20:40 - 11.12.05
Catch me if you can
Well I am still alive dear diary, but my life has been consumed by preparations for the election, dealing with the breakin that happened and also dealing with the problem neighbours. In many ways, it's a replication of some events that occured during the winter election of 2000 - even to the problems at the workplace just prior to the call. I had a break in and vandalism - but at my home on one of the most critical days of that event. I dealt with police and reporting with repect to potential voter fraud as well. Maybe this time I'm supposed to get it right. Thought I had last time but oh well. I think the best I can manage to describe the past few days is a synopsis of events based on the reports I've written for various policing services since Wednesday.
06.12.05
I called the provider of security systems for the entire office building to ask again for the re-coding of the keypad at the main doors since we are starting classes for different positions. It is a problem to have to have a staff member sitting downstairs in the lobby all the time instead of just buzzing in. He stated that until he was paid up-front in full he wasn`t doing any work. I explained that it was part of our lease agreement with the building owners that we have 24/7 unrestricted access for those people listed in the lease and that I had been directed by the building manager to contact him to get it done. He insisted he would do no work until he had a PO in his hands.
08.12.05
I was just turning on my computer yesterday morning when the phone rang. It was the person I was liaising with in Ottawa about the problems we were having with both the landlord and the security company that services their building - the company that bid on the security alarm contract for our office for 5 ($5500) times the average rate for across the country. We requested their quote because they were familiar with the security setup of the RCMP division who had occupied the space before us. I thought that perhaps some of their existing systems could be reactivated thereby reducing the cost to Elections Canada.
The liaison asked if I could explain the emailed quote and comments about it from me more clearly with respect to the estimate and the other issues. That took about half an hour as I struggled to differentiate between the security systems that applied to the whole building and those that were specific to my office system. The entire building locks down at 6 pm on weekdays and on weekends. One has to have a security pass card to enter on one`s own. There is a keypad just outside the main front entrance that allows casual visitors or non-passed staff to buzz in to an office � if that office has been set up in the security company`s database. We had requested that we be added to that service the first week we were in the building and the manager had said it would be done that day. To date we still don`t have that service available although it was pointed out to the landlord that section 16 of the executed lease agreement. I explained the gist of the conversation that I had had with the security rep on the Tuesday and that he had insisted that he would not do the work until he was paid. All that I had received from him since that time was a revised quote for the security work at $1550 plus rental of the conduits which was not specified for the entire Elections Office. It was still above the limits ($1000 � 1200) that I had been quoted by an EC specialist that he was basing on the average cost of the system Canada wide.
I hung up and started opening up my email to see how many hundred memos I had waiting for me. Opened one from another Returning Officer in Calgary. His comments required a return telephone call.
Then my youngest son arrived in my office. Did I know that the locked, restricted area door was open, as was the secured storeroom door in the same area? No. All five of my remaining staff at the end of the night had been meeting in that area just before leaving the night before. I was one of the last ones out and I know I pulled that door shut and tested the catch. Everyone else remembered the same thing when I asked them right after I was informed of the breach of security. I went and checked one of the other secure rooms where there was a computer. That computer was on and one program that requires a password was up on the screen. I talked with the person who uses that computer to ask if they had left it open by mistake. In a locked room that wouldn't be such a problem. No, they didn't think they had left it open. When she arrived later to do some of her work, she stated that she couldn`t unequivocally remember if she had logged out of the program or not, so would take responsibility for not having done so. I called my tech specialist to see if he had returned to the building after we had left the night before to do some extra work. He responded that he had not.
At about that time my phone rang. It was the liaison in Ottawa again. I explained the new problem about the break in as best I could, while trying to decide what steps I next needed to take to re-secure the area. She escalated the issue to the next level of authority. He talked with me about it and then said it would be escalated again. He was in a hurry and signed off, so I did not get the name of the person he intended to pass it off to, but assumed that it would be the security team in Ottawa. In the meantime, I called the other Returning Officer who had emailed and talked about his issues with no running water available in his office for even the washrooms. His request for funding for trucked in water had been turned down as too expensive. Now that is a health and safety requirement and I was quite honestly stunned that it would even be questioned. I explained my problems with respect to the break-in, the problems with the existing quote for security services and the immediate need for an alarm system. He suggested the name of a company that could do the security work as they had done for him. The security representative has acted as an election official for another Returning Officer so understands our needs well. I called him next after agreeing to help with a space crunch the other RO was experiencing. We could store some of his material and do some of the preparation work for him if he wanted.
Next up that security rep arrived within half an hour. Just enough time for me to give people directions for their tasks for the morning. He spent about an hour with me going over the options then came up with a quote. About the same level of service offered by the in-house company for about one tenth of the cost with more secure features thrown in. I e-mailed headquarters and had approval within five minutes. Signed the contract. I was also told to get a security guard to sit in the office in the evenings. I stated that I knew a young man who had been in the army reserves for sometime that I would like to hire. I was told no, that he would like me to use one of my office staff and that the wage for the work would be $10 per hour. I was and am not willing to ask anyone to take personal risks like this without any training or back up and especially not at such a fee. This office was previously the RCMP crimes investigations unit and had the forensic evidence facilities included. One of the possible motives for some one breaking in might be that they still believed that the evidence room was in our offices and they may have wanted to remove or destroy that evidence. I believe that would make them very dangerous to anyone who might be perceived to be in their way or who could identify them as being concerned about that evidence. That was the morning gone. In the afternoon it was all about candidates and receiving our next shipment. The supplies for dealing with the candidates� issues were in there, so the timing couldn't have been better.
The nomination papers submitted first were short a lot of signatures so I talked with their party's agent to ask for additional submissions. No problem. She left after dropping off so other paperwork that had been missed.
Just got that under control when a gentleman walked in to see me. He is heading up the Iraqi vote that is due next week in our city. They have offices just across the street and he said it would mean increased police presence and surveillance in the area. The timing is great given what happened to us yesterday. He talked about his work a bit both with respect to local work with police investigations and international human rights initiatives and I told him about my work around international events too. He had been in policing before getting in to that line of work so the way he thought about approaching and solving problems was fascinating. It is not what I would choose to do, but then again, I have never had to try enforcement of the law - just administration. He invited me to visit their operation over the course of the voting and I really hope I can find the time to do it. Finished up meeting with him then talked with my staff.
I called the building manger to inform him about the break in and also to ask him again about the re-coding of the access pad at the front door because we have people arriving for classes in the evening and it requires one of my staff all the time to watch the door. I explained about my conversation with the security rep. He said he would call him to discuss the payment of his fees. I believe he said that they would increase the random security patrols that make their way through the different properties that he manages.
December 9
My oldest son's birthday. First installment of gifts was the DVD Yellow Submarine - John Lennon has always been one of his heroes even through most of his work was done well before my son was born.
When I left my home this morning I was met at the door by the company rep who was called to remove the old fencing left when we rebuilt that feature. You recall we had had to move the original garbage bin we had rented for that purpose a week before the actual constuction because the neighbour was complaining it was unsightly. Well now he was complaining about the neatly stacked sections of old fence tucked up against the new fence that is 6.5 feet high. The only way to see it is if someone trepasses by entering through one of the new gates. Nonetheless we were told to move it so, we did. The rep shook my hand then hung on to it. Then he took my other hand and told me how lovely I looked. I wanted to ask him how much more it was going to cost me for the compliment but refrained. He was at least a couple of decades younger than I was and very good looking. I just laughed and said he was kind. I showed him the material that needed to remove and then left for work, leaving my youngest to supervise the process. Apparently the neighbour complained again after the work was done - about the cats again. Just no dealing with him.
The morning work was me trying to catch up with staffing, training, orientations,and polling station preparations. If I don't get that last item done within the next two days it will become nearly impossible to reach the next legislated deadline. One step forward and two back was the theme it seemed. Everyone seemed to be feeling some of the stress and the friction between normally compatible people was worrisome. Tried to defray some and shut down the bit of poltical game playing that was emerging in a couple of other spots. Just too much to learn and produce in a short time with high expectations in a lot of cases. Doughnuts brought in by a couple of staff settled things down a bit. Our telephones are still not working so tasks are more along the lines of set up and preparation instead of public service are also reasons for frustration. My assistant went out at noon to pick up lunch for us, supplies and my son from his home duties. By nearly 2 pm I was starting to get quite concerned - and so was my tummy. They walkked in just after I had tried calling both homes. Where had they been - fishing? Nope. Police blockade of our street for the past half hour. No reasons given just absolutely no traffic allowed in any direction from the highway on in. Hmmm.
The property manager arrived during the afternoon to discuss details about the lease agreement. I explained what had occurred on Wednesday. He was very concerned and came to examine what we observed with respect to the break-in. He noted that the broken part of the roof in the reception area had not been there when the office was turned over to us for our use. He called his building manager and told him to get surveillance cameras installed in the building as soon as possible. The parking stalls we had discussed several times were now assigned and we also straightened out some of the problems we had encountered with the cleaning staff.
I received a call from head of security for Elections Canada - around the dinner hour asking about the break-in. I had assumed that when the report I had originally made had been escalated to his office when I spoke with headquarters on Wednesday. I explained it was my son who had discovered the break-in and that I had brought him in as a clerk because I wanted a pair of eyes I could trust in the office because of the security problems that had occurred during the election in 2004 and the additional problems identified in the municipal election shortly after with alleged voter fraud. He asked for more details then directed me to file a report with Calgary City police. I called the police immediately after ending that call and a Constable arrived to do the preliminary investigation. My youngest son and I both provided written witness statements. While he was present I called the revision help desk to ask if they would be able to supply further log readout with respect to our server and suite of computers. I had already supplied him with the screenshots I had taken of logs reporting and information that covered activity from the time the first download on the server to that time.
The constable left and shortly after the local Elections Canada rep arrived - with more doughnuts. One of the staff memebers rushed up and told me to be sure to tell her about the breakin - I hadn't been aware that that staff memeber had been informed of the issue but that kind of information does tend to travel much faster than the facts. The rep appeared to be asking about the satirical letter the Returning Officer I had spoken with on Wednesday had written and circulated to everyone in the elections endeavour - how did I feel about the contents and the subsequent responses to it. Not going there, I just noted everyone is feeling stressed and frustrated with all the systemic problems we are trying to work around and judgement is sometimes not as acute at those times. When she heard about the break-in she shifted gears and demanded all sorts of action be taken now at her request. Quite honestly I think working ith the police, RCMP and head of security for Elections Canada has been enough and is the best resource for dealing with it but sometimes it is just easier to give a bit of leeway early on to stop a use of force later. She was upset I hadn't foolowed through on the security guard despite my safety concerns and the additional security already provided as I noted above. She said I could pay whatever was necessary but that I was to have someone on that night. This was at closing time on Saturday. Fine. She left and I called the first company that had given us the original estimates on Wednesday. They had someone in place an hour and a half later. Arrived home to find an email from my friend and retired Returning Officer - the one who is helping out with the vote in Gaza. She sounded as though she was finding it very challenging. Major shift in physical conditions and a very demanding schedule to get everything in place. She has already missed her days off to be certain they can meet their targets.
Today was my youngest's birthday so he chose to stay home. He is out feasting with his Dad and brothers as we talk dear diary. As I was climbing into my assistants van for the drive over to our coffee stop this morning, one of the complaining neighbours emerged from his side of the duplex. There was a car waiting to pick him up, but he stopped and seemed about to come and talk to me. Quite frankly unless it is to apologize for the constant harassment the past eight months I don't really want anything to do with him. However, I doubt he had anything on his mind other than more of the same. I was glad my assistant was present and I just pointed him out as one of the annoyances I seem to be stuck with. The phones were still not working today - our calls are being directed to one of the other Calgary offices - or at least one we know of. Meant that I could finish writing all the reports that were being required for the break in and that I could finish up as much of the work as possible for the polling stations. I still have 4 sites out of 30+ to confirm but that isn't too bad. Some of the camera ready art can be started on Tuesday. As long as the printer's presses don't jam we should be right on target. Right now though I think a good hot shower and some sleep is required. Deal with the rest of the mess tomorrow.
�
�
