In politics, you learn rules may apply to you but not others

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It really is the silly season where rules get broken or enforced — depending on who it is who broke the rules and who is enforcing them.

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All is fair in love, going for the Stanley Cup, war and, of course, trying to win elections. But sometimes — when it comes trying to secure power — things are fairer than they are at other times.

The Liberals are trying to cling to it. The Conservatives are trying to obtain power. And the NDP, is trying to be relevant enough to influence it.

And there are weeks ahead before we go to the polls on April 28.

It’s amazing how the rules are fuzzy, depending on which party has been questioned for skewing them.

The best example is MP Paul Chiang being kept on as a Liberal candidate by Prime Minister Mark Carney in the riding of Markham—Unionville, despite his now infamous suggestion that someone turn in his Conservative opponent to China in order to score a bounty from communist Beijing.

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Certainly, Freedom Convoy truckers Tamara Lich or Chris Barber who will hear their mischief trial verdicts in Ottawa this week, were not cut any breaks by this Liberal government. But membership has privileges.

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The rules do, in this wild campaign, apply to Conservatives — at least when it comes to campaign lawn signs.

It’s still not clear what happened in York Centre where Conservative Party candidate Roman Baber had his sign covered up by four Liberal Ya’ara Saks signs at Keele St. and Wilson Ave. over the weekend.

The City of Toronto had said it would respond to questions about it but have not so far.

In the Town of Oakville, officials have commented on why a bylaw officer removed a Conservative sign promoting candidate Ron Chhinzer, a well-respected former cop.

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It was one of those things that had a bad look to it. But officials say it was merely the officer doing her job.

Oakville’s Margaret Boswell, manager of municipal enforcement services, sent this statement: “On Sunday, March 30, during a routine patrol by Municipal Enforcement Services, 21 election signs were removed due to violating the Town of Oakville’s sign bylaw. Any residents with concerns about election signs being placed in locations that violate our sign bylaw are asked to contact the town through ServiceOakville at 905-845-6601 or service@oakville.ca or reporting a general inquiry issue online at Oakville.ca.”

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She added: “The election sign regulations in our sign bylaw cover federal, provincial, and municipal elections, as well as registered third-party advertisers and provisions for federal referendum committees. Under the town’s current sign bylaw, there are only select roadways designated to allow election signs on public property … Most roadways do not allow election signs on municipal rights of way or boulevards (the area between the road and sidewalk). Homeowners looking to display an election sign in these areas can only do so on their private property. Candidates looking to have an election sign on private property must do so with the homeowner’s consent.”

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Perhaps that explains it.

But Chhinzer told me “mine was removed because it was on a civil part of the sidewalk” but the person who had the video told him “they didn’t remove any” of Liberal candidate Anita Anand.

Chhinzer added “the Town of Oakville has been getting swamped with emails and inquiries about it and now they’ve sent out emails to their entire staff that there sending out people to seize all signs now.  Completely backwards.”

One thing I did note to Oakville officials is that you can see in security video there really isn’t any private land next to the driveway where a sign could be placed. Technically, it may be a violation, but for that house, they might think that was their front lawn.

I am trying to reach that home owner.

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In Oakville, there are other areas where signs remain on public property.

Oakville got back on this, saying: “The area between the curb/road and sidewalk is a municipal right of way/boulevard and public property” and that “removed signs are placed in a town storage facility” where “candidates can contact the town for retrieval.”

Halton Police say they have not received any complaints and are not involved.

Perhaps, this clears up the Oakville sign battle.

Oakville is also reviewing its sign rules for the future. The main thing is as long the bylaws are enforced evenly, there’s never any issue.

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