Harper takes the Other Culture Of Entitlement down a flight – Politics Watch;
The Parliamentary Press Gallery is accusing the Prime Minister’s Office of impeding the freedom of the press to access decision makers after a decision to move the location for scrums with cabinet ministers.
What I said.
MSM is where most of us get most of our information about government. What Harper has done has removed a certain spontaneity from the relationship between press and government. Now ministers can go to their offices avoiding those tough off the cuff question and answer sessions.
They may as well nix this kind of scrum and send down secretaries with handouts.
This Harper fellow is quite the control freak. His lists of reporter names with questions screened by his aids is a great way to avoid some tough questions and reward or punish those that want to ask anything embarrassing. Just think, this is only the beginning!
“I made CTV aware of there blatant bias, for all the good it might do!”
Posted by Joe Molnar at March 9, 2006 12:14 PM
Joe,thanks for being someone who takes action when he sees a wrong.We could all stand to be more pro-active in this country.If enough of us take the time to point out these wrongs(remember we are ultimately customers)I’m sure change will EVENTUALLY happen.Don’t lose hope!
Can I “fly internationally” to your “outside world” or can I take my pizza delivery car?.
Sore loser!
Don’t let the door hit you in your fat entitled ass on the way out!
That last election just keeps on paying off!
steve d
Why is it most everyone criticizing Harper on this conveniently OMITS the fact that the press HAS expressed pleasure that he stays much longer and answers more directly these questions than his predecessors?
Ahhh…but that wouldn’t be giving us the whole truth would it?
The MSM in Canada has long taken an adversarial position toward conservative thought and policy. The job of the media is not to act as a third party opposition or a wing of the Liberal party, their job is to present the news so Canadians can make up their own minds. As long as they continue to help the actual opposition to frame any Conservative action or policy as negative why should PM Harper reward them with interviews and photo-ops, that they will then in turn use to spin their own agenda?
The media seems content to pave the way for a future a Liberal government, that they are more than happy to work with.
I think that Haper is taking the position that “actions speak louder than words”, and he’ll let the actions of his party speak for themselves. Any other address will come via Question Period.
What Harper really needs though is a trusted, fair media outlet (ie. FOX News) that he can communicate through. Then he could really snub his nose at the CBC. If this were to happen I think you’d see the CBC show itself for what they really are.
harper ought to find and hire that iraqi misinformation minister , the guy who kept saying there were no americans within 300 mies of baghdad when you could hardly hear him for the sound of bombs and gunfire . i’d like to see duffy interviewing him . i can just imagine the spin .
The Nat. Post has a new weekly commenter on the MSM – Warren Kinsella! While I would be the last person to extol Mr. Kinsella, I make one 1. exception todays column in Nat. Post. Read if you can get it. He sides with HARPER VS. MSM and says his handling of media is a winner for a long term and probably a majority. Who knew?
Never any doubt in my mind Mike… the more you talk, the more you stand a chance of fucking yourself… Harper learned his lesson in 2004. He’s not the kind of guy to make the same mistake twice.
Some more members from The Other Culture Of Entitlement,
Poets, said Anatole France, are “the unacknowledged legislators of the world.”
……..the CBC will invite a novelist to expound on, say, the Iraq war while rarely extending the opportunity to a sergeant with the Princess Patricia’s to expound on, say, the Booker Prize short list.
What Harper really needs though is a trusted, fair media outlet (ie. FOX News) that he can communicate through.
Just how far has FOX advanced into Canada?
It has been a blessing here. Finally, a counterbalance to the leftist MSM’s mindnumbing monopoly. Britt Hume’s news hour is is the most honest, comprehensive and intelligent news on the airways.
There are trolls.
And there are verbose trolls.
That makes them still all trolls.
Don’t feed the trolls.
Enjoy.
“Of bloody course the PPG brought the changes upon themselves! They’re a bunch of blowflies looking for shit to eat and who usually end up fabricating it out of thin air when they don’t find any.”
ROTFLMFAO!! Great anology Sentinel!! …I particularly think the metaphor of the “blowfies” in their allegoric endless quest for
“shit” (either real, immagined, or manufactured) is not only hilariously true but one of the most blunt observasions I have ever seen on the press gallery relationship with Conservative governments.
We note that when there is a Liberal government, the “Blowflies” pupate into lethargic larval state who are in a domrmant stage… unconcious of the need to seek or find “shit”….only to hatch out as “shite”-obssessed blowfies when a conservative takes power. 😉
canadian2:
Do my eyes deceive me, or did this:
“One can see the disgust and dismissiveness on his face when anyone dares to question him on any matter, as if it is his divine right to run the country as he sees fit, because he is infallible, and those who do not see that are of lesser intellectual stature.”
come out of the same bodily orifice as this?:
“Hurry up and get back to your minimum wage job – your boss is getting pissed.
Christ you are such a complete idiot, and the wonderful thing about it is that you have absolutely no clue.
Perhaps some day you will win a lottery and learn about the outside world.”
Can you spell “hoisted on his own petard” children??
BTW, when did freedom of the press come to mean that they had to get to ask their questions in a certain place? And when did politicians lose the freedom to avoid questions as they leave the house? Maybe they have a meeting to hurry to. Maybe they have to go pee. And when did politicians lose the freedom to look disgusted and dismissive of a stupid question? When the press corps comes up with gems like “Mr Harper, do you love Canada?”, they deserve every dismissive look they get.
The trained seals are barkin’ cause the new managers ain’t making good with the herring.
“The real issue here now is how could the minister of public security allow either out of his office or the RCMP’s offices a leak that could undermine the credibility of a potential leadership contender,” Easter said in an interview with PoliticsWatch.com
Isn’t that just rich?- Once again they assume their superiority and have the audacity to accuse someone in Day’s office of ‘leaking information that could undermine the credibility of a potential leadership contender’ …
Please!- Scott Brison, himself a cross the floor member of the liberal party, who, now apparently is the ‘heir apparent’ in a field of less than enthusiastically received possibles for the leadership and this guy has the nerve to complain of this. NOT the fact that Brison has been caught in a lie. That he lies again to cover the first lie and the e-mail in his own words nails him.
THAT isn’t the issue with these people.
STILL that arrogant and ‘entitled’ attitude!
HOW DARE they make clear our crimes and corruption for all to see. WE HAD them in the palm of our hand and now we don’t and it ain’t FAIR!- That’s what this all says.
Mike Duffy said as much from his perspective yesterday… how he bemoans how this is going to effect Scotty Brison, one of his FAV liberals.
Geez, you’d think ole Mikey would actually think that this was a move forward , but , no, he thinks it’s too bad Scott got caught…
I cannot wait for this stuff to change for the better and for good and all. Stephen Harper and the new government are making it happen but a tad slower than I would like. Just keep at it folks.
penny:
I wasn’t trying to say that PM Harper should speak through an American conservative news channel, just that we need our fair and impartial media source in Canada.
Snowbunnie:
I saw that installment of the Mike Duffy show. Its funny that even when you’ve got a media personality crying in his beer that one of his favourite guys, in his favourite party got busted, they still don’t understand why people accuse them of being biased. As a political commentator I’d like to see Mike outraged at such a subversion of the public trust, but no instead he sends his condolences on national TV.
the flowers will be arriving shortly Scotty, hang in there buddy……jeesh
Not to disagree with the main theme that the MSM is biased, I think Mike Duffy was being tongue and cheek with the ‘favourite Liberal’ comment. He had just done a major slip of the tongue using Brison’s name in a sentence by accident and was recovering.
I saw the grilling Duffy gave Easter earlier about Brison lying and I don’t really think that Brison is Duffy’s boy.
I did get a major chuckle out of the story where Easter wants the RCMP to investigate the Tories over the leak. What an absolute joke. Anything to deflect the media off the real story that Brison should go to jail.
“Finally, a counterbalance to the leftist MSM’s mindnumbing monopoly. Britt Hume’s news hour is is the most honest, comprehensive and intelligent news on the airways.”
Finally, a post that explains penny.
It’s all faux news now.
It is quite surreal to read the comments about MSM being Left. I am Left and my take is that it is Right!
In Toronto, from where I sit watching, listening and blogging daily. Yes, retired. But I love politics, all of it. Left, right and center.
On TV I see all (yes penny all) of the newschannels as being Right of centre. Fox of course takes the prize for MOST right of centre but not Fascist right. Msnbc is second and CNN is third and closest to the centre but still Right. Bottom line is that the USA has no Left. The Democrats are centrist.
In Canada, with our social-democratic tradition you would think there would be more moderate left of centre media but there isnt.
Newspapers: The Toronto Sun is Right; so is The Globe and Mail and of course The National Post
I think all three came out for Harper in the last election.
The Toronto Star is centrist and supports Liberals. ON THE LEFT…no newspaper
TV: CBC is centrist;Global is Right;CTV is Right and virtually all other stations are American which by definition are Right.
Radio: CBC is centrist and is kickass good
CFRB is Right; 680 all news is Right; 640 talk is Right
Except for the CBC and Toronto Star, ALL OTHER MEDIA IS RIGHT WING. But I have only been a student of media for 50 years so I may be wrong but I dont think so.
Well Steve, show’s that 50 years of being a student of media have taught you little.
The probe and flail is considered center left, the Star is center left verging on stupid left, CTV has traditionally been center left, CBC is as left as they get, except for maybe Global news, most talk radio leans right, most televised news leans left, and other than the Post and the Sun chain, pretty much all print media leans left.
Well, McCleans is centerist, and the Western Standard is farrrrrrrrrr right.
Maybe Steve is confusing his right and left.
If you hold out your hands palm down and stick out your thumbs, the left hand is the one that looks like an L.
Now hold it up to your forehead.
Headline From Bourque: BROADBENT BLASTS HARPER OVER ETHICS COMMISH PUTSCH
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060308/broadbent_shapiro_060308/20060308?hub=Canada.
Does anyone know in what capacity Harper offered Broadbent this job? Was it to be the same terms as Shapiro’s appointment; reporting ONLY to PM? Or was it to be reportable to parliment? Just wondering if there isn’t something important being left out by the media and/or Broadbent. Also I can understand Broadbent’s refusal under any circumstances, but couldn’t he have even considered over-seeing the office?
Again not knowing all the facts, it still seems to me that Broadbent had the opportunity to put up… so what’s missing?
As Bevis said to Butthead:
Did John G. say “s**king off the liberals”?
HAHAHAHA………snrk
Steve D says:
“TV: CBC is centrist”-
??
IF this is the result of 50 years of observation, it seems to me that there has been a lot of vacant daydreaming and somehow, somebody ( like Steve D) MISSED something!
Cheri, if I recall, didn’t PM Harper, some weeks ago, mention something about having approached Ed Braodbent on working with the government in general, on their ethics and accountability policies?
It is unclear to me that Broadbent was tapped precisely for the Ethics Commissioner, at all.
It seems to have drifted into the media-talk though today, as this is the thing they seem to want to chatter about lately.
Hey steve d
Maybe its not that all the media is slanted to the right, its just to the right of where you stand! Sounds like maybe you’ve been hanging on the far left fringe looking back at the “not-left enough” (for yur taste) media. Toronto’s a good place to do that. Enjoy.
>His lists of reporter names with questions screened by his aids
Learn to read. The article claims a list of names, not questions, is provided. If anything this is a more fair and orderly system, rather than the interviewee trying to sort out who to select (and in so doing, apply bias) from a sea of hands and shouts.
Ok. Would everyone that is tired of the “steves” hold up your hand.
This moron always poisons a good thread. He contributes nothing.
The only way to get rid of an annoying troll is to cut off his oxygen. Let’s all stop responding to him.
I don’t understand how you can pat a government on the back for freeing themselves of press scrums. They’re not doing anything noble here by dodging scrums.
Fox News? You realize that the only reason you think they’re fair and balanced is because they never let up telling you that they are, right? Don’t feel bad; the reason they do that is because they’ve learned that it works. Just try not to believe everything they tell you to.
Harper understands that if he or his people talk to the media, his short reign would be over. If the Cons really talked, most Canadian people would see through their facade and realize we’ve got an American Puppet on the throne who is interested in keeping a very select and wealthy elite in power. You and I are the peons for their grist mill.
What happened to all the things Harper said about being open and accountable to Canadians? Yeah, he doesn’t really want to be trying to talk about that.
I mean c’mon, the Cons made a huge deal about how the Public Works scandal showed that the government needed to be more open and now they’ve put Fortier in charge of Public works. He’s a senator so he doesn’t have to put up with that pesky “House-of-Commons” democratic process hooey.
Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty set some priorities today:
The federal finance minister says Ottawa won’t be able to address all its election promises in its first budget. But…the Conservatives will slash the GST by one per cent “immediately.”
Let’s get a couple of things clear. Imposing the GST initially was a terrible idea and the Mulroney’s Conservatives paid for it dearly. But cutting it (by an initial one per cent) is another terrible idea, especially if it results in income tax hikes on certain groups of Canadians.
Because, to put it bluntly, that penny per dollar will be long gone before it gets to Joe or Jane Canada. Everybody along the chain from manufacturer to wholesaler to retailer is going to use the opportunity to hike fees, knowing that this hike will be concealed and cancelled by the cut.
Generally speaking, cuts to consumption taxes never make it to the consumer. And of course the Harper government knows this. They are eliminating income tax breaks for poor Canadians and sending the cash freed up to Corporate Canada. Robin Hood in reverse, but by more devious means.
Sneaky, but what will the Average Canadian say when taxes are cut and they notice no difference?
More on the Blog!
http://bigcitylib.blogspot.com/
Black cats or white cats…what’s the difference.
The joke is always on the mice who thought they voted for change.
My hand is up if we’re ignoring pennys.
Harper is entirely unlike his predecessors, in that he actually answers questions instead of dissembling. The PPG of course would prefer to pepper him with scrummy “questions” that are really just shouted, thinly veiled attacks, rather than pose their questions in an more reasonable environment where their questions and the identity of their news organizations is open to examination as well.
The bottom line is, there’s a bunch of fundamentally Liberal Ottawa journalists who are really just a slightly more elevated form of paparazzi. Their livelihoods depend on their right to swarm people leaving a room, but nobody else should equate that “right” with free speech.
The best writers and reporters don’t get their information from shouting scrums, anyway. There’s no need.
I for one think it is very refreshing that the Ottawa press gallery is finally being put back into its place in the heirarchy of parliamnet Hill.
Steve D, you should know that arguing with Cons is like wrestling with a pig. Everyone gets dirty, but the pig loves it!
I have yet to see any pro-liberal on this site offer up any new or fresh ideas.They all seem to still be stuck in Martin campaign mode..nary a single positive new idea to express so just attack,attack,attack.
It’s a very sad thing to witness and I feel very sorry for them!
Funny how the view of who is the pig depends on rational thought and a real view of the the world … both of which the left lacks.
I don’t “love” discussing anything with the likes of you … no challenge … may as well talk with a gnat … at least a gnat knows it’s a gnat.
Canadian Observer says:
“I have yet to see any pro-liberal on this site offer up any new or fresh ideas.They all seem to still be stuck in Martin campaign mode..nary a single positive new idea to express so just attack,attack,attack.
It’s a very sad thing to witness and I feel very sorry for them!”
RichFisher says (to Canadian2 earlier in this string):
“You are the problem with Canada!
You are a liar just like our MSM hacks who create shit out of wholecloth and nobody calls them on it.
“Canada does’nt want a spring election”
“Canada wants gay marriage”
Next time you are travelling internationally don’t come back.
Canada has had 40 years of total bullshit flatout lying passing for the news.
Harper and the majority of Canada have punted the crime family liberals and by extension their snivelling lapdog media sycophants into the wilderness.
Enjoy your flight!”
Looks to me like the conservative side of this discussion is doing quite a bit of attacking. Like Canadian2 I’ve come to this blog to widen my perspective on the thinking behind the current conservative movement. I have actually had a few of those types of exchanges. But you sure have to get through a lot of barking dogs to get to any intelligent thought around here.
unblogged
Sorry,but I stand by my post.I’ve only been exploring the blogosphere for a couple of months and that HAS been my experience.
I’m glad to hear you are at this post to expand your horizons.That’s commendable and I would like to hear some well-thoughtout ideas from the left.I’m afraid pretty well all I’ve witnessed from libs here is insults and attacks(not that a few of the cons I’ve read are any better).And when it comes to canadian2,his only reason for being here is to raise shit and get under peoples skin.That is NOT how you foster a dialogue.
Anyways,maybe you can refer me to a lib blog that does a good job(Sorry Kate).
Have yourself a good evening!(see people,civility is possible)
The MSM may not know it but Mr. Harper is repositioning the relationship with the press and the prime minister’s office. They will not get 24 hour access to the PM and will not see him everyday spinning as the previous prime minister did. However, they are quickly learning that if they ask serious questions they will get serious answers. For them to quibble about where they inteview the prime minister is childish. The scrums after cabinet and caucus were embarassing. Reporters screaming and politicians looking like deer caught in the headlights. Little was learned from these screamfests. Now Harper is changing the location and in fact with the two press conferences I think more questions were asked and answers given than would have been in the old scrums. So the press gallery and MSM should get used to changes. Just because Liberals did it a certain way for 13 years doesn’t mean there is no room for change.
Steve D….
if yer lookin’ for a “left paper”, read The Tyee, found online. It’s as left as The WS is right. IMHO The Tyee is a waste of server bandwidth, and time. However, if one needs a lil amusement watching lefties set their hair on fire , it might do the trick. Oh BTW, don’t read it within 2 hrs before OR after a meal ;o)
Unbloggled you said “Like Canadian2 I’ve come to this blog to widen my perspective on the thinking behind the current conservative movement.”
Me too.
How you know what motivated canadian2, or why you feel he can’t defend himself is between you2, I don’t care.
I’m Not appologizing for calling someone who knowingly lies a liar.
“supposed scandals and the minutiae of expense account dining.”
Lie.
Disgraced Liberal ex Priminister Chretien admitted under oath that the liberal party stole millions of our tax dollars.
Bark and I’ll respond in kind, being sympathetic to shit flinging trolls is difficult for me to understand.
Perhaps you could BRING some “intelligent thought” instead of looking for it here and upon finding it, denouncing it.
So if the media is left which publication came out in favour of Fully funded daycare?
or even FULLY funded health care?
or the lack of investment by corporations in our economy after five years of record profits and a twenty-five percent reduction in taxes?????
how about a media campaign about homeless?
Those are just four issues off the top of my head that I have never read about in any MSM.
There are many other issues of humanity and morality that are “left” that are not dealt with on anything other than a once in a blue moon cursory look. As I said, there is no left wing media. It is all supporting the status quo. Either that or we are not giving up enough blood sweat and money to our corporate masters.
Canadian Observer:
Thanks very much for the response. I look forward to some intersting exchanges on other strings.
Richfisher:
Thanks for your response as well. I have tried to contribute intelligent thought in my posts, although I may have failed in your opinion. My thought is that some “trolls” are created. In my opinion you instigated the fight with Canadian2. I think you may not see so many trolls if you toned down the confrontational style. I look forward to some interesting exchanges with you as well.
Steve d
“how about a media campaign about homeless?”
The City of Toronto spends 1/3 of it’s entire budget on the homeless, more than snow removal ,more than the police budget.
There are 283 organizations here in TO. that only administer and promote the homeless, all of them are government funded, usually three times.
The “homeless” employ thousands full time!
We give them everything including free money, wine and a hot breakfast on there pillow before they wake up and abandon their piss-soaked free sleepingbags.
It is the ONLY political topic in the centre of the universe.
Every single one of them resorts to crime to stay on the street.
Come to my neighbourhood and help me return the empty rifled briefcases, knapsacks, purses, and cashregisters that are abandoned nightly.
Watch out for the human feces on the streets and the broken glass though.
We can discuss the finer points
Lets go, I agree, we need a media blitz.
Has anyone thanked Mr Harper for reducing the size of his cabinet, thereby saving thousands of dollars in salary, staff, perks, stationery. Didn’t think so, but those cost savings will pay for many of his programs. You trolls gave the libs 13 yrs to steal, lie, break promises, bribe floor crossers and fail to deliver on programs promised. Harper has been PM for about 2 month, the House has not met, and you are crying there is no debate on Afganistan, ethics etc. Can’t debate or question till April 3, and after the Throne Speech. The media has always been anti conservative and will twist everything positive into a negative. Why should Harper put up with that. He has learned his lesson from Manning and Day. Only reason so many wanted a new leader was to start a new attack. We didn’t bite, and Harper went into the campaign knowing the libs would get very dirty. Re the soldiers in our cities, it was mentioned then that an exercise was being planned for Winnipeg when troops with guns would be in the streets. I read one item stating the soldiers ad was coming true. And, maybe Harper is staying away from the press because he is taking lessons on arm waving, practicing how to say very,very and how many times, and also fundamentally. When will Easter request an investigation into Bisson being the leaker re ITs. He is upset the story was leaked to the G&M and wants to know by whom and suggesting it was Day. More likely a leadership wannabe did it. I really don’t think hard core liberals, who vote, will vote Bisson or BS for leader. I hear Emerson is planning on running.
Also hear voters in V-K want him to carry the flag at the opening of the 2010 games.
Kate’s observation;
*That was a signal that something was about to go desperately wrong, and it did. The Canadian people had already spoken as to what voices they wanted in parliament. The Ottawa press gallery weren’t on the ballot, yet they declared themselves elected, and they’ve by and large behaved like pompous, entitled Liberal senators with a broadcast license ever since.*
Excellent, and to extend that attitude to the whole MSM would not be stretching it really.
They see themselves as all powerful, with no opposing media to speak of.
Well, just in time we see the impossible. A powerful opposition to self elected liberal MSM spinners who are not unbiased reporters as they once were. Media with BBC qualities.
Opposition stemming from the web with some digital press branching out to the newsstands in paper form. [Westrn Standard and more]
Mr. Thompson, how you seem to be wilting, sir. Oh how it suits you too. TG