement in the House of Commons when, in fact, this was completely untrue. The questioner quoted from material extracted from the Hansardrecords of Parliament which had been posted on a website based in Toronto. However, that material was incomplete in that the operator of the site had allowed the removal of a critical sentence in order to misrepresent the message. It is a matter of record that the site operator has since publicly apologized for the posting and has posted the correct version of the speech on the site. The real story then, which should have been reported by your newspaper, was that political opponents had tried to label me as a racist by posting false information on a website but I was actually representing views provided to me by immigrants of Iranian extraction in my Riding. The correct quote included the sentence "I cannot say how many times that comment has been made to me by the decent lranian immigrants in my riding who came in using the proper system."

I believe that any reasonable person looking at the above evidence would come to the conclusion that your newspaper, for which you must take responsibility, has acted in an irresponsible, biased, and unprofessional manner with respect to its treatment of the incumbent Member of Parliament during this election campaign. As a public figure I am accustomed to being questioned about my positions on important issues, and I am also accustomed to receiving criticism for time to time, but I have never come across such a deliberate campaign of exclusion by a newspaper which is clearly determined not to allow me to set and keep the record straight.

As I mentioned in my opening paragraph, the publication of a false statement about my response to your candidate profile questionnaire was the last straw. I am therefore requesting that you publish a repeat of my profile published on June 20, 2004, run a position of at least equal prominence, and at least equivalent in size, which clearly shows my response to your question 9(b). ln case you do not have a record of our correspondence on the matter, copies of the emails follow below:

Email Message 0910612004 llz43z04 AM Pacific Daylight Time

June 9/04
Good Morning Anna Marie
Here are my responses to your questions. A recent photograph is attached. Ted White, MP
-----
Name: Ted White
Age: 55
Occupation: Member of Parliament
Family Status: Married
Budget: All candidates have the same maximum budget set by provisions in
the Elections Act. The most recent figure supplied to us is $79,513.35
and while we have enough funds to spend this amouht we do not feel
we will need to spend more than $72,000 to conduct the campaign.
Health Care: The new Conservative Party will implement the 2003 Health Accord signed by the provinces and all but ignored by the Liberals. The Accord ensures federal funding increases of $36.8 billion over 5 years from existing budget surpluses, plus catastrophic drug coverage, but requires accountability from the provinces for timely access'
Party Leader Strengths: Stephen Harper is a well educated, very smart young economist, absolutely committed to providing us with ethical and accountable government.
Party Leader Weaknesses: He has been unable until now to implement our programs because the Liberals have been in power.
Accomplishments: An extensive list of my accomplishments over the past ten years appears in my election brochure number three which is available from my Campaign Office at 1247 Ross Rd, or by calling 604-980-300. lt will also be delivered to every home in the Riding beginning on June 21st.
Regards
Ted White, MP

Email Message 0910612004 11:56:30 AM Pacific Daylight Time

thank you Ted
Regarding the response you have given to the last question, we have provided
you space for the answer, and the purpose of the candidate grid questions
are to provide information for our readers, not to have them look for the
information elsewhere

Regards
Anna Marie D'Angelo
Senior Editor

Email Message 0910612004 l2:llz41 PM Pacific Daylight Time

Jun 9/04
Good Aftemoon Anna Marie
Unfortunately my list of accomplishments over the past decade on behalf of my constituents is WAY too long to fit in 50 words, which is why my team has produced a special brochure dealing with the subject. That brochure will be delivered to EVERY HOME in the Riding beginning on June 21st so nobody will have to look for the information elsewhere. However, my answer to the question in your survey will make it easy for constituents to access additional copies of the information if they so wish.
Regards
Ted White, MP

I await your prompt and favourable response to the above expressed concerns and my request for correction of the record. I consider your newspaper's above-mentioned failure to allow me to defend my reputation and integrity, and its biased reporting, to be a serious matter, but I am hopeful that we can resolve our differences without the need to involve any outside organization.

Yours truly,

Ted White, MP

***

Dear Anna Marie

As discussed, I'm forwarding to you a copy of an email message which I received from Mr. Ted White yesterday afternoon. The email contains an attachment which outlines threatened legal action against the NS News based on what I consider to be a convoluted interpretation of the Elections Act and a bullying demand for additional coverage.

Firstly, I wish to acknowledge that I've been a member of the Conservative Party for many years. My family ancestors who arrived in Canada over 180 years ago, were also Conservatives. And for a brief time in the late 70's I actually worked in the House of Commons for a Conservative Member of Parliament and later a Minister.

The attached letter only served to remind me of my growing disaffection for our incumbent Member of Parliament. For some time now, it's been my strong belief that Mr. White's election was never so much a measure of his distinction, or his yet unproven ability to represent this riding, as it was a reflection on us, as a constituency which elected him. How did this happen? For example, when did we advocate for a "Star Chamber" process where all Federal initiatives within our riding would be scrutinized by unelected and personally appointed representatives of Mr. White? Who are these people that would deny this riding's federally mandated share of community investments including Film Industry Tax Credits, youth job training and other life skills investment, for example?

When is the last time Mr. White ever visited a local Community Centre? I've been involved in many aspects of our community over the last several years, and have constantly had to deal with the "White Manifesto" of denying any support for public investment in our community...of having to live with the "Scarlet Letter" branding of representing a dreaded 'Special Interest Group." That our community has achieved so much in the last 10 years is a testament to the will and ingenuity of the hundreds of other community volunteers who continue to prevail despite the lack of any meaningful support from Mr. White. As a neo Conservative Mr. White denies the historical Canadian legacy of community engagement, irregardless of the constitutional responsibility.

In the preparation of your usual election "Profile Grid" you were absolutely correct in your notation that the incumbent did not respond to the question about achievements. His claim that he directed your attention to an existing or upcoming pamphlet was wrong and a lame attempt to either (a) overcome a dumb decision caused by laziness, or (b) an irrational and arrogant response from an incumbent MP with the most pedestrian, lackluster and insignificant achievements to show for a 10 year member of Parliament representing this constituency.

Just as he now defiantly declares that you have presented him with the "straw that broke the camel's back", I too have come to a turning point. As a long time Conservative I no longer respect his constant denial of involvement in our local affairs, because of jurisdictional "boundaries." Using Mr. White's logic, the Provinces would be the sole players in the delivery of health care in Canada. I no longer respect Mr. White's obsession with his own variant of "direct democracy," supported by tele-votes and unaccountable and unscrutinized polls, where majority rules dominate and Charter minority rights and freedoms become indefensible. Is this really how we want our fellow citizens across the country to know us? How can anyone forget his use of the "Liberal biased North Shore News" when it came to his paranoia of losing his own nomination to members of the Iranian community, who he claimed had "hijacked" the nomination process.

No, Mr. White has lost more than my respect. He's lost my vote. He claims that elections are simple sales campaigns...a competition of marketing ideas selling political "products." If this is the case consider me "unsold", and I consider his banal analogies of our electoral process insulting. Being a Member of Parliament should be about leadership and humility. It should be about what you stand FOR...not what you're constantly against. Trying to bully the North Shore News to do his bidding in the late stages of a campaign is nonsense. And on election day, this Tory will be voting for (Liberal candidate) Mr. Don Bell.

Regards

Wayne Hunter