How one Conservative became an NDP-er.

From: Stephan Hoppe
Sent: February 25, 2013 12:21 PM
To: Van Kesteren, Dave - M.P. (M.P. Chatham-Kent Essex)
Subject: Mike Duffy

Hi Dave:

I'll try to keep this short and sweet. I'm a 46-year-old professional, a lifelong conservative, and yes, I'm also a fan of Stephen Harper. I've contributed to the Conservative party in the past so you should be able to find my name somewhere. Here's my problem: this latest fraud committed by Mike Duffy has really shaken my faith in Canadian politics. I'm sick of the corruption. It's almost normalized behaviour now! I listened to Duffy's ridiculous comments on CBC Radio the other day; he said he'd "discussed the matter "with Heather"" and that "the expense forms were vague" and now "he's going to repay" the amount he defrauded?! It's NOT ENOUGH. I don't want Duffy shot, but he needs to come clean and be punished sufficiently so that it serves as a real disincentive other senators and MPs to commit little frauds of their own.

Here's an example that I'm told you may be able to relate to. When Hyundai misstated their mileage claims and then were penalized by being forced to supply rebates to those who had purchased Hyundais based on the fudged number, I think that the penalties/rebates did two things: first they served as incentive for Hyundai and other companies not to repeat the tactic. But more importantly, they went a long way towards restoring some integrity to Hyundai. the penalty somewhat restored Hyundai's tarnished image.

The growing general perception in my circle of friends is that the only federal party with any measure of integrity left these days is the NDP. (or rather they are the least corrupt of the bunch) I want only to vote for the party that demonstrates ethics, accountability and integrity. Don't make me vote NDP at the next election.

And I do not need nor expect a response.

Sincerely,

Stephan Hoppe

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From: Van Kesteren, Dave - M.P.
Date: Mon, Feb 25, 2013 at 1:21 PM
Subject: RE: Mike Duffy
To: Stephan Hoppe

Dear Mr. Hoppe,

On behalf of Dave Van Kesteren I acknowledge receipt of your email. Your comments regarding Senator Mike Duffy will be brought to his attention.

Thank you for writing to your Member of Parliament.

Sincerely,

Jill Anne Declare
Legislative Assistant/Ottawa Office Manager
Dave Van Kesteren, M.P. --Chatham-Kent-Essex
613-992-2612

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From: Stephan Hoppe
Date: Thu, Mar 28, 2013 at 8:20 AM
Subject: Re: Mike Duffy
To: dave.vankesteren@parl.gc.ca
Cc: charlie.angus@parl.gc.ca (he's the NDP ethics critic)

Hello:

Here is the most recent activity on this issue since I first raised my concerns to you:

Senate agrees to new housing expense rules after Mike Duffy’s P.E.I. home scandal

I was and am much less interested in Senate expense account reform than I am in seeing Duffy punished for his fraud.

It's simply not enough that he pay back the money and they only tighten the expense rules afterwards.

I'm sure I don't need to give you yet another example but if I go downtown to Kesteren's office in downtown Chatham (hopefully he's at least showing up there on occasion) and I steal some money from his wallet when he isn't looking, will it be sufficient afterwards to simply pay him back and then him keep an eye on me the next time I pay him a visit?

I attach for you the NDP Policy guide. Please consider page 23. I notice that it explores concepts seemingly missing from Conservative party doctrine.

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From: Stephan Hoppe
Date: Thu, Mar 28, 2013 at 8:44 AM
Subject: Re: Mike Duffy
To: dave.vankesteren@parl.gc.ca
Cc: charlie.angus@parl.gc.ca

(This time with NDP policy guide attached.)

Oops! I forgot to attach the guide. Man, if I had a nickel for every time I've forgotten an attachment, I'd have about 1/40th of how much Mike Duffy stole! :-)

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"And that's it! Now, I'm an NDP-er. It doesn't feel too great. There are Birkenstocks and incense everywhere - but at least they seem honest and ethical (so far.)"

Punish Duffy!

PLEASE email your MP (I did mine) and state that you won't stand for this corruption, even if it is just a "little fraud." It doesn't have to be a long message - just say: "Punish Duffy!"

Don't let Ottawa become as corrupt as Quebec!

joke

A woman and a baby were in the doctor's examining room, waiting for the doctor to come in.

The doctor arrived, examined the baby, checked his weight and found it somewhat below normal. The doctor asked if the baby was breast fed or bottle fed.

"Breast fed," the woman replied.

"Well, strip down to your waist," the doctor asked. She did. He pressed, kneaded, rolled, cupped, and pinched both breasts in a detailed, rigorously thorough examination.

Motioning for her to get dressed he said, "No wonder this baby is under weight! You don't have any milk."

"I know," she said, "I'm his grandmother, but I'm glad I came."

Do Not Buy Dodge

I own (vicariously through my wife, Patti) a Dodge Caravan SE. The "SE" stands for "Sports Edition" which supposedly means a transmission cooler, a trailer hitch and beefed up springs and suspension, but what it really means is "just a trailer hitch." It's got a 3-speed, 3 litre, 6-cylinder engine with "random engine noise" technology - you just never know what the next sound will be coming from under the hood. Could be a whistle. Could be a fart. My children love it. Me? Not so much.

Now, as someone who rarely resorts to hyperbole and who eschews exaggeration in favour of calm and reasoned analysis, I can report that my Dodge Caravan is the biggest piece of shit to ever struggle across North American highways and byways. Everything on this van is either broken or has been broken (and repaired by me.) Literally. Stuff has broken that has had me shaking my head in wonder. Once, the horn broke. It didn't short out. It didn't rust on it's mount and lose its ground. It audibly snapped. I know this because I was standing in front of the van when it happened. There was nobody in the van. I think the horn just realized it was part of a Chrysler and committed suicide. And actually, the phenomenon of "parts suicide" explains many of Chrylser's historic and as-of-yet-undiagnosed ailments.

I have a fantasy. In it, it is a sunny and warm, beautiful summer day and Cindy Crawford and I are lying naked in the lush field of perfectly mowed grass that is the front lawn of Chrysler Canada's Mississauga Head Office. From a distance, Patti and the Chrysler Canada staff are watching with envy as me and Cindy writhe around on the grass. After an (embarrassingly) short time, Cindy and I get up; I start my Caravan and put it in gear and Cindy places a heavy toolbox on the accelerator. I jump out of the van and we watch, rapt, as the Chrysler does it's smoke-belching and pathetic version of hurtling towards the fronts doors of the Head Office. Just before impact though, my dream turns into a nightmare. Huge hinged steel walls swing up from the ground as the van approaches, protecting the front doors from the oncoming van. Only then do I see the wreckage of hundreds of other vans - evidently I'm not the first person to have had this dream. Cindy walks away from me disgustedly. My nakedness is now a silent obscenity. Patti's vituperative curses wash over me - again.

(written: 04/09/09)

Bonjour! Je m'appelle Stephan!

...et mon crayon est JAUNE.

Salut! Peut être cést une surprise pour vous, mais pour le derniere deux mois, j'étude le francais à l'Alliance Francaise en Ottawa. J'ai completé les niveaus A12-A21 et maintenant je commence le prochain sept semaines de A22.

Chaque jours, j'étude pour quatre-vingt-dix minutes - trente minutes de Rosetta Stone, quinze minutes de verb2verbe.com (c'est un formidable web site,) quinze minutes de mon cahier d'éxercise du verbes (être, avoir, aller - présent, passé composé, et futur simple est trés difficile pour moi,) et finalement une autre trente minutes avec Assimil sans interdits (sans interdits my ass)

(écrit: Octobre 16, 2010)