Open Letter to Ms. Lynette Corbett - Chief of Staff, Tim HudakTORONTO, Sept. 6, 2011 /CNW/ - Dear Ms. Corbett: We have noted with amusement your staff's claims and complaints that Ontario Liberal events have been closed off to members of your campaign team. Given that you have also taken this patently false position with the news media, we thought it would be worthwhile to provide you with a brief refresher on your own secretive, paranoid approaches to encounters with the public. In 2003, our campaign staff and yours agreed to mutual access of designated staff, who were credentialed and provided with reasonable amounts of access. In 2007, our parties had a similar agreement. Two of our campaign staff attended your leader's public events, and yours did likewise. This year, your campaign managers broke with that tradition and imposed a policy of denying our staff any degree of access whatsoever. Over the past three months alone, we have catalogued the following instances of denied access by Ontario PC staff: September 4, 2011 - Fundraiser, Bramalea-Gore-MaltonSeptember 2, 2011 - Scotiabank Theatre Press ConferenceSeptember 1, 2011 - Amazing Party and Rental EtobicokeAugust 31, 2011 - Ethnic Media AvailabilityAugust 30, 2011 - Kitchener Gaming CentreAugust 30, 2011 - Fundraiser, Suncrest Drive, TorontoAugust 29, 2011 - Bus Launch, TorontoAugust 29, 2011 - Brampton Media Availability with Pam HundalAugust 28, 2011 - Chinese Medical Association AGMAugust 26, 2011 - Business Leaders' Roundtable, Queen's ParkAugust 25, 2011 - Staples AnnouncementAugust 24, 2011 - Eastern Ontario Corn BoilAugust 23, 2011 - Hudak Media Availability at AMOAugust 19, 2011 - Hudak Press Conference, CNEAugust 18, 2011 - Media Availability, Queen's ParkAugust 17, 2011 - Hudak Leader's Dinner, VaughanAugust 14, 2011 - Hudak Volunteer Appreciation BarbequeAugust 12, 2011 - Availability, University of Toronto MississaugaJuly 28, 2011 - Kitchener Centre LuncheonJuly 18, 2011 - Press Conference, Queen's Park We have confidence in our leader, and our team. Our leader is a capable, effective communicator. We do not need to shield him from the presence of opposing campaign staff, as you have done with Tim Hudak. The fact that you have done so underlines the lack of confidence you have in your own leader. When your campaign publicly acknowledges that it lied to the news media about access, we would be happy to enter into an open and transparent discussion about reinstating the approach both our parties took in 2003 and 2007. Until then, your claims will be known for what they are — lies. Yours truly, [Original Signed] Chris Morley
