Political parties become shameless in attempts to get your emails

The online world can be a little scary these days: As an Internet user, you need to be cognisant about what websites you visit, careful about downloads and alert about where you're entering your credit card numbers.

Well, now you've got to beware of Canada's political parties and their attempt to get you on their email lists.

Last week, you'll recall, that Justin Trudeau and his wife had a new baby boy named Hadrian. Well, as pointed out by the Toronto Star's Susan Delacourt, the Liberal Party is using the joyous occasion to build their contact lists.

"I imagine many of you would appreciate a chance to welcome baby Hadrian and express your excitement and happiness for the family, so we wanted to give you the opportunity here," new party president Anna Gainey wrote on Liberal.ca.

"Congratulate Sophie, Justin, Ella Grace and Xavier — add your name here and we’ll share it with the Trudeaus"

Clearly, it's a ploy by the Liberals to get your email addresses on their 'outreach' database. To sign the card, you must enter your name, email address and postal code.

[ Related: Justin Trudeau announces birth of third child, Hadrian ]

If you think that's crass, the Tories did the same thing last week.

According to the Postmedia News, the Tories collected email addresses from individuals who watched on the Aga Khan's address to Parliament on the Prime Minister's website last week.

On Tuesday, during Question Period, the New Democrats, called the government out for that.

"Mr. Speaker, the Aga Khan came to Canada to share a message of tolerance and openness," NDP MP Alexandre Boulerice said.

"Apparently, the message went way over the heads of the Conservatives. They put the Aga Khan's speech up on the Prime Minister's website, but in order to listen to it, people had to submit their email address. Where did all of those email addresses go? To the Conservative Party?

"Do the Conservatives think that it is ethical to use diplomatic visits to add to their database, yes or no?"

[ More Politics: PQ, Liberals in tight race as Quebec election campaign gets underway ]

Certainly, parties trying to get addresses -- both traditional and email -- is nothing new but it seems that their tactics are becoming even bolder.

In the past year, the Tories have asked website visitors to wish Stephen Harper a Happy Birthday and Mrs. Harper a Happy Mother's Day.

We've even heard stories of political parties setting up on-line petitions -- under the guise of concerned citizens -- in order to gather names of potential supporters.

Have they no shame?

But alas, if there are some who think Justin Trudeau is actually sitting on his barcalounger reading through the list of all the people who wished him well via the Liberal website, maybe those people deserve some political spam?

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