RMG statement on 2011 federal election campaign (Feb. 29)

Text of a statement released Feb. 29, 2012 by Responsive Marketing Group Inc.:

Media Statement: The Facts About The Responsive Marketing Group Inc.'s Involvement In The 2011 Federal Election Campaign

The following is a statement in response to ongoing speculation about The Responsive Marketing Group ('RMG')'s involvement with live phone calls placed during the 2011 Federal Election Campaign:

"Responsive Marketing Group Inc. ('RMG') believes it is important for the public to have the facts in relation to ongoing, unsubstantiated speculation about our involvement with live phone calls placed during the 2011 Federal Campaign. RMG subscribes to the highest professional standards, but recent media stories leave a fundamentally flawed an inaccurate impression of our company's practices.

As a matter of practice, RMG has a policy of not commenting on the work we do for individual clients. However, we can confirm details the Conservative Party of Canada has already made public - facts, we believe speak for themselves:

FACT: RMG was contracted by the Conservative Party of Canada to contact identified Conservative Party supporters in ridings across Canada. The purpose of this calling was to re-confirm their support, ensure they had correct voting location information, and encourage them to vote on Election Day. This is a core element of our business, and something RMG has performed on over 20 election campaigns for various political parties at every level in Canada.

FACT: At no time during the 'Get-Out-The-Vote' period did our calls target non-identified Conservative Party supporters.  Again, our calls targeted identified Conservative Party supporters. With the goal of helping the Conservative Party win the election, it would make no sense to provide Conservative Party supporters with incorrect voting locations.

FACT: In the final five-day period when live phone calls were placed by RMG to identified Conservative Party supporters, we had to notify some voters of a change in their voting location. In Fact, Elections Canada has confirmed they moved 127 polling locations during the 2011 election.

FACT: Each poll location can hold up to 15 polls representing over 500,000 voters whose voting location may have changed. This is exactly why we confirmed voting locations with identified Conservative supporters.

FACT: Our call centre in Thunder Bay, Ontario was engaged in this effort. All RMG callers were instructed to clearly identify the fact they were calling on behalf of our client, the Conservative Party of Canada.

FACT: At no time did RMG participate in voter suppression activities by providing incorrect voting locations to voters. This allegation is simply false.

RMG employs the highest standards in the telemarketing industry and welcome an Elections Canada investigation of the matters at hand. We have not been contacted by Elections Canada, but will be contacting the agency to offer our full cooperation. RMG has done nothing wrong, and an Elections Canada investigation will confirm this."