We Didn't Mean It...Really

I am sure everyone has read this story by now, but apparently, the government has decided to scrap the plan.

Well, why wouldn't they? As petulant as this PM has been, the media have followed him around like puppies looking for a reward and overall they have not held him or the government to account. His coverage has been pretty damn good.

Had I been one of them, I would have shunned him at the National Press Gallery, but nope, they were there in droves and even stated they were dying to ask what prompted the move, but refrained. Pant, pant, where's my treat?

Consider that every Con spokesperson, from the PM on down...wait, I guess that's really just the PM and the "spinners", (okay, some select cabinet people who have been given enough treats to stay on message) is constantly speaking to the fact that they passed all of their priorities. The "got the job done" line is rarely challenged.

Instead of just putting the usual Liberal counter-points out there, I'll ask this question. If indeed they had accomplished all they set out to do, why would they be telling us that they need a Throne Speech to address what they were unable to, wait for it...get done?

Come on. The media do not challenge. On the Environment front for example, I just heard an ad on radio that was completely misleading. You would think that they placed hard caps on all industry, yesterday, and GHG's will start dropping tomorrow.

I don't expect the media to challenge an ad specifically, but they allow people like Baird to make these claims, without pointing out how ridiculous they are.

By the same token, I would say that the media do not challenge Dion either. What I mean is, they never ask him about policy. Their sole focus is on discord within the party. That's the nonsense stuff, but it's easily consumed and they seem to be thrilled with this narrative. That's not to say that things are peachy internally, but there is more going on. Where's the intellectual curiousity about that? They are quick to say that Dion has no policy, but then never proceed to probe him on that front.

In defense of the media. Had this "Shoe Store" project proceeded, I would have been out there with those in the media who would have protested. The idea was both paranoid and vainglorious. In fact, that may be a good description of Mr. Harper.

One last thing. If one more person in the media, (or another line of work that shows up on/in media), to suggest that Canadians do not care about them and what they do, I am going to scream.

We saw Burma shut down media. We see daily what government controlled media results in. We see our media here as a fundamental component of our democracy.

Yes. We care! In fact we more than care. We expect you to take your responsibility seriously.