While this disturbing, but hotly awesome piece of video is going viral it shows a few things about politics in Canada in 2015.
One that the Harperites are extremely unhappy with the Mike Duffy saga; not so much for what Duffy did, but for how it’s played out.
Does any reasonable Canadian really believe that Stevie H knew nothing about any of the Duffy mess? Is Nigel really that religious? He’s a lawyer for freaking sake and from we’ve researched a darn good one. Every answer, every act is measured including his taking the fall for the mess.
News outlets pay over $12,000 per week, plus hotel and expenses to cover the Conservative campaign. They are permitted to ask only a few questions of their choosing each day. Is that Democracy at work?
The real scandal at the end of the day has nothing with what Mike Duffy, or any other senator did, but the way in which Mr. Harper’s government has covered it up and handled it, but has he really done anything different than any other politician would do?
It politics it’s not considered bad form to lie, but it is to get caught, especially if you handle it as badly as Mr. Harper’s government has.
What we see in that lovely and charming gentleman in the video above is the reality in today’s politics and that’s politicians don’t want to answer questions unless one of their team wrote it and it’s coughed up by one of the loyal.
That’s not honest and there’s no integrity to that.
Here’s a germane example. I was allowed access and interviewed Justin Trudeau at one point. After asking the question in this video below regarding Marc Emery I was cut off. Nada access. Not even an email response from his team or himself.
Thomas Mulcair? Yup, the same.
I went from personal tours and chats to nothing right after the Olympia Theatre gig during the last election. I’m not even sure there was an exact offense?
Politicians can be fickle.
Stephen Harper? His guy told me to go @*U_ myself the first and only time I asked for an interview. It was the most honest answer I got from a politician’s rep in six years so he gets chops for that.
Here in this riding all three candidates for MP are hiding from CFN. Why? Because they may not like what I write? Honestly if that’s the case then they shouldn’t run. The public deserve questions and it’s the media’s job to ask them.
If I were unprofessional or broke the rules in interviews perhaps they’d get some sort of free pass, but here was the last interview I did with Bernadette Clement at the meeting where she made her announcement to run for MP.
“It’s about bringing more people into the fold.”
By um, erm, ignoring a media outlet that reaches over half of the population at least once per month? And yes, in the video she is caught again saying that she would take a leave of absence once the race started (as I type this she’s at the AMO conference in Niagara Falls while blaming Stephen Harper for not taking her leave of absence as promised)
Was she asked any curve ball questions in that interview? Was she asked about her failings as a councilor or of her council? Chem tanks on the water front? Was she asked about her sexuality? Was she asked about a lot of things?
One of her staffers on Friday suggested that her hiding from CFN was a strategy oddly enough. I asked if it was akin to her strategy that led to her devastation in the last race for MP?
Yet she, like MP Lauzon, and the even more odd Patrick Burger of the NDP hide. In the end are they hiding from a journalist or media outlet or from the voting public? I think a reasonable person can answer that one.
Politicians have to learn to be able to answer to the public. They are spending our money and we deserve answers to questions.
Watching the MacLean’s debate it was very frustrating as important issues were not discussed.
Senate reform is not the most burning issue facing Canada.
In this riding it’s time to talk about Big Ben and the devastating Cancer rate we are seeing. Betcha not a single question is asked of them about that at their pressers, that is if they actually have any locally.
Of course the only way anything will change is if voters make that change happen. We media types are willing to do our jobs, but if we are blocked access our hands are tied.
What do you think dear CFN viewers, you can post your comments below. Yes, CFN still allows viewer comments as opposed to other media were are shutting the public out or screening the comments to mute.
Most excellent article Jamie.
In regard to Duffy /Wright /Harper…..doesn’t the buck stop at the top? By that I mean aren’t bosses responsible for the people under them? If so, Harper should step up and admit he is ultimately responsible. If he stopped trying to avoid responsibility maybe he’d have an easier time on the camain trail.
Precisely, Hugger. Harper is an avoider, not a leader. Worse, he fakes leadership by bullying, until he’s faced with real responsibility at which point he turns tail and finds someone to blame and/or take the fall. See how at first he was all over Wright with praise for, as his poodle Poilievre put it, “doing the right thing,” and even pleadied with Wright to stay on, before he turned around and fired him. See how he avoids meeting the premiers as a group, but does not hesitate to attack them individually.. We all know what we call the flip side of a bully, and it’s not pretty.
Edit: pleaded
{MODERATED} Jules enough with the name calling please.
I hear what you would prefer to believe Hugger1 but leaders at the top delegate. Wright fell on his sword (or rather was pushed, he was fired after all) he was ultimately responsible for his actions and not everybody in the PMO. Other than an incident at Microsoft which resulted in mass firings I cannot remember a case where the person in charge took his office staff down with them. Or where the office staff of a fallen department head were held culpable for their bosses actions. I know that you may not want to hear that Harper acted responsibly but in the absence of any proof protocol was followed and the offending party was dealt with. I get it that some wanted it to be Harper but he is not on trial except in the media.
As usual, great interviews, Jamie! First time hearing Bernadette speak. Would be interested to hear more. Maybe she thinks there aren’t any decent or Liberal folk who read CFN. Maybe she thinks it’s just the X-file haters who troll CFN and except for Brownell they all seem to be Conservatives. They even chased Labonte away and celebrated exit of Captain Liberal.
David Oldham….pleaseeeeeeeeeeee. Harper is hiding behind his being PM. We all know he knew exactly what was going on. With his control freak tendencies there is no way he didn’t know what was going on with Duffy / Wright / Novak, etc. To me this is showing him in a very weak light. When the media questions have to be pre-approved or are cut off by so-called Conservative supporters it shows that he is indeed a control freak to the highest degree. He needs to be thrown out with the rest of the Con trash.
I read an article in the CSF today about the Cornwall city councillors attending the AMO conference in Niagara Falls. One things they failed to mention was that Bernadette Clement was attending. I guess the CSF doesn’t want to ruffle any feathers.
The raving lunatic at the Harper love-in turns out to be the same raving lunatic at a mayors debate in Toronto yelling out that Olivia Chow should go back to China “where she came from”. The funny (or sad) thing is that all Con election events are invitation only, and all attendees are vetted and screened by Harper’s team.
Furtz – Raving lunatic, or summa cum laude graduate of the Harper School of Charm?
When I listened to that video I was shocked at that man’s language which sure wasn’t professional at all for a person of his status. Now if that were me (your wacky Jules) then yes I might have reacted that way. Thank God that I am not in the media or anything like that. LOL LOL. ROLF!
Jules I’m bringing Seaway radio back shortly and am hoping that you’ll come on as a guest. 🙂
Do you have a “bleep” button on Seaway Radio? Just curious is this a purely Internet thing or does it have to be CRTC approved?
No Hugger. The CRTC has no sway over internet radio. If you listen to the episode at the bottom of our home page you’ll hear me go one on one with Thomas Mulcair for 45 minutes.
Jamie when you get your Seaway Radio up and running let me know what the station is so as I can pick it up on my computer to listen to it. As a guest???? you’ve got to be kidding my friend. LOL LOL. ROLF! I will pay close attention to your radio but let me know the station and I will bookmark it here and listen to it. You are the very best out there Jamie and that is 100% truth and I wish you all the very best there is.
Our family doctor doesn’t like Harpoon Harpo at all and has absolutely no trust of any sort in him. I brought up about Justine and he roared with laughter – gee he sounded like me in laughter. When I asked about Thomas the Cat NDP he said “please don’t make matters any worse than they already are”. For years since the very beginning our doctor hated Harpo. Harpo does not face the media and sends his dogs out to bark at the media.