There’s a fellow named Asif Hossain who is apparently running for the Progressive Canadian Party in the ‘Trinity-Spadina’ riding in Toronto. I first came across Mr. Hossain while browsing Canada.com’s Speakout area, specifically this message in response to an article about the Tories leading over the Liberals.
I was mildly interested in Asif, and did a quick Google search which lead me to the vivelecanada.com website, and a couple of posts of Hossain.
In one of those posts, it is there where Hossain indicates he is running as a Progressive Canadian.
Two things caught my interest. First, he’s using a University of Toronto email address in his campaigning. Whether he is a student or staff member, in my opinion, it is unethical to be using tax payer funded services to support a political campaign.
Secondly, on the Vivelecanada website, Hossain claims that he has access (scroll down to his post) to the former Progressive Conservative Party of Canada database for the Trinity-Spadina riding, which could be used in his campaign for this mysterious Progressive Canadians party.
Using this database would of course be illegal under PIPEDA. The collection of data on any persons can only be used for the sole purposes it was collected for. I very much doubt that the individuals listed in that data agreed to allow the PCPC to give away that information to any character that wants to run a campaign.
I pointed out both of these things to Hossain in my own Canada.com posting. Here’s how Hossain responded:
“Mr. Ian Scott – I pay a lot of money to go to the University of Toronto and do not see anything wrong with using this e-mail address as a student of that fine institution. The problem with you neo-cons is that you like to be outraged by silly petty things but not by anything that actually matters. Secondly, as a candidate in the upcoming election, I have access to my entire electorate, I do not need the old PCPC database. What is a Harper-ite doing at vivelecanada anyway? Was the U.S. Republican Party website down that day and you got bored?”
I’d invite any of you that agree that using publically funded Internet systems is unethical to email Hossain and let him know. Perhaps you can advise him that using tax payers money for his own political ambitions is not petty, but in fact is a major ethical issue, regardless if it is 150 million dollars, a roll of toilet paper, or an email address and internet access.
It’s quite interesting that Hossain tries to defend his use of the word “premiership” by suggesting it is a common synonym for “Prime Minister.” Technically speaking, he may be correct. But certainly it’s not common in Canada to refer to the Prime Minister of the country as the Premier. That term is commonly reserved for Provincial premiers, of course.
He doesn’t mind throwing the term ‘neocon’ around loosely, either. And, boy does he ever jump to some odd conclusions about me! A ‘Harper-ite’? And that last question of his certainly provides some insight into his mind as well. He sure is doing well for a political candidate huh? He’s already got the arrogance figured out.
And then he also suffers from logical fallacitis in his ad hominem and hasty generalization, not to mention the fallacy of exclusion. What in the world do they teach in Universities these days?
His response to the issue of using the database was also typically politician-ese. Instead of saying something like, “Yes, that would be wrong and I won’t do it,” (remembering the point of bringing this to his attention was the illegality of it), Hossain responds with silliness about the entire electorate of his riding.
Asif just might make a good politician after all! He doesn’t mind the thought of breaking the law, using tax payer money for his own ends, shows signs of being arrogant, responding in a silly manner, and seems to have no sense of logic!
Trinity-Spadina folks just might vote him in!
Mr. Ian Scott You are mean. Tax-payers are going to elect MP for them. Tax-payers contribute to the election and to the candidates. There are eight candidates running for MP from Trinity-Spadina riding, I think Asif is the youngest, neglected, not so familiar face, no funds, but a strong voice, a patriot, a real politician with strong agenda. A young guy like Asif Hossain can make the difference. So have a heart and don’t be mean to him like a mean nasty complaint freak .
The Real Person!
Thanks for your comment, Ayesha. You are most certainly right that tax payers will elect their MP. You are also right that taxpayers will contribute to the various candidates.. but should this not be the choice of the individual taxpayer to choose whom his or her hard earned money goes towards? Do you want YOUR tax dollars going to support a candidate you don’t like or despise? Not that I despise Asif.. I don’t even know him. I just find his principles to be lacking, at least in this regard. Youth, old age, middle age – it matters not – we all have our crosses to bear, and we should not expect others that don’t want anything to do with our particular cross to have their hard earned dollars being used towards in such an election for any candidate. Young guys with principles, that keep their principles, no matter what, certainly can make a difference. Principles are more important than youth, however.
The Real Person!
Furthermore, his attitude blatantly displayed his some major issues. Anyone that knows me would know I’m no “Harper-ite” – they’d also know I’m no ‘neo-con’. Asif jumps to conclusions and makes accusations quite rashly. In this election, I will be supporting Harper, but only because I think he’s the best of what’s available. I disagree with much of what the new Conservative party stands for. Asif might be surprised to know that, if he would have only taken the time to muse and ponder instead of jumping to conclusions in an arrogant manner. His willingness to break the law regarding databases containing personal information…. you don’t see that as a big problem, Ayesha?
Ian: I came across your post and felt that I must respond. First of all a student who pays outrageous amounts of tuition should be entitled to use his e-mail address for any purpose other than promotion of hatred or child pornography, which are illegal in Canada. Secondly, it is entertaining to see you mention that the PC Party database is protected under PIPEDA. Last December hundreds of members of the party made written requests to have their names removed from that database. To this day those members are still being hounded constantly for participation, votes and money by a party they never joined. To make matters worse their information was handed, illegally, to the candidates for leadership to the Conservative party. I have personally received upwards of 100 contacts, via telephone, mail and e-mail from that party. I also have not received my 2004 membership dues back which were paid in advance of 2004 and were requested returned on December 8. I have copies of my correspondence and can prove MY allegations. You should know, sir, that thousands of copies of Progressive Conservative membership lists are in the hands of people who should not have them. The difference between Progressive Canadians and Conservatives is that we have not used those lists. We have asked our members to never use those lists as the people on those lists have been hounded enough. Please check your facts before making comment.
The Real Person!
Tracy, Thanks for your comments and opinion. My opinion regarding tuition fees are quite different however. Those fees are HEAVILY subsidized by tax payers. This creates a tremendous ethical dillema, doesn’t it? How do you feel about your tax dollars being used to subsidize someone’s political campaign? I think it is wrong. If you happen to recall the AdScam scandal that we just discovered quite recently, this was part of the problem. And in my opinion it matters not if it’s 30.00 a month or 300 million a month, it’s still wrong. What’s so hard for those who talk about ethics to see this? Regarding your last statement, “Check you facts…” Well, darlin’ the fact of the matter is, I was commenting on some specific public posts to internet bulletin boards by some guy named Asif. My blog entry was specific to Asif. Two wrongs don’t make a right as I’m sure you know. Regardless of that, I have no idea of your experiences in trying to be removed from the CPC database, and you should have full access to PIPEDA yourself. This however is no excuse for Asif’s suggestion he was going to access the old PC database himself, which is what my comments were being directed to. Furthermore, Asif made it more interesting with his arrogant responses to me and jumping to some idiotic conclusion I was a “Harperite” simply for pointing out a problem with ethics his campaign was having. If anyone should have checked facts, it was Asif for making such an absurd insinuation regarding me personally. That is MUCH different than suggesting that an action by someone is unethical. Don’t you understand the difference?
Asif is just playing a part. If you knew him you would understand that he is sometimes a little calculated in getting under people’s skin. He likes to egg on National Post readers because they, like the writers of the Post, find outrage in the most miniscule of things and he, and he is not alone, thinks it is absolutely hillarious. If you knew Asif you would understand that he is very passionate and articulate. Sometimes that comes off as arrogant, but as you said, he is sometimes a very “natural” politician. He can admit his mistakes but when it comes to posts in some assinine message board, it is hardly the equivalent of adscam or the HRDC affair. As for his e-mail address, I have one too. Access to UofT e-mail is for life whether you are paying taxes or not. Furthermore, most of UofT’s operations are paid for through it’s gigantic endowment from alumni which is upwards of $4 billion and growing. Taxpayer money goes to fund research chairs, student tuition and maintenance of academic and athletic programs, not e-mail servers. Please have some perspective.