tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23253782.post3911235992579439849..comments2024-03-03T17:01:57.876-05:00Comments on Montreal Simon: The Blindness of the Media, and the True Nature of Stephen HarperSimonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15309809679331128837noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23253782.post-21468759738189879842014-05-31T14:00:16.101-04:002014-05-31T14:00:16.101-04:00And see, I *CAN* write a political comment without...And see, I *CAN* write a political comment without once ranting about the perfidiousness of the NDP...whoda thunk it? *rolls eyes* LOL<br /><br />Seriously though Simon, aside from not agreeing on the most probable way to dethrone Harper for so long, you and I do tend to share a lot of similar political points of view, so I am not surprised we find ourselves agreeing these days. And as I said some time back in one of my first posts to your blog I defer to no-one where it comes to being against Harper and wanting him to have never risen to the PMO and not that he has been there wanting him gone as soon as possible. I think more than anything else though we disagree on what we see as the best road forward more than the underlying reasons for that road been necessary to begin with, and we also have some differences on the means to build that road aka achieve these ends. Still though I think we both tend to get where the other is coming from even when we are clashing, which is one of the reasons I comment here from time to time.<br /><br />The problem with Evan for me is that he is simply not shown himself to be well equipped with the ability to run his show to hold politicians to account on substance, he lacks the nuance, he lacks the institutional memory. For other types of news anchoring and interviewing he could do well, but for politics I'm sorry but he really fails in my books overall. I've only ever screamed at my TV when it was Duffy as much as Evan when it comes to hosts of political shows in this country. <br /><br />I like Rosie a lot better, but personally I think the best choice to replace Don would have been someone who is doing the best work on Parliament Hill period (which is why I would be twitchy about actually moving her these days despite thinking she is the best replacement for Don), that being Kady O'Malley. SHE understands the process side very well, she has excellent institutional knowledge, she is able to explain why it is important to non-process geeks, and she has real presence when in front of a camera. She is the only true replacement I've ever seen for Don in terms of ability and aptitude for the job.<br /><br />Sorry it took a little to get back to your response, to be honest I am still catching up on some of my online political reading AND two books I had been waiting a year for published this week and ended up on my door last Wed, and I took a couple of days to enjoy reading them. Got to find things to enjoy to keep one sane after all!Scotianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06284856315992405261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23253782.post-38916917428207803062014-05-30T06:43:35.511-04:002014-05-30T06:43:35.511-04:00hi anon...nobody has said the person who recorded ...hi anon...nobody has said the person who recorded that conversation was a journalist, which makes me wonder who would? For it's not like MacKay is a big political star or anything, so I can only believe that it was a Con operative. But yes, now we know they are swimming around out there, progressives better watch their steps or their mouths. The election campaign has begun and the Cons are capable of anything....Simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15309809679331128837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23253782.post-28510020252672217612014-05-30T06:39:26.288-04:002014-05-30T06:39:26.288-04:00hi e.a.f...you know, the blindness of journalists ...hi e.a.f...you know, the blindness of journalists disturbs me greatly, but to be fair they only reflect the blindness of so many other Canadians. We never had seen anything like the Harperites so far too many didn't recognize the danger. And many still can't quite believe that something so bad could happen here. You know, In Canada. So we are left with a situation where it's clear the emperor is wearing no clothes but nobody dares say it....Simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15309809679331128837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23253782.post-75431438696213410782014-05-30T06:34:32.653-04:002014-05-30T06:34:32.653-04:00hi Scotian...you know I'm agreeing with you so...hi Scotian...you know I'm agreeing with you so much these days I'm starting to get worried.This is not the natural order of things ;)<br />But seriously you're right, media concentration is a huge problem, which is compounded by the dire state of the media, and corporations who will support anyone who offers to cut their taxes. So their reporters may criticize the Cons for four years, but when election time comes most editorial boards endorse them.<br />The good news on that front is that now we have the internet which at least gives us a voice to denounce them. Even though much of our efforts crash on to the rocks of indifference, and this is a very complacent country.<br />But yes the CBC for all its flaws is still definitely worth keeping. It still has the best news organization, it is still theoretically owned by Canadians. And we must do all we can to save it. As for Evan Solomon, I have actually met the guy, before he took over Power and Politics. He is extremely bright and a really nice guy, but he has a few years to go before he can hope to fill Don Newman's shoes...Simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15309809679331128837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23253782.post-40464336694776968872014-05-30T06:22:02.860-04:002014-05-30T06:22:02.860-04:00hi Lorne...thank you for this great comment. You k...hi Lorne...thank you for this great comment. You know it's funny but when I was a boy my family used to picnic on Dunsinane Hill which is in Perthshire just north of Edinburgh. So naturally enough MacBeth was my favourite Shakespeare play. And the words you quote describe Harper so fittingly. Now all we need is three witches to conjure up a brew that will make even the trees march against him... ;)<br />Simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15309809679331128837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23253782.post-38886709384612994672014-05-30T06:12:10.074-04:002014-05-30T06:12:10.074-04:00hi salamander...I dream of a creative rebellion th...hi salamander...I dream of a creative rebellion that would target the depravity of Harper and the Con regime and move Canadians to stand up, demand better, and do whatever is necessary to defeat them in the next election. But when I see how busy everybody is just trying to survive, and I see how little I can produce despite my best efforts, I must admit that sometimes I despair that something like that could happen in a country like Canada. However, your idea is a good and noble one, and definitely worth trying. However, 250 Simons would be definitely too much for Canadians to bear, They have suffered enough. ;) We need more diversity, more colours, more or everything but all united in one great movement determined to demand better, and make this place Canada again. Hey, you know now that I think about it, I'm sure we can do it...Simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15309809679331128837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23253782.post-16216201056479845922014-05-28T15:38:25.273-04:002014-05-28T15:38:25.273-04:00I have been wondering too who is that journalist w...I have been wondering too who is that journalist with "conservative" leanings who made this recording. While I have no evidence, nor have I read any speculation anywhere as to who this person is, I did notice that the story was presented on CTV by Laurie Graham. As we all know, Graham happened to be the one who had apparently failed to point out in her story in regard to the NDP satellite offices that Elections Canada had not found anything wrong with them, as per Mulcair's public assertion. Doesn't mean that she was the one who had recorded it, but if not her, then who else? Several names come to mind (again my speculation with absolutely no basis other than what I have perceived to be their friendliness to the Harper Party): Ivison, Kennedy? Does anyone know?<br /><br /> However, it still does not exonerate McKay's stupidity: surely he knows that in this toxic environment, anything negative anyone says against Trudeau will be reported with gusto by the Cons friendly journalists/media.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23253782.post-43536392514504327042014-05-28T15:11:42.880-04:002014-05-28T15:11:42.880-04:00Oh the recognize the behaviour all right. And the...Oh the recognize the behaviour all right. And they won't be reporting on it because, most likely their employers want stevie just the way he is. The turn this country has taken, under Stephen harper's leadership is the turn the 1%ers wanted him to take. Therefore the MSM doesn't report on it, even if it would appear he is turning on them. <br /><br />Simeon, there is an old political trick we used to use. One of us would appear to abandon ship and join the other side. The other side would be more than willing to share the "secrets". Then we'd take those secrets back to our "home" group. Mission accomplished. By appearing to be turning on the MSM, harper is simply deflecting some of the heat the MSM might be taking for its lack of reporting.<br /><br />It is time for stevie to leave, but he won't. He has much work to do on behalf of his puppet masters, here and in China.e.a.f.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23253782.post-9515808076523658112014-05-28T13:22:31.670-04:002014-05-28T13:22:31.670-04:00It is very simple and obvious Simon, the problem i...It is very simple and obvious Simon, the problem is the concentration of media ownership and the power that brings to the elites who feel best served by Harper and his ilk. The problem I think isn't so much the journalists themselves but the next level up, the editors and producers, and the orders they are following from the owners. Now granted, this doesn't mean there are no good journalists reporting the reality of the Harper regime, but they are a very few voices and are clearly left there so as to prevent the obviousness of the reality from the average citizen getting through. Otherwise without those few the Pravda level "journalism" would be too hard for the average busy Canadian to miss and once they woke up enough to start asking serious questions about the information they were being fed then the power of the elites would be in massive trouble.<br /><br />People like us Simon, we for our own reasons pay close attention to politics, we have to remember that most of the citizenry, and most of the voting electorate don't. They have other demands on their time, they trust that there are still checks and balances to prevent anyone from going too far off the rails, they trust that there is still something of a free press in this country, all things we know have been massively undermined by Harper since even before he ascended to the PMO let alone after. Now, I think we are finally starting to reach a critical mass on that point, combined with the inevitable fatigue with a government that has been in power for too long, but until and unless we start seeing major signs in the public of unhappiness to the point where not covering it and the reasons for it would expose just how controlled our national political media truly is I don't expect to see any better from them.<br /><br />Media concentration has always been a bad thing for open societies, it is simply too powerful a tool for those with the wealth/power to be at that peak, and in the information age it is only that much more so in my view. This has always been one of the great weaknesses in Canadian society, and the Harper regime period has truly underscored and demonstrated why. This is also one of the prime reasons why the CBC is so important, and why it has always been under such consistent and harsh attack from ALL of the private broadcasters. It was never about how unfair it was, it was always about having a information source who presented factual information the power elites wanted not to make it to the average citizen. Even despite all the CPC has done the CBC news still manages to get some things out that Canadians need to know that they aren't getting from anyone else, and thank whatever higher power one may believe in for that! Although it still does not make up for replacing Don Newman with that twit Even Soloman, as a host of a national political news show he makes a great doormat in my view, I so look forward to the shows when he is off and someone competent sits in that chair!Scotianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06284856315992405261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23253782.post-84667181438209812962014-05-28T09:01:05.060-04:002014-05-28T09:01:05.060-04:00There is a wonderful scene in Macbeth, Simon, near...There is a wonderful scene in Macbeth, Simon, near the end of the play that I couldn't help thinking of after reading your post. It is as if the bard could see far into the future of a country that had not yet been established:<br /><br />Great Dunsinane he strongly fortifies.<br />Some say he’s mad, others that lesser hate him<br />Do call it valiant fury. But, for certain,<br />He cannot buckle his distempered cause<br />Within the belt of rule.<br /><br />Now does he feel<br />His secret murders sticking on his hands.<br />Now minutely revolts upbraid his faith-breach.<br />Those he commands move only in command,<br />Nothing in love. Now does he feel his title<br />Hang loose about him, like a giant’s robe<br />Upon a dwarfish thief.<br /><br />For far too long has this dwarfish thief been unraveling our country. I am with you completely in your heartfelt wish that he be defeated if our country is to survive.Lornehttp://www.politicsanditsdiscontents.blogspot.canoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23253782.post-849749498434202022014-05-28T07:19:14.830-04:002014-05-28T07:19:14.830-04:00.. you ask a good question, Simon. Mainstream Medi..... you ask a good question, Simon. Mainstream Media in all its derivations, levels, roles, aspects & outlets is either responsible or irresponsible. Careful or careless. Frivolous or capable & concerned. But media is inclined more and more to be aggregators.. and prefer to be spoon fed.<br /><br />Eating from the hands that feed, in Ottawalberta os making some media into housepets..<br />But.. not all media or journalists are lazy, or cowed, craven or ignorant.<br /><br />A good strategy might be to promote, support and distribute strong Canadian journalism<br />and I know you and many many indy writers do so ..<br /><br />I also think its time to create the Glowing Hearts cadre.. 1000 or 2500 writers, artists, educators<br />biologists, clinicians, technicians.. that can identify projects or groupwork, groupthink<br />that reach mainstream Canadian audiences.. and individuals, whether in classrooms or seniors homes<br />or firehalls, offices, on the street or doctors offices, coffee shops etc<br /><br />Will put my thinking hat on re how such a group could saddle up Mainstream Media<br />and take it for a ride it will never forget... and neither will Stephen Harper<br />For sure, if we had 250 Franke James at work, we could have every bus shelter in Canada<br />communicating the message to ordinary Canadians. Same with Amy MacPhersons findings<br />same with Alexandra Mortons research on farmed salmon, or Jessica Ernst re fracking gases<br />Maybe another 250 Simons .. eh ?the salamanderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06853337802990122289noreply@blogger.com