This is… astonishing. Did he really expect he was going to be able to choreograph the media’s questions? Did he really expect he was going to be able to be Prime Minister without being peppered with questions, many of which would go in a direction he didn’t like?
Because from where I’m sitting…
…sounds like, “I had to come up with something off the top of my head one too many times. Now when I want to justify my bullshit policies, I’ll do so in front of media I can rely on to be more pliable.”
He already won’t let the media see the caskets of dead soldiers, even if the family want them there; is he planning to reproduce every PR policy of the Bush administration? Because if so, I know some porn actors who might like press passes.
Hopefully he’ll keep on being this frank about his mindset for the duration of his tenure. It’ll make the next election more pleasant to look forward to.
For someone who bitched daily about lack of transparency on the part of the Liberals, he does seem rather obsessed with controlling every aspect of how the public receives information about his government. I really, really want the Tories to be a reasonable party some of whose policies I might oppose but whom I’m not unwilling to hand power to now and then. Shit like this certainly isn’t helping. Fortunately, he won’t find it so easy to duck out of Question Period. I really hope he’s raked over the coals by all opposition parties for this. I’ll grant him that the Canadian media’s got a somewhat small-l liberal bias, but he apparently thinks that Liberal PMs didn’t get asked tough questions or something, which is complete bullshit.
Stephen, have the stones to stand up and take it like a man. If you don’t like the questions being asked, answer the question you wanted to be asked instead like every other PM in history has done, rather than throwing a tantrum like some 2-year old. Or for bonus points, answer by explaining why the question is unfair, and then explain what the fair version of the question would be, and answer that. You’re the fucking Prime Minister. You aren’t being oppressed.
Naah. He still restains some vestiges of competence, although this latest flap has me wondering how quickly they are evaporating. He was awfully credulous with that Iranian report.
Thank Og it’s a minority government, and the other parties can pull the plug on it by a vote of non-confidence.
Har. This won’t last six weeks. A Prime Minister cannot avoid scrums and press conferences and allow the opposition leaders, buy doing THEIR press conferences, to get all the face time on Parliament Hill.
An interesting discussion in today’s globe and mail (registration may be required)
Peter Donolo has a good line: “It’s a bit like picking a fight with your mother-in-law. It may feel great at the moment. But she’s around for the long haul. She has a million ways of getting back at you, and making your life miserable. It’s just not worth it.”
Is the government having supply problems? Harper’s dependant on the Bloc Quebecois to stay in power (gotta love the irony). What would it take to get them to block supply?
Actually, the Conservatives and NDP also make a majority. And depending on the vote, Harper may also get the support of a certain number of Liberals, so he’s not entirely depending on the Bloc.
As far as I know, no party wants an election in the short term, so it would take a lot to decide them to make the government fall.
Prediction: March 2007, the current government will table legislation that triggers a non confidence vote. They will loose. The ads for the ensuing election will include the fact that the Conservatives have done alot for Canada and were brought down by the power hungry Liberals. Conservative majority follows. That’s the strategy as far as I can see.
This would require the Liberals to be almost pathologically stupid. Depending who their leader is, I would be shocked if they allowed the government to fall on a routine vote before 2008.
Well, your words, not mine on the almost pathologically stupid thing. From what I hear from government employees (ie: family and friends, read into that what you will), it’s a disticnt possibility. I honestly think it could happen. Who are the Liberals going to pick as leader? I can’t see a uniter on the current slate. Although, minority governments for the next few decades might not be a bad thing.
BTW, don’t blame me for the current situation, I voted for Paul Dewar
