“Hello, my handle is Quiplash”
Dear Cecil Rosner;
The Black Rod is on your Trevor Kennard “story” like white on rice;
The CBC said they obtained the letter from Ryan Schultz “who came across the letters while conducting research for a book on the local gay and lesbian community.”
Uh huh.
Shultz told CBC he was shocked by the letter.
“My personal question to the candidate would be: do you still espouse these views, and if so, why?”
The careful phrasing of the question is straight out of a political party phrasebook. It would be comical if it wasn’t so deliberate.
[…]
The CBC didn’t think that Schultz’s political bias or his own use of anti-homosexual epithets was worthy of reporting.
They did run to Lori Johnson, chair of the school board at the time Kennard wrote his letter, for comment, but without mentioning that she is an open lesbian and a chief promoter of the school board initiative that Kennard was opposing.
Nor did they mention that [Kennard’s Liberal opponent] Anita Neville sat on the school board in 1999 and, perhaps, might have been instrumental in providing a researcher with a certain letter from a certain candidate.
Update: Marty Gold, in the comments;
I was hosting the drive-home show at CFRW right after Gerry’s show. We were on the air until the day before the format was changed, at the end of June 1999.
Fast was NEVER ‘kicked off the air’, or fired as CBC has alleged.
It is well known that it was John Collison, NOT Fast, who was fired by CFRW, and I was hired to fill Collison’s slot.
If CBC could not even be bothered to get that detail right, and proceeded instead to make a false claim that smears an honest man they went out of their way to find and get a quote from – in my opinion they cannot be trusted on any aspect of this story.
Marty Gold
The Great Canadian Talk Show
Previous postings continue below.
At the CBC;
Nobody at the meeting remembers Kennard specifically, but one attendee remembers meeting one man who “radiated hatred and homophobia.”
If anyone in the Winnipeg area can shed more light on this one, let me know. By “shed more light”, I mean I want the name of the reporter.
The other aspect of this story – someone in the school division made a decision to make this a story – by releasing a 9 year old letter from a parent and private citizen to the media. Now there’s the way to foster trust between school boards and parents. I find myself wondering why such an action shouldn’t be a firing offense?
Update – CBC has the online version here (without attribution to any reporter.) Note this passage;
Ryan Schultz, who came across the letters while conducting research for a book on the local gay and lesbian community, said he found Kennerd’s letter troubling.
Not to mention, timely.
Let that be a warning to any parent who dares to question school board social indoctrination of their children – your words may just “accidentally surface” some day and be used to paint you as an “intolerant homophobe*” in state-run media.
“Fire them all” isn’t good enough. We need to bury this wretched corporation so deep the worms won’t find it.
*typo corrected!
It’s also time to send the CBC into the private realm.
I’ve eaten plants and designed some. But to become one would be beyond my ethics.
1999, is that all the media and liberals care about, the last century.
Another day, another steaming pile of Liberal propaganda drops out of the CBC. You could set your watch by it.
It’s election advertising by the taxpayer-paid propaganda arm of the Liberal Party. It’s unethical in the highest degree.
First, as Kate points out, this Board has released a private letter from a parent to its Board. That’s unethical.
Second, the CBC has inserted a false connection with the deliberate intent to establish that Kennard, rather than someone else, was the unknown attendee who, according to the personal opinion of another unknown person, ‘radiated hatred and homophobia’.
All parents have the duty and the right to concern themselves with the content of the school curriculum. Not only are they paying for it in their taxes, but, they cannot hand over the education of their children to a regime whose axioms are untenable to the parents.
Unbelievable. Someone at some meeting according to an unnamed source radiated hatred and homophobia and here is a copy of a letter Kennard wrote to the board expressing displeasure with the direction of the board so it naturally follows that Kennerd spews hatred and homophobia. Then leftist CBC take this innuendo BS and add their spin and run with a national story to show Harper and company are scary. I say sell the CBC to Fox and lets get back to factual reporting.
Oh, yes, and PM is guilty of “plagiarism” again (didn’t bother to read article). Full court press is on to save socialism from itself, but not us.
Look for opposition parties to demand another “debate” this week, to try to change channel from Tory platform announcement.
Here is a scary thought for all the voters to contemplate. If, by chance, Liberals withing 10 or so seats of government, especially if combined Lib and Dipper seats more than 155, you can be certain of immediate Commons confidence defeat, followed by seizure of power by minority Grit/Dipper government.
This was done in Ont in the 80’s and the architect was, you guessed it, Bob Rae.
OK, the chances of 155 combined seats to these parties is remote, but it makes good grist for the mill for those seduced by the “Anybody but Harper” argument.
Harper must continue to hammer on point that Dion and Harper can make all the promises they want, because Canadians aren’t worried about either of them being PM. Maybe we should tell them to start worrying.
Go for it all Mr Harper, and don’t hold back. The plan the lefties have to save us from the “crisis” (Dion still parroting lie that Canadian economic performance worst in G8), is massive government intervention, including interfering with the Bank of Canada.
They will cause parliamentary (and possibly constitutional) crisis, and destabilize monetary system in this country if the nightmare scenario of minority/coalition NDP/LPC government ever happens. Even the smallest possibility of this must be considered in light of its disastrous consequences. Canadians need to be told this, now.
Prosecutor: “So your honor the facts are as follows:
1. someone remembers someone “radiating” (whatever the h#@@ that means) “hatred and homophobia” at a meeting nine years ago;
2. Mr. Kennard once wrote a letter to the school board objecting to the schools being more concerned with social engineering than quality of education.
The conclusion is inescapable, Mr. Kennard is a homophobic loon unfit to hold public office.”
Judge: “Do the terms, ‘hearsay’, ‘non-sequitur’, and ‘invalid assumption’ mean anything to you? No? And you are a product of this school system?
Then my verdict is ‘Guilty’ — the school system IS more interested in social engineering than quality of education! Next case!”
Easy rebuttal to claims that the CBC Manitoba is pro-liberal: This same radio station reported extensively a week or so ago on the scandal involving the writings of earstwhile Liberal candidate and former CBC radio host Leslie Hughes. Even interveiwed a “human rights” spokesperson from Chicago who pronounced that her article was “anti-semitic.”
Entirely onside to likewise report on a Conservative’s writings, especially one that sent a stand-in (Vic Toews) to the candidates debate in his riding, asked a pro-life group to keep its endorsement of his candidacy quiet, and is now unwilling to comment on or explain his views.
Blaming the CBC might be a hobby for some of you, but this candidate is the one who is making a mistake by trying to keep his socially conservative views under wraps until after the election.
I have sent the link to the CBC Ombudsman with a formal request that they investigate the reporting standard. the only way to keep CBC balanced and in check is to keep the ombudsman on them – it is not the best solution, but it is the only one available.
Easy rebuttal to claims ……….
Hughes … The CBC did not break that story … it was around for years and brought out of the memory hole by BLOGGERS …. the CBC only delivered the news to Hughes about her firing in their haste to get her reaction.
Vic Toews … changing the subject to distract from your empty argument?
Trevor Kennerd ……. are socially conservative values a problem for you …. last time I checked people in this country were entitled to have their own views.
CBC – broadcasting unsupported allegations about any conservative …. business as usual.
Wow, Anita Neville must be getting nervous. And, if she’s nervous in that blood-red district, what must other Libs be feeling nowadays?
Let’s go Kennerd — kick Neville through the goal posts and into retirement!
Dr. Dave – very nice post. Exactly right.
I live in Wpg, and recall the school division controversy..there was a lesbian trustee, and of course she put forward a “progressive” agenda…with mandatory (i believe) course about sexuality, and including homosexuality…well..since I remember this, it must be kennard….
1) Bang on with the release of a letter. Who leaked it and for sre they should be fired
2) 9 years ago….ok that letter must have been in the kids permanent file and must have come from where his kids currently go to school. Records like that, admistrative records, would usually be destroyed after 7 years. Only if they were still in an active file, i.e. his kids file, would the letter be around.
3) Yes incredibly sloppy job by the editors. looks like John Cruickshank is going to have find another way to say oops. Funny this is from the same CBC shop that produced Krista Erikson, better known as Hurricane Krista, able to blow a story.
Any Winnipeggers on line tune in (and call) CJOB. Raymond Simard (voted against numerous crime bills and with the Bloq to the detriment of Winnipeg aerospace) is getting his butt kicked by Shelly Glover.
CBC radio in Kelowna this morning put an info ad in their morning news about a website that lets the voter know how to vote strategically riding by riding to have the best chance of “voting Harper out”.
It is sickening how desperately blatantly obvious they are in their anti-conservative bias.
CBC Kelowna ?
how is that even possible ?
someone should report that to the CBC so they can denounce themselves.
critics say.
pay for profit healthcare
lactating mothers
harper regime
tories
rufus wainwright.
free injection sites.
just practicing my CBCpravda vocabulary.
i am a little surprised..you mean, the left wing socialist school board released a letter to the left wing socialist CBC to sully a conservative? WOW
Jack,
I’ve really started to notice that too in regards to strategic voting. Just over the last week and a half I’ve seen it discussed on CTV and CBC regularly. Never really heard about it in previous elections (I never really paid attention to politics until around 5 years ago though so I may have missed it). Has strategic voting been discussed this much by the networks before?
it’s on the CBC website now
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2008/10/06/kennerd-letter.html?ref=rss#socialcomments
Kate:
Here is the CBC article.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2008/10/06/kennerd-letter.html?ref=rss
Ryan Schultz, who came across the letters while conducting research for a book on the local gay and lesbian community…
A Google search suggest Schultz may be a Winnipeg librarian who shows up on a GLBT Winnipeg site.
http://www.glbtq.com/discussion/viewtopic.php?t=33
Further from the article:
I think this probably addresses the trust question raised by Kate’s item in the last paragraph.
Lori Johnson, chair of the school board at the time, said she remembers Kennerd’s letter because he was unhappy that it was made a matter of the public record, as was the process for all such correspondence to the board.
Remember, this is Anita Neville’s riding. Last time she thought she might be in for a battle, she had her operatives torpedo Betty Granger (Asian Invasion) through the press. This time, she’s digging up old letters to the school board.
Funny though, when you read the cbc comments. Nothing in the letter is detailed, yet some of the foamers are so sure that it’s homophobic they are drooling.
I disagree. The letter may be a matter of public record but to use it as a political bomb is downright sleazy. Both the CBC and the school board should have had better sense.
The man’s letter was written as a parent concerned about academics vs. political agendas in the school system. Many parents are concerned that traditional subjects are getting bumped in favor of “flavor of the day” courses. So not supporting school based social activism does not necessarily make one a racist or homophobic. To then combine this letter with the vague recollections of someone once remembering someone giving off anti-gay vibes years ago as proof of homophobia is simply unethical journalism.
The most important thing and the most telling is that the CBC has not published the entire letter. That leads me to believe there’s very little that qualifies as homophobic or hateful, except in the eyes of a GLBTT activist or CBC storm trooper.
I’ve got a comment submitted on the article as such, but I doubt it’ll get through the comment screener.
Typically, I’ve submitted four comments. Three were critical of the CBC for not publishing the entire letter and calling them out on either influencing an election through their reporting or intellectual dishonesty. One was about Trever Kennerd’s bio.
Guess which of the four got through?
Yeah, no prizes for a correct guess.
I certainly agree with your updated comments, Kate. The timeliness of the find is more than coincidental. Even if we were to take at face value the statement …came across the letters while conducting research for a book… the release of Kennerd’s letter is obviously timed to hurt not just the candidate but the CPC in general.
is there such a word as heterophobe?
Ooops look what I found, after I got told to look.
What they kept all the letters from all of the parents on this issue…for 9 freaking years….give me a break.
I bet it came from the kids file. Ask to see all the other letters all the other parents wrote.
Ask to see all schoolboard correspondence from 9 years ago.
Dollars to Timbits they don’t have it. This letter was either kept in anticipation of, or more likely comes from Mr Kennards childs permanent file.
Any teachers or public school adminstators on this site who can enlighten the group as to what the policy is. If it came from his kids file then there are a number of people who should can be sued for considerable amounts of money, and fired with cause (no compensation) for breaking confidentiality.
Make them prove it because I bet they can’t.
Of course this had to be the No. 1 Winnipeg School Division, a notorious nest of far-left ideologues.
The Winnipeg left/media/political circles are pretty small.
Even if Harper gets a minority, we have seen how Dion runs away and hides when it comes to a vote, so Harper can act as though he has a majority, and cut all public funding for the CBC.
Take it apart, brick by brick, please, Mr. Harper.
Has anyone heard one positive thing about Stephen Harper from anyone in the freaking media? The slagging and tearing down of the Prime Minister is so outlandish it’s palpable, in the non-political world it would be litigious.
Today the MSM is trotting out that fool of fools, Danny Williams to tell people to vote for anyone but the Conservatives. Why in the name of God does it matter to the rest of Canada that Williams has a vendetta, spurred by a personal hatred, against Harper? We all know it’s down to Williams’ greed, he wanted his cake and chow down on it too. We’d all pay him equalization while he enjoyed “have” status. Beautiful.
It’s time for Harper to get his butt in gear and come out swinging in this last week.
The CBC is a National disgrace.
“The CBC is a National disgrace.”
You are being too kind to the CBC , Liz J.
They are a corrupt leftist propaganda organ, feeding at the tax trough since their inception!
An aside to Liz J, can we compare or magic “four leaf clover patches?
Just wondering.
joe molnar1@sympatico.ca
The best part of this smear was getting Gerald Fast, a discredited former broadcaster, to comment. Of the seven hundred thousand people in Winnipeg, CBC just happened to pick a guy who was kicked off of the radio years ago for homophobic comments. They must have been giggling and poking each other in the ribs when they dug his name out of the hat….
Joe, with what’s transpiring in this country now, the dirtiest politics ever in this Democracy, the extreme effort to get Liberals back at the trough, we’ll need to press hard on our large crop of four leafers.
Maybe we need to find a few horse shoes, and toss in some Voodoo as well.
God Bless Canada.
Come on Kate. A person doesn’t write a “personal” letter to a school board insisting that it is “driven by a radical social agenda.” Kennard wasn’t writing in confidence. He was trying to make his views known, as misguided as they may be.
A note on the timeliness of the letter surfacing: Kennard didn’t become a public figure until he began campaigning in the election. That’s when people start researching their candidates: when they become public figures. To suggest that this is some sort of conspiracy, though it certainly supports your rabid ideology, is ridiculous. What’s more likely is that Kennard is a knuckle-dragging homophobe that doesn’t deserve a seat in government.
Did you read the pull quote?
That’s just soooooo scaaaaaaary!
/kool aid guzzling leftard
looks like its the dippers or the greens
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20081002/election2008_vandalism_081006/20081006?s_name=election2008&no_ads=
cbcpravda not reporting vandalism against conservatives or any of the “harper regime”
“What’s more likely is that Kennard is a knuckle-dragging homophobe that doesn’t deserve a seat in government.”
That comment alone I think qualifies you for the title “knuckle-dragger”, Forain.
The CBC is getting gunshy they’re answering complaints on this already.
This controversy over the parent’s letter to the Winnipeg School board was published in the Freep in 1999.
The reporter who did it was trying to paint the parents as the bad guys for opposing the radical social agenda of the Wpg1 board.
At the time the board and others in the city could not provide text books or other resource to many of the schools.
This is a politically motivated smear without ANY merit.
As for the version of the story posted on the CBC online … you will notice that none of the references to the “Nobody at the meeting remembers Kennard specifically, but one attendee remembers meeting one man who “radiated hatred and homophobia.”
Trevor Kennerd was NEVER at any school board meetings prior to this year.
That’s never.
You have a link for that, DDT?
First response from CBC
I write to acknowledge your e-mail which I am sharing with Cecil
Rosner, the Managing Editor for Manitoba, along with the request that
your concerns be addressed.
Yours truly,
Vince Carlin
Ombudsman, CBC
Over to you Kate.
From the article:
“”I have long felt that the local school system should devote more resources to teaching math, reading, music and physical education,” he wrote.
In 1999, music education was being eliminated, physical education classes were being scaled back and his sons were being forced to share textbooks, Kennerd said. He was concerned those basics were not being treated as priorities.”
Like Doug said, Kennerd’s concerns are sooooo scary. /sarc
When I have kids that are in school, I’d also hope that subjects such as Math, Phys Ed, Music, Science, Reading, and Writing are treated with high priority. You know, considering that those basic fundamentals are the most important developing building blocks for a young child’s life and their entire educational careers.
I don’t agree with public institutions pushing political/social indoctrination on my children, especially when my tax dollars are footing the bill. It’s MY job as a parent to inform my children about those issues and it’s up to them to make their own decisions about it.
Does that make me homophobic because I don’t agree with it being taught in school at the cost of more important topics? Hardly. Does that make me a knuckle dragger? Nope.
That would make me a concerned parent that is concerned with the educational development of my kids.
Harper, as I noted in a comment on another post, actually bragged about increasing CBC funding during the English debate. If he doesn’t apologize for that statement, I’m not voting Conservative.
In part this issue has arisen in connection with the current Federal election to smear Kennard and other Conservatives, but it does not stop there.
“Ryan Schultz, who came across the letters while conducting research for a book on the local gay and lesbian community…”
Do not forget, this activist community, more than any other special interest group is ubiquitous and relentless, and they are coming to a school board near you, if they don’t dominate the agenda already. The suspension of the Strait Regional School Board in Antigonish, NS by the Minister of Education this past year is broadly portrayed as being prompted by Board members being unable to get along; at the heart of the controversy, however, was the determination of the school board staff and a small majority of the board to advance their “socially progressive” agenda on what is euphemistically called “family life education”, including making space available in schools to a radical feminist group to promote that agenda. It didn’t play well in more conservative circles in Catholic Antigonish, and a vocal minority on the board wouldn’t go quietly.
The CBC second response…
I am writing in response to your email to the CBC Ombudsman about our story today dealing with remarks made by Trevor Kennerd, a candidate in this year’s federal election.
As you know, there is increased scrutiny during elections of positions adopted by candidates and statements they have made in the past. There have already been many stories during the course of this campaign detailing past statements from candidates, and questions surrounding whether the candidates continue to hold those views. These have involved candidates from several different parties.
Mr. Kennerd’s letter to the Winnipeg School Division respecting the work of its diversity education committee was the subject of considerable media attention in 1999. I attach a copy of the Winnipeg Free Press from May 4, 1999 to illustrate this point. Our story today quotes from Mr. Kennerd’s original letter, which was received by the school division on April 22, 1999. I am attaching a copy of that letter for your reference also. In his letter he makes statements about diversity education, alleged radical social agendas, and the proper role for education. We believe it is newsworthy to canvass this issue and determine Mr. Kennerd’s views respecting this debate. Mr. Kennerd issued a statement in response to our story, and we have included his response in our subsequent coverage. I am attaching his response to this email as well. Both his original letter and his response are being posted to our website. Mr. Kennerd declined our invitation today to appear on camera.
I hope this information provides you with more background on the issue.
Sincerely,
Cecil Rosner
Managing Editor
CBC Manitoba
I guess it’s time for this one again:
There is NO SUCH THING as “homophobia”. “Homophobia” is a phony term, intended expressly for the purpose of smearing opponents of the progressive agenda of normalizing the status of homosexuals, by portraying those opponents as being somehow mentally ill.
“Homophobia” is hate speech, people. Don’t let the leftards control the agenda by accepting it into common use. If you have to write the word, or utter it, put it in scare quotes.
If there really were a clinically recognized neurosis characterized by an abnormal and excessive fear of homosexuals, I submit that it would be called “sodophobia.”
Needless to say, “Islamophobia” is of a piece with “homophobia”. Ironic, isn’t it, considering how tolerant Islam is of homosexuals, witness how they hang them from cranes in Iran.