Hill Journalists PR for PM

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.

Dale Kirby and Terry French - Who has a REAL job?

 

Last Wednesday in the House of Assembly Dale Kirby asked Terry French a question regarding legislation on replacement (scab) workers. French responded in a manner not becoming a Minister but very telling of his own character. 

Here is the quote:   

MR. FRENCH: Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is referring to a couple of incidents, but the hon. member has two jobs, as we all know here in the House, and he is an academic in his real job. So, Mr. Speaker, to speak to him being an academic, I would like to challenge him to read some of the work that some of the academics have done throughout this country and throughout the world, and he will quickly discover that there is a great divide on the usefulness of replacement worker legislation... 

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As many of you already know - I am not always in agreement with Dale Kirby - however I respect his profession and his work. 

Currently Dale Kirby is the MHA for St. John's North and that is a REAL job. In the past and at present Dale Kirby does not NEED to be a politician to be gainfully employed. It's not likely the best gig he will ever have. That is refreshing to a voter. 

You on the other hand Mr. French are looking like a career politician more and more each day. That is a problem. How and why did you go into politics? If you were in Opposition today - what else would you be doing? 

You Mr. French want the people of the province to provide you with a job and pension as a politician. This is not so good - particularly when you consider the situation of public service pensioners. In my opinion Mr. French - this is the best gig you will ever have and that is worrisome.

Premier Dunderdale is in Contempt - MOCHA any one?

MOCHA Members of Closed House of Assembly


Relax - have a MOCHA moment.


We are working - just not in the House of Assembly.


Simple really - YOU were elected as Members of the House of Assembly.


You refuse to go into the House of Assembly.


Cabinet and the Premier are supposed to answer the questions of the people in the House of Assembly. The people have elected opposition members of the House of Assembly and they have a role to play in our democratic process.


The people expect that the Opposition Members that they elect will have a reasonable opportunity to utilize Question Period. The people expect that Opposition Members may introduce a Private Members Bill. How can any MHA introduce a Private Members Bill if the government as a body supersedes the elected body?


Dunderdale's party had the most MHA's elected so they form government and appoint a Cabinet. This has nothing to do with members as members to perform their MHA duties.


Note to MHA Perry and others promoting the message - that "just because we are not in the House of Assembly does not mean we are not working". Your message is ridiculous - has no validity - and is a poor excuse for avoiding your duties.


Each MHA has the same value and importance and each has the power of their vote, their voice and their participation in the House of Assembly.


When Ms. Perry you were elected as an MHA - you were elected to represent the people of your constituency regardless of your party and the outcome of what party becomes government.


Ms. Perry you may sit in the House of Assembly and vote against government measures all day long - and while your party may boot you from the particular political association - they cannot remove you from the House of Assembly.


All MHA's should be pushing for the opening of the House of Assembly - period.


When government starts dictating the value of the House of Assembly to the point where a Premier could declare there is no reason to open it - she has crossed a boundary - she is in contempt of the people and their vote.


It is an abuse of governmental power to treat this institution with such disregard.


Open the House of Assembly or resign sit back and have a MOCHA.

The Progressive Conservative Party does not own the House of Assembly - the people do.


As an MHA you should demand respect for the House of the people or resign - you are a disgrace.

What next? Should we expect that the House of Assembly has been acquired by the PC Party? Will it now show up as an asset on the balance sheet of the PC Party at the office of the Chief Electoral Officer? 

The man who acquires the ability to take full possession of his own mind may take possession of anything else to which he is justly entitled.  ~Andrew Carnegie

Rex Murphy ponders the Riots in Vancouver - I say expect More under Harper

Rex Murphy had his say on the Vancouver Riot. Please Click HERE

After listening to Rex - here's the only reply I have.

It was absolutely awful - you reap what you sow - remember this is exactly how the government acted at the G8 G20. If Rex replaced the pictures with that event - we could review how ordinary citizens holding a peaceful and legal protest were treated like they were in a third world dictatorship. People rebel against such government tyranny.

Is this an excuse? No! Should we expect it? Probably. Stephen Harper will strip all pride from the people of this country and people without pride do awful things.

When the Prime Minister is in contempt - what should we expect of citizens?

When the Prime Minister lies - what should we expect of citizens?

When the Prime Minister ignores the law - what should we expect of citizens?

When the Prime Minister travels to Boston on our dime - in our jet to watch a hockey game while his Minister of Finance is delivering news of massive program cuts - what should we expect of citizens?

Take a long look at Vancouver - Canada - this is just the tip of the right-wing fanatic revolution.

What a Tragic Day for Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, and Democracy

Where do I start?

There is no doubt that Stephen Harper is a liar. There is also no doubt that he is a right wing fundamentalist. He also heads up a party that ignores election laws and rewards people who lie - with a Cabinet post.

The real problem and concern is that he is also very shrewd - he will use his intelligence not for the common good but for his own advancement and that of his secret corporate buddies.

Today as Newfoundland and Labrador witnesses the appointment of Peter Penashue to Cabinet - we should be celebrating this historic move - instead we have to ponder how cynical this actually is.

Without questioning at all the sincerity of Mr. Penashue - I absolutely am sickened by what this means for our future. I am able to hypothesize why Harper has made the move - but I am yet unable to determine if Penashue will fall for it.

Peter Penashue is now the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs - and as such may be the individual that delivers the loan guarantee for the Lower Churchill development to the province. As an Innu leader - Harper can claim that he not only gave our government what it wanted but it was done through an aboriginal person. This development - possibly the largest giveaway in our history - should be stopped not financed. Harper for his part will use Penashue to deliver cheap - green - reliable power to other provinces of importance to him. This is great news for Nova Scotia, Ontario, and perhaps other Maritime provinces or New England States - but it is devastating to us. What a clever lad our Prime Minister is - how deceptive, vindictive, and sarcastic he is.

Meanwhile back at the ranch - that Stephen Harper's surreptitious mind lives on - he has once again appointed Fabian Manning to the Senate joined by other failed Conservative candidates. Another absolute slap in the face to the people of our province who chose again NOT to elect him. Remember Harper - promising to deliver an elected Senate? Not only has he continued to renege on this - he appoints people the people have said no to.

Then the kicker - Harper finished his News Conference on the Cabinet appointments - then passes on the information on the Senate appointments and does not stick around to answer questions about it. John Baird the newly minted Minister of Foreign Affairs - also refused questions on this absolute contempt of the Canadian people.
 
For political desert - if your stomach is not already upset - Bev Oda returns to Cabinet!

For the 22% of the voting public that elected this mess - well done. For the over 70% who did not - shame on those who did not vote and the remainder of us should simply work very hard to make sure the next four years does not destroy our country and ensure this type of administration is never elected again.

Cheers to Peter MacKay - your sly and manipulative manner has surely paid off.

Majority Must - Harper says Canada must Adapt to Me!

I presume you have been listening to the frenzied call for a majority by Stephen Harper to Canada and Canadians.

He says things like stability and security - in his efforts to frighten Canadians away from their own democracy.

Twice now we have had a stable and secure parliament as elected by Canadians. Our free democratic choice at the polls. Is Harper suggesting that we were wrong? Is he saying Canadians are stupid and he will keep folding parliament either directly or indirectly until Canadians get it right?

Stephen Harper must understand that he and all other MP's and political parties must work within the numbers Canadians elect. If that is a minority - then the governing party must work with all MP's to find compromise that reflects the ideologies properly and legally elected by people of this Country.

If Harper and company receive a minority - then he must work with all MP's to find a balanced way through for our people. If not - a coalition must be sought within parliament and they must work to find that balance. That has been the will of our people in the past two elections. Stephen Harper does not accept our elected choices. Stephen Harper is saying to Canadians - I am only willing to make parliament work if you give me a majority.

Stephen Harper is like an American fish out of water in Canadian politics and he would like the Country to adapt to him. That is the arrogance of this man - and also the danger he presents to our nation.

Stephen Harper will not accept that you and I will vote NDP, Liberal, Green, or Bloc. He will tell us that we are going to destruct if we continue with minorities, coalitions, or other parliamentry arrangements.

What makes all of this worse is that he lies over and over and will continue to do so - to get and retain power. He will eliminate unacceptable Canadians from his public election events after an "electoral background check" is done on citizens of this country.

He will take one of the cornerstones of a mature democracy - the media - and control them also - with question limits and physical accessability to him. This is what he sends our military to fight against in other countries.

The most disingenuous rendition of lyrics I have ever heard - is this man singing "Imagine". I do not believe John Lennon could have found anyone so polar opposite to himself and no doubt would cringe that Harper would sing this song in yet another lie to gain majority control of Canada.

If Stephen Harper will not accept your choices on election day - do the right thing this time and tell him to move on.

Note on the Lennon performance by Harper. Lenono music has now claimed copyright and has removed the video from youtube. Happy to see that - but the Conservatives and Harper used it to alter image yet again. 

It's all about the Economy Stupid!

Stephen Harper says to Canadians - the election is only about the economy.

Stephen Harper and the Conservatives found in contempt of Parliament - Harper says Canadians don't care about that. It's all about the economy!

Stephen Harper has lied and lied to provinces, interest groups, and individuals. Harper thinks Canadians don't care about this. It's all about the economy!

Cabinet Minister's caught lying - misleading - cheating. Harper says that's not what Canadians worry about. It's all about the economy!

Harper's office employs criminals - turns the RCMP upside down - and allows ethnic profiling for votes. Harper says Canadians do not consider this a priority. It's all about the economy!

Citizens of Canada are routinely thrown out of Harper election (public) events and routinely roughed up at G-8 - like a third world dictatorship. Harper says Canadians really don't mind these distractions. It's all about the economy!

Students at a University have a special ballot and Harper goons first try to stop it (apparently physically) and then protest the vote to Elections Canada - that coincidentally is the same body they ignore and then break the law with "unique" election financing. Harper believes these are not problems Canadians have to be concerned about. It's all about the economy!

An election is called and the first thing Harper establishes is a question limit per day for the media. He ignores the tenets of democracy and counts on - we - the people accepting this obvious display of dictatorship. It's all about the economy!

What do you honestly think this man might do with a majority? It's all about the economy!

Gutting of public service? - Probable
Gutting of universal health care? - Probable
Gutting of Canadian values? - Likely
Elimination of CBC? Right up on the list
Freedoms gone or twisted to suit his personal religious beliefs? I will predict that
Patronage appointments? Completely
Prisons and children? Full and build as you go - regardless of cost
Wars? Yes we will be shoulder to shoulder with the USA in all military conflicts
Americanization? Absolutely - they will essentially own us
Environment? What environment

There is a reason this extreme right-wing fanatic has been rejected by Canadians - there is a reason we have not given him a majority.

It's not about the economy!

Stephen Harper is a Liar - Terry Milewski CBC finally takes him on.

"my people love me" "all my people love me" says Ghadafi - as protests fill the streets of Libya.

 "the coalition says no" "the coalition said no to" to various budget measures says Harper - as his government was felled by elected representatives for CONTEMPT of parliament.

When Ghadafi does it - Harper and others says he's a delusional dictator.

When Harper does it - the media reports it and re-reports it and fails to correct the lies Harper continues to perpetrate on the people of Canada.

The only difference is - the people of Canada can throw Harper out politically, peacefully at a ballot box.

The media is doing a disservice to Canadians. We want to talk about issues -socio/economic and talk about trust, integrity, and demand that politicians obey the laws of this country.

CBC just had a political "panel" on the election consisting of Rob Russo, Bureau Chief Ottawa Canadian Press and Tasha Kheiriddin, columnist National Post.

They proceeded to talk about how "coalition" is the issue of the campaign and that the Liberals need to come up with one or two key messages like that to make a difference.

Who made "coalition" the issue of the campaign? They downplayed the role of social media and then went on to talk about the "coalition".

Finally Terry Milewski, senior correspondent Ottawa CBC has taken a stand and stood up to be counted. He has taken Harper to account on the created "coalition" issue and he pointed out that Harper is calling a "coalition" "illegitimate" now when Milewski added in "fact" Harper said the opposite during the Martin minority. He has called Harper out on this major inconsistency - which I would call a lie as he has done with Newfoundland and Labrador, income trusts, elected senates, and on being lawful.

In comparison the last question from a reporter - taken by Harper at a campaign event in Ontario was:

"what are you going to do to get the Maple Leafs back in the playoffs?" What a joke!