I have for some time been commenting on the National media and their coverage of Prime Minister Harper.
Clearly there are problems - the PM will not allow scrums, will not hold unfettered news conferences, and dictates who can ask a question and how many questions may be asked.
More recently the behavior of Harper has gotten worse as he ducks and hides from open media scrutiny of the whole Senate scandal - more particularly the Mike Duffy affair.
The highly paid and educated journalists on the Hill have been reduced to news interns chasing the PM around to photo-ops. When not doing that these otherwise skilled professionals are gathering groups of people together in panels to see if anybody else might know what Harper is thinking, doing, or involved in.
Yesterday took the cake - reaching new heights - (no pun intended) as the PM sat in the front of Canada's version of Air Force One - while the media was herded to the back. The Prime Minister was his usual self stating no questions were to be asked or answered - but allowed them a little visit to the front to see his guests, former Prime Ministers Mulroney and Chretien.
It was almost pathetic to watch the media scramble and excitement as the former PM's joined them in the back of the plane for some chit-chat.
What a disgrace - and what a pathetic sight. Journalists have allowed their integrity and professionalism to be damaged because Stephen Harper won't talk to them.
There is only one answer to this and that is that all media on the Hill STOP covering Harper. Ignore the News Releases from the PMO and do not attend his photo-ops. Cut him off and instead spend your time covering the Opposition parties, leaders, and MP's. Let the Opposition do all the speculation without an Harperionette inputting talking points.
And one more thing - when Stephen and Laureen stop at the top of the boarding stairs and wave - please show us a reverse angle so we can see who they are waving at.
Showing posts with label Brian Mulroney. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brian Mulroney. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Wednesday, August 07, 2013
Ross Reid - bringing down another PC Party?
Yesterday - the big announcement from the White House on the Parkway - Ross Reid becomes new Chief of Staff for Premier Dunderdale.
More curious - however - were his duties in the "new" role.
Rossie is apparently going to play a "key role in policy development".
Is that what a Chief of Staff does?
How about Rossie has always been involved in policy and has been involved in much of the mess this government has produced?
He moves smoothly from politician to democracy fighter to "adviser" to Williams/Dunderdale - then pops out of his job - we pay him for - to run election campaigns - then hops back to a government position again. Well now he is the Chief of Staff - what will that mean to us - the people who pay his salary?
1. Select and supervise (control) staff?
2. Control access to the Premier's office? that should be good...
3. Manage communications and flow of information? kind of like a Bill 29 human back-up
4. Negotiate with different departments - or external groups to achieve Dunderdale's agenda? (protect the Muskrat Falls development)
Rossie is now at the beck and call of the Premier? My guess he's running the place and has been for a while. The question is will Rossie use his experience in "allegedly" helping to democratize regimes such as Afghanistan - to allow democracy back in our province?
Please advise us - Madame Premier - Queen of the Muskrat - what has Ross Reid done for the past decade and what will he be doing differently now? Details please...
For people like Kent and Lane - Reid's new title might bring them brief but needed hope that their parties death may have been greatly exaggerated and for the ladies in waiting Shea and Sullivan - Ross may provide a brief relief from the Premier's busy social agenda (Garden parties - where they present and restate already committed dollars, festivals where they can sing their own praises, BBQ's where the roasting is more friendly, or travelling the world in search of Waldo).
Rossie's Policies - that has the potential to be an ward winning election jingle - Perhaps VOCM could have one of the talk shows sponsored by Rossie's Policies.
Perhaps the people who elected Bonnie Hickey knew something I didn't know at the time. Perhaps they knew the real Ross Reid - perhaps they knew he should have gone away with the Mulroney PC's. He was at one time the "advisor" to Mulroney right? Perhaps Ross can become "National Director" of the NL PC's? Perhaps Ross can be part of another destruction of a Progressive Conservative Party? Not to worry with people like Kent, King, and Kennedy the CARP (Conservative Alliance Reform Party) of NL might be right around the corner. Maybe Len Simms can play the "MacKay" role this time round.
More curious - however - were his duties in the "new" role.
Rossie is apparently going to play a "key role in policy development".
Is that what a Chief of Staff does?
How about Rossie has always been involved in policy and has been involved in much of the mess this government has produced?
He moves smoothly from politician to democracy fighter to "adviser" to Williams/Dunderdale - then pops out of his job - we pay him for - to run election campaigns - then hops back to a government position again. Well now he is the Chief of Staff - what will that mean to us - the people who pay his salary?
1. Select and supervise (control) staff?
2. Control access to the Premier's office? that should be good...
3. Manage communications and flow of information? kind of like a Bill 29 human back-up
4. Negotiate with different departments - or external groups to achieve Dunderdale's agenda? (protect the Muskrat Falls development)
Rossie is now at the beck and call of the Premier? My guess he's running the place and has been for a while. The question is will Rossie use his experience in "allegedly" helping to democratize regimes such as Afghanistan - to allow democracy back in our province?
Please advise us - Madame Premier - Queen of the Muskrat - what has Ross Reid done for the past decade and what will he be doing differently now? Details please...
For people like Kent and Lane - Reid's new title might bring them brief but needed hope that their parties death may have been greatly exaggerated and for the ladies in waiting Shea and Sullivan - Ross may provide a brief relief from the Premier's busy social agenda (Garden parties - where they present and restate already committed dollars, festivals where they can sing their own praises, BBQ's where the roasting is more friendly, or travelling the world in search of Waldo).
Rossie's Policies - that has the potential to be an ward winning election jingle - Perhaps VOCM could have one of the talk shows sponsored by Rossie's Policies.
Perhaps the people who elected Bonnie Hickey knew something I didn't know at the time. Perhaps they knew the real Ross Reid - perhaps they knew he should have gone away with the Mulroney PC's. He was at one time the "advisor" to Mulroney right? Perhaps Ross can become "National Director" of the NL PC's? Perhaps Ross can be part of another destruction of a Progressive Conservative Party? Not to worry with people like Kent, King, and Kennedy the CARP (Conservative Alliance Reform Party) of NL might be right around the corner. Maybe Len Simms can play the "MacKay" role this time round.
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