Mr. Harper promised what he called “accountable government,” one that would be open and transparent with all its dealings with the Canadian people. To that end, he has forbidden all Cabinet Ministers and backbenchers to talk with the press. He has abolished post-caucus press conferences and has almost completely refused to have anything to do with the media at all.
Whenever a politician doesn't want his policies analysed, is worried about being caught out in "miscommunications," or having the fallacies of his programming dissected by the media, he or she will immediately announce they "will only speak directly to the public." In other words, they will never be publicly questioned by the media about decisions or have their own words thrown in their face in public. They will pop out in front of the cameras, read a carefully constructed speech praising themselves, and vanish again.
You see, nothing is their fault. The public would love their ideas if only the press wasn't so hard on them or on a continuous witch-hunt because of their political bias. Isn't it weird how every government, no matter what their political leanings, are the victims of anti-them bias in the media?
When a party is in opposition, they love to talk to the media about how important they, the press, are when it comes to ferreting out the true story. As soon as they become the government and the true story happens to be about them, while that's a whole other matter. Everything is all of a sudden slanted to make them look bad, the press are out to get them, and the public isn't getting the true picture of how great they are doing. They are getting exactly the same treatment that every other ruling party has received, but somehow or other it all of a sudden has become media bias.
So much for Mr. Harper's open government. It didn't last until his swearing in as Prime Minister. Before the caucus was even in their seats in the House, backbenchers were under orders that they were not to speak to any member of the press without permission from the Prime Minister's office first. Shortly after, this was extended to ministers of the Cabinet as well so that all members of the Conservative Party caucus could now speak with their master's voice.
Article comments
1 - rob
Harper being so damned controlling of his MPs and suspicious of the media isn't going to endear him to the majority of Canadian voters, if anything, it will backfire. It smells of arrogance and deceit. To gain the public's trust, you have to open up to them. I'm surprised he hasn't figured that out yet.
2 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Richard,
Very interesting and informative. However a prime minister operates, he is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. For example, had Harper been open with the press and tempering of his decisions, the press would have been all over him for indecision. I'm not defending the man, mind you, merely pointing out that when dealing with the press, it is always a Hobson's choice.
3 - Deano
"There's nothing that a party as corrupt and venal as the Liberals like more than being able to assume the air of violated virgins"
Nice turn of the phrase! Bravo!
4 - RealityBites
I am by no means a defender of Harper or the Conservatives, but in fact Harper has decisively ruled out the use of the notwithstanding clause - in effect admitting the entire exercize is a complete sham, a sop towards the ultra-lunatic fringe of his lunatic party - a group of people whose hatred of minorities is exceeded only by their gullibility.
Also, provinces haven't been quietly passing resolutions allowing equal marriage. There is no need for them to do so, as the definition of marriage is federal. All but two provinces allowed it before the passage of the federal law, as the result of court cases. Bill C38 forced the two remaining provinces (PEI and Alberta, where no court cases had been filed) to comply as well.
5 - Steve
I agree, Ruvy, no government can do anything right when partisans are the ones doing the criticising. Unfortunately, I have heard that some in the media have been proclaiming themselves part of the 'unofficial' opposition to the govt.
Which, of course, is way beyond what the role of the media is supposed to be (i.e. reporting the news). Alas, this idea spouted by some in the Ottawa press gallery has not appeared to receive much debate. Too bad.
After all, the more a govt. is criticised (fairly or unfairly), the more cynical the voting public will become. And the more secretive and untrusting a govt. will be with the media. It's a shame that some in the media fail to realise they are part of the problem.