Does anyone care to comment on the fact that 11 of Canada’s major newspapers are owned by the Liberal-friendly Asper family? Not to mention Global television? This coupled with the fact that the Toronto Star and Globe and Mail are typically Liberal rags?
Heck, Russell Mills the editor of the Ottawa Citizen (Asper Paper) was fired in 2002 for publishing an editorial which was uncomplimentary of Jean Chretien.
I can’t imagine why Mr. Harper is weary of the Canadian “free” press.
First of all, equating the Globe and the Star is nuts and terribly unfair to the Globe. The Globe and Mail makes a legitimate attempt to present the facts; if you see an unfair editorial bias there, you may want to check your biasometer. They’re as balanced as any newspaper in Canada. The Toronto Star, on the other hand, is basically the Liberal Party’s official newspaper, and is biased to the point of deliberate dishonesty. During the election they frequently ran anti-Conservative editorials disguised as news stories.
Secondly, sure, some papers lean Liberal. So what? Some lean Conservative. Ever read a National Post? They’re damn near as bad as the Star, except in the other direction. Eer read a Calgary Herald? Ever read any Sun newspaper? If any party has a reason to bitch about a lack of support from the mainstream press, it’s the NDP.
Third, so fucking what? Harper’s being criticized by the press. Well, that’s part of the job; the press is supposed to criticize the government. If he doesn’t like it, he should seek employment in some other field. I’m not saying it’s fair - it’s true that much of the Ottawa press gallery was long in cahoots with the Liberals, and are antagonistic towards the Conservatives. But politics never is fair; the same Toronto Star lackeys who hate Harper helped Paul Martin ride Jean Chretien out of town. You want to be a politician, ya better have the thick skin.
I wish we could say that of American media. They’re all corporate-owned and you can tell. But some shitheads perceive a “liberal bias” in CNN, of all things! :rolleyes:
Damn right. When i lived in Vancouver, the Sun was absolutely shameless. And it’s not just a matter of political bias with the Sun, it’s a matter of news values and journalistic integrity. It’s possible to have a political editorial bias and still offer good, high quality reporting. The Wall Street Journal is a perfect example, with attack dog conservatism on the Op-Ed pages, but some of the best journalists in the country reporting the stories.
My friend, who grew up in Vancouver, used to say that the Globe and Mail is for people who know how to read, the Sun is for people who are learning how to read, and the Province is for those who’ll never learn.
Not completely on topic and badly paraphrased (maybe from the SDMB?):
A comet is hurtling towards Earth, the headlines from these major papers:
I’ve heard this one slightly differently. The version I’ve heard comes after a federal budget at which the government decides to cut taxes:
Globe and Mail: Federal Gov’t Announces Tax Cut
Toronto Sun: Feds to Canadians: It’s Your Money; You Keep It
Toronto Star: Tax Cut Means Welfare Moms and Kids to Suffer
Further amusing news:
Harper orders MPs not to say anything regarding the two gay Mounties getting married in Nova Scotia
Given that people like Maurice Vellecott are in his caucus, that strikes me as being a prudent cautionary measure.
Actually, this strikes me as being appropriate. If Harper thinks some of his dumber MPs would criticize this, he’s right to tell them to shut up, isn’t he? MP’s SHOULDN’T be criticizing private citizens getting married.
Bill Graham should probably tell his caucus the same thing, if he hasn’t already. They have a few homophobes, too.
Oh, it’s an excellent idea. (Well, except that as Libby Davies said, in a sensible world he’d be congratulating them on their marriage like a polite person, but we’ll let that go.) I’m just amused at the admsision that it’s necessary.
Oh, it’s an excellent idea. (Well, except that as Libby Davies said, in a sensible world he’d be congratulating them on their marriage like a polite person, but we’ll let that go.) I’m just amused at the admsision that it’s necessary.
Whereas my queer-kicking, fetus worshipping MP bleats on in the House about how gays don’t want to marry because … only a few thousand gays got married when it was made legal. (How many before it’s OK, Rusty? And how many is ‘a few’?four thousand, forty thousand?) Before his election to parliament, Russ Hiebert spent his spare time organizing straight only marriage rallies. Gah, I speet on all your genital-obsessive morality! Legislators like him make me glad I got a hysto.
Reminds me of the campaign-trail twitting about how, when they repealed same-sex marriage, they would allow (oh, how nice of you!) existing same-sex marriages to continue.
Apparently, same-sex marriage is a horrible threat to the sanctity of the family and the Canadian way of life, except for those same-sex marriages contracted between 2003 and 2007.