My goodness. Can the country withstand a repeat of the national outpouring of disinterest that erupted during last year’s CBC strike?
In parliamentary press gallery story #1,356 about the parliamentary press gallery…
Prior to the start of a news conference in which Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that Canada would contribute $40 million in humanitarian and military assistance to the war-torn Sudanese region of Darfur, members of the press gallery simultaneously got up and left, moments before the prime minister arrived in the room, in an act of defiance against new news conference rules imposed against the media.
Seems a perfect time to present the SDA Quote Of The Week – “Ural” on the Media Opposition Party;
“Greens would kill to get the press that the press gets”
If I were Stephen Harper, I’d use the opportunity to change the locks.
Lee,
That’s incorrect. The Press were asking questions and the PM walked away. Only the PPG walked away from the announcement. There were other reporters still there, and they did ask questions, the PM just didn’t answer them.
You can tell the Press that they can only ask questions if they allow the PMO to vet the list of questioners, and determine who gets called on and when, and how often, but I don’t understand why you think it’s shocking that the press won’t go along with that.
Ted, I suggest that you are being purposefully obtuse on this issue. Although you suggest that it was an innocent little event that no one but us conservatives are making a fuss about, the linked story from http://www.canada.com is making it out to be a big deal.
This is what we are responding to. You are apparently attempting to belittle our concerns by suggesting that we’re blowing it out of proportion…making a mountain out of a molehill. I contend that we are not doing that at all. We are responding to exactly what was published by the MSM and our response is appropriate…particularly given our perception of reality on the MSM bias issue (I know you don’t accept our version of reality, just as we don’t accept yours).
For all those who claim that the MSM is not anti-Conservative biased, I propose you identify four articles from the Toronto Star, Globe & Mail and/or National Post that you contend show pro-Conservative bias (and highlight the bias by providing facts to the contrary) and we’ll assess these examples rationally and openly. I’m certain that some conservatives here (not me…too busy…maybe Maz2 or CS or ET) could take the time to clearly demonstrate outright anti-conservative bias in 4 articles, so let’s compare notes, eh? We’re open to being proven wrong…but feeble assertions about pro-conservative “puff pieces” in the MSM is just empty brainwashing propaganda.
Don’t bother with articles from the Sun chain of newspapers…I think its fair to say they are generally pro-Conservative…just as I think it is fair to say that the others are generally anti-conservative.
Lord, im not shocked at all.
Its too much of a stretch to expect civility from the press.
Heres how i see it:
As the duly elected Prime minister of our country, the head of government is entitled to dictate the terms of Q & A processes.
Cant have the tail wagging the dog, can we?
Ted, I guess that depends on your definition of a partisan hack. I have no problem with Liberals appointing Liberal supporters with solid credentials for the job. The same goes with Conservatives. Morgan ran EnCana one of the largest and most respected Canadina companies in the world. In other words, based on his resume, he had the qualifications for the job. We need more people like him working in Ottawa.
Ted, I think that statement should be reversed. It is the media trying to control what our elected Prime Minister is doing or saying. It is about time that they were put in their place. It would be refreshing to see the reporters act professional, but I don’t think they have a clue what that means.
Bobcaygeon; In interest of fairness and balance of diet, I challenge you and others to read Link Byfield’s take on the Morgan situation. http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/Columnists/Byfield_Link/2006/05/19/1588086-sun.html
I’ll save my opinion of Frances for another time/day.
PMSH did not refuse to take questions, the PPG refused to submit their names. Maybe when those idiot females quit yelling, do you love Canada, or shoving a mike in a grieving widows face, things will change. Spin in the Lethbridge Herald says Harper was forced to make his announcement outside the HofC. Decision to walk out made(suggested) by Yves Malo,TVA, president of the Press Gallery. I really enjoy not hearing, Let me make that perfectly clear, at the start of every answer to every question. I also enjoy not seeing arms waving in the air. I await the time that the PM or cabinet minister will turn the tables and ask a reporter to answer a question re their bias. Walking out the same day polls show a 43% approval for the govt must have told the msm they are becoming very unimportant to cdns. and we really don’t care what he is wearing, if he has a paunch, or his hairstyle. This group should really look at themselves in the mirror and hit a hair salon, JVD for one. Since Craig Oliver is leaving will he take Giggles with him. In a post someone used the word WISDUMBS, was that a misspelling or a true explanation of the msm views. Love it, and will use it. Who will give in first, Harper or the PPG.
Bobcaygeon:
Yes, I read the whole thing! YEP, Stephen Harper is “SCARY” meme all over again.
Considering that we just had a significant change of government in 13 years, and the press was playing cheerleading choirmembers for PM Paul Martin Team during the election, the press will just have to get over it. Unfortunately, for Team Martin, he opened up the seacocks on HMCS “Dithers” while his battle ship was still in port.
The article fails to note that the LIEberals were the ones who sent troops to Afghanistan in the first place. Further, the LIEBerals were quite willing to paste the SCARY Stephen Harper with the
“Soldiers with guns, In your cities, … In Canada ” bullshit. No those LIEBerals were far from using the military for partisan purposes…cough, cough, hack, wheeze. The towering hypocrisy couldn’t find better expression in the pulpit from BABEL.
The LIEBeral ‘values’ got rejected principally by the hackneyed approach to the theft of taxpayers dollars as enunciated in the Gomery inquiry, the colossal waste of the long gun registry as set out in the Auditor General 2006 report, and on and on. If one took the time to google “199 reasons not to vote Liberal” you can find an expansive list of rubbish that the public got tired of and finally said “Enough”.
If PM Stephen Harper is riding higher in the polls now, maybe it is because the public; despite the constant media whining are making up their own minds notwithstanding the cheerleading incestuous press relationship. If they attempted to report facts rather than spin, maybe they would find they had more traction.
After all, the Charter states that we have “freedom of the press”. If the press decide to behave stupidly, we the consumers can shop elsewhere. If we don’t buy all the “anonymous sources” spin doctoring; maybe it is because free peoples don’t respond well to the Ministry of Propanda. Well of course the PPG is free to whither on the vine as well, if no one is buying their “Weltanshauung” (World View).
The PPG is just having their “Grapes of Wrath” moment as they figure out they have pruned themselves from their former food source. Couldn’t happen to a nicer bunch.
Now that these press grapes are left drying in the arid political sun they should strike up a new tune:
“I heard it through the grapevine, not much longer will you be mine.”
By the “Dancing Raisin Brains”.
Paul and others (sorry for slight O/T); were you aware that Gwynn Morgan and three others were willing to work for free? A little detail the M.S.M. (and opposition) failed to highlight? Thanks to Link Byfield for that little known piece of news.
“The media is the message” is taking on a whole new layer of meaning.
Bobcaygeon, you would be wise to stop parroting the bit about “the last six or seven police officers being killed with long guns.” Isn’t that an argument for the uselessness of it? Of course, in the mayerthorpe incident it was a restricted (i.e. illegal design) long gun and therefore irrelevant to the registry, which, of course, is an argument for the uselessness of it.
Cheri:
And the three others withdrew their offer to serve after they saw how Gwynn Morgan was treated.
Senior,unidentified,well placed inside sources have disclosed that the Parliamentary Press Gallery is riven with dissension.They report that fear,anger,jealousy,insecurity and mental instability are rampant.They speak of tousled toupees,sabotaged botox injections,unruly Liberal indoctrination classes,and loss of canapes.Truly an organization on the brink of collapse.A suicide.
Harper did not refuse to take questions. He asked the Press Gang to conduct questions in an orderly rather than shouting manner; i.e., to submit a list of people there, and he would select those to ask a question. No, that doesn’t mean partisanship. It means answering a question put by someone, not answering a question put by the person who out-shouts and out-screams the others.
As for Morgan being a ‘conservative’. So what? Are you seriously suggesting that Because an individual belongs to a particular political party or concludes that a particular ideology is best, that the individual is also biased? That’s ridiculous and is actually a claim that any concluion about ‘what is a good social structure’ automatically makes the person irrational, unreasonable, illogical and prejudiced.
Someone who is intelligent, who selects a particular ideology, whether it is NDP, Liberal or Conservative, is not also necessarily biased, irrational, prejudiced. The appointment process that Morgan was to be in charge of, was to be on MERIT only. Are you saying that ALL people who prefer one political ideology to another, are incapable of reason and analysis?
Again, the gun registry will not prevent crime. Handguns have been registered since 1934. THINK. That’s over 70 years. Result? More and more and more handgun crimes and murders.
And kindly remember, don’t quote that ‘5,000’ hits a day meme that the MSM love to put forth. THINK. Just because the MSM shows that it can’t think, doesn’t mean that we have to fall for their propaganda.
Ted @ 12:19 above:
My friend, if I were you, I wouldn’t speak as to that… for, as I recall very, very well, the Liberals (of whom you were one last time I checked) were, in my opinion (and in the opinion of a helluvalot of Canadians), pretty much about little more than patronage and cronyism.
So when you criticize the slightest perception of possible patronage on the part of the CPC… keep in mind the cold, hard reality of your own party’s past and present… as well as its future (if any) wrt patronage and cronyism. They simply haven’t taken any hint whatsoever as to how Canadians feel about that sort of thing.
Besides, if any other party were to be heavy on the patronage, well, if it’s acceptable for Liberals, don’t suggest it’s bad for anyone else.
Bluster if you want. Won’t help. Heh. Poor Liberals. 🙂
I mean, it’d be like Howard Stern telling me, a nearly bald fellow, to get a haircut…
Hey Ted,
“But I have an honest question for conservatives here: what if Martin had done this outside of the campaign?”
We’ll never know will we, Mr Dithers has rode off into the sunset. All that talk about “my Canada” and “Canadian values” and he can’t even show his face in parliament to say his yea or nay on the extension of the mission that he helped foster, fund and plan. Shameful!
Daniel
Furthermore Ted…
The way that Gwyn Morgan was treated was one of the rudest examples of partizanship I can remember. The man is well qualified, having been voted top CEO as well as having run a major corporation sucessfully for years. The man is willing to work for nothing and add his expertise and experience to a process begging for sound judgement. So he is a conservative, big deal. Are you (Liberals) saying that a conservative is incapable of judging meritous appointments on an ALL party committee. The Liberals and other parties have sent the message out to many good and worthy candidates who might consider a stint in public service “Stay away or we will make your life miserable” Despicable and Shameful behavior.
Daniel
Sentinel: I don’t know enough about Morgan to say he was going to be doling out patronage appointments to Harper’s buddies. I was responding to the factually incorrect statement that he wasn’t a partisan. He was very much a partisan. (Also, as an aside, thanks for the advice about not being allowed by you to comment on the Conservatives because the Liberals, in your opinion, were bad. That’s not quite how democracy works, my friend. Besides, I have been critical of the Liberals when they were government on Adscam, on the way they campaigned, on the way they tried to sell equal marriage, etc. so I sure as heck ain’t going to shut up now that the Conservatives are in. Besides, if I did, what fun would you have online?)
Daniel: Nice avoidance of the question. But I really can’t fault you. No conservative seems willing to answer the question and I have a funny feeling I know exactly why.
Ted
Cerberus
It’s hard to deny the sentiment behind the title of this thread – that Harper’s petulance is now being exhibited by the media themselves. They must be very frustrated. I’m finding it pretty amusing myself… I wonder what the relationship will ultimately evolve into (I suppose that will be in part a function of how long the current balance of power, such as it is, remains). In any case, the MSM is obviously relevant, whether we agree with most of what they say or not. The vast majority of Canadians still get their news from the papers and the TV – there are, relatively speaking, very few of us who are fascinated enough or care enough about all of this to be looking around at blogs for fodder. Anyway, I expect that this will continue to be a story, despite the fact that the media should not be.
The Harper government has reached out beautifully to the media that is far more relevant to the various regions of this country – the regional media who then put the government message into context. And the PM answers questions to the regional media clearly and concisely and NOONE is ignored. They just put their name on the list at a news conference and they are called with some semblance of professionalism and order. The regional radio and talk show hosts have also had extensive access – yesterday Rona was on the radio answering any and all questions; today the Justice Minister and almost daily there is a Federal government representative on the local radio.
The regional media have printed numerous in depth interviews that have nothing to do with he said-she said and so’s your mother. blah blah. Or, anonymous sources or leaked memos. They get interviews based on fact and then find other local or regional comment that is relevant to the programs being announced.
They don’t dig around to find say, an environmentalist whose Liberal grants have been cut off so he has an axe to grind or an opposition member with few facts and lots of “opinion”.
Then we can go on the internet and get more info; cross check it and if we still need to know you can contact the departments or your MP.
Unfiltered facts. Information that serves Canadians instead of dividing us into partisan camps. Using our tax dollars for the greater good instead of to benefit the few.
Refreshing? Scary to sjome of those few who benefited under the Liberals? Like many members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery who thought it was their turn to be senators or ambassadors or even the Governor General. Yup. Sour grapes from a more and more irrelevant and irreverant group. Yup.
For the record, here’s a first-person account of the two scenarios for media availabilities with the Prime Minister:
PMO version: an official asks reporters who wants to ask a question and puts their name on a list. That official then calls names from the list, in the order of his choosing. (In practice, the names are not called in the order the official received them, nor are all names called. Even if you were among the very first to get your name on the list, you may not be allowed to ask a question. It’s up to the PMO.)
PPG version: two microphones are set up, behind which reporters line up on a first-come, first-served basis. The questioners alternate from one microphone to the other. The loudest questioner does not prevail. It is all very orderly. (In practice, the same aggressive reporters tend to be near the front of the line behind the microphones each time, with TV reporters particularly anxious to be SEEN to be asking questions due to the nature of their job).
At other events, such as visiting premiers or heads of government, the media are usually limited to two questions each. That is: two for the PPG and two for visiting press. In practice, this means one English Canadian reporter gets to ask two questions (the initial question plus a supplementary) and one Francophone reporter gets to ask two questions (initial plus supplementary). The reporters decide amongst themselves who will get to ask those questions and usually reach a consensus on the isues that need to be addressed that particular day. The PMO does not seem to have a problem with this longstanding arrangment.
Ralph Klein does ( or did) a pre-arranged Q &A after Question Period in a room that he chose standing at a podium which was also his choice and he personally chose the reporters who would ask him questions. Many Premiers have the same routine.
Klein HATED to be “scrummed” – that is attacked by reporters coming out of meetings and you usually saw the back of his head with the screaming hordes chasing after him. That is what the media wants to do to our Cabinet Ministers and Prime MInister after their meetings.
Gotcha Journalism is not news gathering – it is not fact finding – it is yello tabloid cheap shot mongering.
Ralph Klein made himself very available to the media answering pretty well any questions thrown at him. Just like Stephen Harper. He tried to be open in the Press Gallery – answering all questions but it evolved into sleaze -shaking hands with his son, his hair, his weight, rebutting cruelties thrown at him by Liberals. Criticisms about where he stood or any number of petty minded partisan shots.
They do not deserve special consideration as that is a two way street. The regional media show that proper respect begets respect.
I hope Harper does not back down – and I hope some of the billiionaires and shareholders who own the for profit media outlets do a little soul searching and maybe connect the Liberal dots to some of their so-called reporters.
grasshopper – your error is to assume that the first cause of the MSM problem, is the ‘petulant Harper’. Provide proof.
The MSM has for a very long period of time, denigrated from a function of reporting on the news, to acting as Liberal hacks, i.e., primarily as mouthpieces for the Liberal party. They have in the majority, revealed their open bias against the Conservatives and Harper both in their reporting, their comments and their often vicious and ad hominem opinion pieces. They are now being acknowledged as biased rather than professional and they are ‘petulant’ and angry. I’d suggest you get your causal links in order.
The question to ask, then, does such a MSM deserve respect? I don’t think so. Unprofessionalism doesn’t deserve respect.
Now, first person outlined two scenarios of reporting of the PMO. I suspect this outline, because there is absolutely no reason for the PPG to get into their current arrogant hissy fit, because the PMO’s office is using Type 1 rather than Type 2.
In both cases, it is obvious that all names can’t be called; there isn’t enough time. In the PMO’s Type 1, all reporters have an equal chance of asking a question, if they put their name on the list. The actual calling is done by the PMO’s office. That individual can spread questions across the board; he doesn’t have to confine himself to a Liberal biased paper (the Star). Now, take a look at the other scenario.
In PPG’s Type 2, the only reporters who get to ask the questions are the pushy ones; the aggressive ones, which is akin to ‘the loudest’. The point is, in the PPG Type 2, there is obviously some kind of schoolyard hierarchy, an acknowledged hierarchy of ‘who’s the boss’. The bossiest MSM, the ones with the most financial or other clout, are acknowledged by The Pack, to have privileged access to the microphone. They are permitted, as bullies always are, to move to the front of the line.
Which is the fairest system? The one where all reporters who want to ask questions have a chance, or the one where the Boss Reporters are the only ones allowed, by the meeker small town reporters, to go to the Front Of the Line?
Is that really enough of a reason to have a hissy fit? Because you are treated as an equal rather than as a King of the Hill?
Remember the Charlotte town accord under the Old Conservatives?
The MSM & the Countries intelligentsia where all for this mad plot. If I remember correctly even the Sun chain approved of it.
The fact most Canadians did not, never dawned on the MSM , elites or the “chattering classes”. They thought if they wrote blessings on this project it could not have been rejected. That the normal Canadian had an aversion to a cooked up reconstruction of the Country ,never occurred to any of them. Particularly the PPG.
The absolute rejection of this came as a complete shock to the MSM. Which only shows even back then they had no real concern for nor the ear of the public . Most never did care it seems, because they have still not learned the lesson. Given them on that referendum that the majority of canuks seen threw..
Canadians are not all lib-left Stepford clones.
Nobody listened to any of them & voted according to there reason, & the merits of this change.
It died as we all know from both English Canada & French Canada seeing it for what it was threw the media fog. We sure got no facts from the MSM.
The MSM should have learned there lesson then. Never rely on Government largesse & know your audience. Do not treat adults as ignorant children .That you have to led like a Sheppard against any ill thought towards there beloved ideas of socialism, & anti Americanism.
The PPG became whores for the lib-left, when there natural buddies, the liberals took power. It went even further down the road of compromise. If not blatant propaganda for this group. They did this out of laziness , graft, & Liberal ideological triumphs. Of which the majority of the Press had become devotees of. Blame the journalism schools for the embedding of a socialist world view exposed as the end all & be all of truth. They compromised there calling for the dubious pleasures of becoming elites themselves . If not political activists for lib -left plutocracy.
They looked down on regular Canadians. This is the fruit of the tree they planted. May they enjoy its bitter harvest.
Canadians have grown up while they have degenerated in the coddled hands of bias. Sold there integrity for trinkets.
Lorraine:
The Press Gallery was forced by the Conservatives to give up on scrums a while ago by the Conservatives.
The Press Gallery was forced by the Conservatives to give up on direct access to Ministers after cabinet meetings a while ago by the Conservatives.
The Press Gallery was forced by the Conservatives to give up on even knowing when cabinet meetings were being held a while ago because it was Harper’s constitutional “right” to have secret meetings.
The Press Gallery was forced by the Conservatives to give up on where press conferences are to take place.
This is not about chaotic press scrums vs orderly press conferences. As noted above, the PPG has been conducting themselves in an orderly fashion by lining up behind microphones and asking questions in order.
They just don’t want the government to decide who gets to ask questions and who doesn’t. So Harper refuses to allow questions and they refuse to sit there when they can watch him on TV just like anyone else.
Ted
Cerberus
Lorraine:
The Press Gallery was forced by the Conservatives to give up on scrums a while ago.
The Press Gallery was forced by the Conservatives to give up on direct access to Ministers after cabinet meetings a while ago.
The Press Gallery was forced by the Conservatives to give up on even knowing when cabinet meetings were being held a while ago because it was Harper’s constitutional “right” to have secret meetings.
The Press Gallery was forced by the Conservatives to give up on where press conferences are to take place.
This is not about chaotic press scrums vs orderly press conferences. As noted above, the PPG has been conducting themselves in an orderly fashion by lining up behind microphones and asking questions in order.
They just don’t want the government to decide who gets to ask questions and who doesn’t. So Harper refuses to allow questions and they refuse to sit there when they can watch him on TV just like anyone else.
Ted
Cerberus
Ooops. Sorry about the double post. Tried to correct a typo but the first one slipped through.
OT, as always… but here goes…
Millions flowed into AdScam, trial told
The money was spent on everything from a television series in China to breakfast meetings at the Hotel Newfoundland for David Dingwall, then public works minister, according to documents.
“Wine for breakfast?” Justice Fraser Martin quipped as the court examined the $2,526 tab.
“At least it wasn’t screech,” Guite retorted.
cnews
It is really rather amusing to see the PPG and the majority of the MSM throwing a hissy fit over the changes that the new government wants to establish in order to return to a sense of decorum at Press briefings and conferences. If I was a junior reporter right now I would be lining up to get my name on the list and abide by the new guidelines. This collective pity party by the “seasoned” group of veteran reporters should leave room for a newcomer to step in enjoy the steady flow of info from the PMO.
What has happenned to investigative journalism? One would think that with todays tools to ferret out information, we would be hearing stories about the topics of interest to many Canadians… namely “Where did all those millions of dollars wasted in Liberal friendly ventures end up?” There are many of us still waiting for answers on the Liberal HRDC boondoggle, Liberal adscam, the Liberal long gun registry over runs, the Liberal relocation scams etc, etc, etc. How about some good honest fact finding jounalism on those four topics alone complete with dates and names?
The veteran jounalists have been spoon fed information by the Liberal propoganda machine for so long that they have collectively forgotten how to:
1: Recognize an important story when it is presented
2: Investigate and plumb the depths of a story
3: Present a factual step by step explanation of a story complete with names and a timeline.
Time for someone to get back to the basics of jounalism…
Who?…(took the money and was complicit),
What?…(methods were used to defraud Canadians)
Where?…(is the money now)
Why?…(haven’t there been more charges yet)
When?…(do they go to jail and we get our money back)
…and for the sake of completeness…How did they do it and get away with it?
Daniel
Daniel-good post. As to your question How did they get away with it? There are many of us who believe because the media who should have plumbed these stories instead spun the coverup.
Perception is everything. As long as the same Liberal apologist media are running the press gallery they will not be trusted to report or even seek the truth about Liberal corruption. Some even believe that some of the links could implicate various media outlets.
After all – ad agencies were “given” hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars which, it is well assumed, they then used to buy advertising FOR the Liberal election campaigns. WHO would have been the recipient’s of this stolen money.
TV stations, radio stations, newspapers and magazines who sold them the ads.
Connecting the dots…don’t count on any of the old boy and girl press to help.
Maz2:
Yeah, I liked that quip “Wine for breakfast?”
Hats off to Justice Fraser Martin.
But hey if you are going to party at taxpayer’s expense why not do it around the clock?
Why observe the unwritten, no drinking before noon custom?
Bill Halley revised:
“We’re gonna ROB, ROB, ROB around the clock!!”
ET – I didn’t actually assert that there is a causal relationship between Harper’s petulance and that of the media. Right now, both Harper and the media are behaving like asses, and I don’t see how it will be resolved. If He picks a reporter to ask a question and doesn’t like the question, assuming for the moment that he’ll answer it, will that reporter be selected next time? How open is that? The press gallery getting up to leave moments before Harper enters the room has the markings of a tantrum, but perhaps in a more generous mood one could see it as a protest. Anyway, I think it is pretty interesting to watch…
The so-called Liberal propaganda machine of the MSM was the same MSM that broke the Adscam story (Globe and Mail) that cracked the back of the Big Red Machine and the same MSM that first covered the “Income Trust” leak story that was the final straw breaking the camels back? The same MSM that broke the story on Chretien’s hotel sale?
With friends like these, the Liberal Party sure doesn’t need any enemies.
Ted
Cerberus
So Ted where is the story about the relocation program that the MSM promised it would release right after the election? I think it got buried so the media wouldnt get caught with its own hand in the cookie jar.
Good comments, Daniel. Excellent.
You are exactly right; a junior reporter ought to be now, getting his name on the list, and showing up the old warts for what they are; biased opinionated hacks, acting as propaganda mouthpieces for The Old Way of the Thieving Liberals.
A junior reporter ought to be getting into valid journalism, not acting as the Ministry of Propaganda for the Liberals/NDP socialist agenda. Valid journalism would mean ferreting out the answers to all those questions you outlined, and a lot more besides. Where’s the tsunami money that was promised? Why did it take DART two weeks rather than 48 hours to move? What exactly, are Chretien’s links to Chirac and Oil? What, exactly, was done with our money in Quebec? Could we see a lot more expense accounts?
Ted – who gives a damn about reporters lining up in a row. Is that your criterion for ‘orderly’? Those rows are made up of old hacks, biased and ignorant, with frozen opinions, who are given ‘the front row’ only because of the cat-mouse game of priority among these old cronies.
Who needs ‘scrums’. Do they provide accurate information? No.
Why should they have ‘direct access’ to Ministers after meetings? Why not wait until the Minister gets his thoughts in order and issues an ‘orderly’ outline and analysis of the issues in that meeting?
Why on earth should the press know, or care about, where meetings are held? What business is it of theirs? Are they running the government?
And quit with the emotive conspiracy loaded words: ‘forced by the Conservatives’, ‘secret meetings’. We’ve had enough of this Liberal propaganda of ‘hidden agenda’. The ‘hidden agendas’ are all our tax money stolen by the Liberals.
And I applaud the PM’s office deciding who asks questions, rather than the insider and malicious hierarchy of only Old Dogs Get To Ask Questions, while you newcomers or Conservative-friendly ones..don’t get to The Front Of The Line.
By the way, the Toronto Star’s Susan Delacourt was NOT one of the reporters to walk out on Harper. From Ms Zerbisias’s blog (http://thestar.blogs.com/azerb/2006/05/i_found_my_thri.html):
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today the Star ran a CP story with more on the journalist walkout yesterday during Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s press conference — the one without most of the press. Note the conclusion.
“The Star was one of the media outlets that chose to remain.”
Today my friend and colleague Susan Delacourt, Ottawa bureau chief for the Star, emailed with a comment. I thought it better to give her a posting of her own. Here it is:
“It looks like a silly spat. It many ways it is.
For print reporters, this whole business of scrums and how they run is a sideshow. We don’t need TV or voice clips to write about the Prime Minister.
So I haven’t leaned in any strong direction on the list until recently, when I started to see that Canada’s Prime Minister, personally, was taking a keen interest. In fact, it was so important to him that he waded into the fray personally, rather than leave it to his handlers, at the now-infamous accountability announcement. (Where he refused to recognize the reporters lined up at the microphone and tried to choose his own questioner.)
The fact that the top politician in Canada thinks this issue is worth his while means, I’m sorry, then it becomes important to us too.
Why is it so important to him? We don’t know.
Why is it so important to us that we decide who ask questions? Let me just give it a try:
The Parliamentary Press Gallery is an elected institution in Ottawa. Every year, we vote for its executive members who have regular meetings. There is a PPG staff, with a budget, to serve as a central clearing house/operation centre/hub between the government and the media. These are the folks who call all of us at home when there’s a disaster, who make sure that reporters aren’t paid lobbyists harassing politicians, who oversee decorum and civility on the Hill.
We want the PPG to run the news conferences because if they do a bad job — giving all the questions to the CBC, or English language or Toronto-based media, or men/women only, for example — we can hold them accountable.
Note that word: ACCOUNTABLE. We like the concept too. We believe in it. We have built rules around it. These are rules that have functioned for many years, to the benefit of reporters AND politicians. Because there are organized scrums after cabinet, for instance, ministers aren’t chased around the clock at restaurants, at their homes and outside their offices. Canada has not seen the kind of excessive camera-stalking of politicians, for instance, largely because we’ve had a civilized dialogue on the rules of engagement here.
If that relationship is to be revisited, we do not think it’s unreasonable for it to be a two-way conversation. So far, the PMO has not proposed any new arrangements that involve compromise on their part, or even input from us. Nor has anyone explained why PMO needs to run the scrums.
I grew up, journalistically, at the Globe and Mail, where the motto still runs on the editorial page every day: “The subject who is truly loyal to the Chief Magistrate will neither advise nor submit to arbitrary measures.” Why don’t I just leave it at that?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ted
Cerberus
An exhibit of a fawning, obsequious, butt-kissing, MSM hack here: Fineman. …
Al Gore: Selfless Oracle
In an article giddy with admiration, Howard Fineman asks the question, “Is Al Gore happy to be a selfless oracle?” (Hat tip: Amer1can.)
Compare to any MSM article, chosen at random, about George W. Bush.
WASHINGTON – In Washington the other day, I got a chance to tell Al Gore something I’d meant to say for a long time, which was that I thought his real strength, his real contribution, was as an observer — writer, explainer, outsider — and not as a politician.
The new movie about him was evidence of that, I said. He gave me a blank, dismissive look, and an “umm” for a verbal response.
I’ve known and covered Gore for decades, so maybe his reaction was inspired by Groucho Marx, who always said that he would never join a club that would have him as a member. But I think the brusque reply carried a different message: don’t assume that I’m ready to be put out to that pasture just yet.
Gore has a certain aura of nobility about him these days — a mixture of rue, acceptance and lofty goals that makes him almost, well, endearing.
Whew. Maybe you can make it through the whole thing, but that’s about all I could take. via LGF
Ted:
Well of course we are delighted that the PPG aren’t ALL useful idiots.
The point many are grousing at; is why did it take 10 (TEN), that is, one DECADE to uncover massive governmental malfeasance? The proposition that there was collusion is not entirely unwarranted.
Moreover, no mention of the relocation scam. Why the deafening silence? Would the trail lead too close to home base?
Lastly, I find it staggering that the PPG would choose the timing of helping the helpless in the SUDAN to walk out. Thanks to the PPG for underlining in an emphatic way their concern for humanity. I got that “VALUES” statement loud and clear.
Truly, a pack of muttonheads, ie those who walked out. Yep, my place in front of the microphone is more important than those who are starving, raped, pillaged, plundered and occasionally killed.
I would like to thank the PPG for their “LEADERSHIP” in this regard.
Hans, seems like all of the press covered the announcement, so what is your issue.
I would think you’d be quite pleased in fact, since none of the stories I read about the Harper Darfur press release (a) mentioned the Harper-press fight or (b) mentioned that this is a fraction of what Martin promised.
Seems like one of those one day stories the conservatives are insisting on making into a months long story.
Ted
Cerberus
The MSM were spoon fed by the Lie-beral’s for far too long and now they’re having a temper tantrum, TFB!
Bobcaygeon, vis a vis the Winnipeg Free Press offering:
It’s a darn good thing that “Gwyn Morgan took swipes at a wide swath of Canadian icons and institutions, including former prime minister Pierre Trudeau, the CBC, medicare, equalization, public schools, political correctness, unions and even Canada’s equalization system…”, ALL things that Canadians should be taking a second look at.
This is our problem in Canada, aided and abetted at every turn by the propagandist MSM: We have too many so-called “icons” and “institutions” which have been taking Canada down the tubes, many of them mentioned in this article. (Who, BTW, is Frances Russell? A PET worshipper? A “Canada is open, diverse, and tolerant” person?)
PET, IMO, is the worst thing that ever happened to Canada and his Conservative opponent at the time, Bob Stanfield, is sadly the best prime minister Canada never had.
That Canadians have accepted and adulated empty institutions (what’s so great about our health care system? You could be dead before you get that CAT scan) and icons (PET was a philanderer, a sometime Nazi-sympathizer, and a Rosedale, well Westmount, Socialist) says a great deal about how bankrupt we’ve become.
Members of the MSM, with personal advancements and perks to gain from pushing these icons and institutions, have done a great disservice to the Canadian public, which now needs to do its homework and take back our “story.”
Thanks to blogs like Kate’s this is beginning to happen.
Ted where did you get to go on the relocation dollar?
FREE:
You take it too far, man. Here we are having a civil discussion about how the MSM is no friend of government – whether Liberal or Conservative – and you feel the need to go and make a personal insult. Nice one.
Ted
Cerberus
Ted:
The issue is simply that the press gallery has been hammering the “lack of access” to the PM for some time now.
See for example:
http://channels.netscape.ca/home/article.adp?id=20060514183909990009
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060329/media_harper_060329/20060329?hub=Canada
Media unions attack Harper govt’s restrictions
Updated Wed. Mar. 29 2006 11:36 PM ET
It seems to me that the press are just looking for an opportunity to bait and hoping for a nibble. So far PMSH, has told them to fish in another pond, he is not biting.
What the journalists might have asked is whether this was the opening of aid to Sudan or the final package? What further plans are in the offing? Are officials working on other measures? What is happening on the diplomatic front, going forward etc.?
At least be seen to be working an angle, rather than truculently doing the “I’m taking my marbles home and I’m not playing.”
Given the above articles, it would appear the PPG is making a months long story. It is just getting old.
Dang MSM, er Min. Of Prop.™ is popagandizing again:
Paul Who? said there will not be one at Xmas… but what does he know? “I know nothing”. …
He warned, says MSM. Scary. …
He warned about 900 listeners at a London Chamber of Commerce luncheon the next election could come at any time and if they like what his government has been doing they should contact their local Member of Parliament to say so – regardless of his or her political stripe. …
cnews via nealenews.com
Ted:
I agree the ad hominem stuff is not helpful to the discussion.
Of course this Harper vs PPG stuff is getting old.
A google of this shows the following:
Media unions attack Harper govt’s restrictions
Updated Wed. Mar. 29 2006 11:36 PM ET
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060329/media_harper_060329/20060329?hub=Canada
Further, by walking out the press gallery gave up the opportunity to ask further questions in regards to the ongoing situation in Darfur.
Maz2:
And he took 15 minutes of questions from reporters
Harper says national media are biased against him and he will avoid them
OTTAWA (CP) – Prime Minister Stephen Harper says the national media are biased against him so he will avoid them from now on. cnews
Great posts Lorraine and Danial, Ted, you are giving far too much credit to the spoiled, juevinile, malicious goofs in the ‘press gang’ OR you do not watch the House of Commons live on CPAC; if you had been watching you would know that the Bloc and the Canadian Alliance broke the egg on adscam MONTHS before the Press Gang said BOO!! The Press Gang were forced to say something or loose all their credability – not that they ever had much of the latter; heh. The Liberano shrillers tried their best to downplay the scandal and mop up the mess so Canadians would not see the Liberano/dipper types floundering in their own cesspool but the Bloc and the Conservatives would not shut up – neither would the radio shows like Dave Rutherford. Even more dangerous for the Liberano outfit – the WS was connecting the dots in the Oil for Food scam that the MSM is STILL pretending is a non issue. These press gallery prima dopas are NOT journalists, Ted. Call them amature writers, call them propagandalists but do not call them investigating journalists – at least not with a stright face!
I’m squarely on the conservative side of things (though not always the capital C Conservative). I dislike what I see as liberal media pushing their opinions into news stories. Without fully understanding the situation, I have some difficulties with Harper isolating himself from media. I think the media has an important role to play in keeping government honest.
On the other hand, the fact (as I see it) is that the media has injected their opinion into the story so much and so often that some kind of realignment has become necessary. I don’t have a glib solution – it’d be good if the media played their role properly. On the other hand, I can’t keep track of all the stories that should have been investigated more fully about the Liberals, and which have simply disappeared from the news pages – something in me tells me that the media had this coming to them. I’m unhappy that the natural check they’re supposed to provide isn’t being done because of this ‘payback’. On the other hand, as others have noted, this is an ideal opportunity for new up-and-coming reporters to make their name doing the right thing.