I regularly give myself the CBC challenge..I take a month, and every day I look for any reporting that is even remotely skeptical about the PM or his government. Most months: Nada. Nothing. Zilch..Lots of articles about Trump, Putin, Danielle Smith, Poilievre — and all critical..The thread, and bent, is always childishly obvious..I do this, at least partially, because the editor of the CBC has consistently claimed that his taxpayer funded news agency is balanced and objective..Then three weeks ago on an episode of Power and Politics, in response to the Liberals attack on grocery store owners, David Cochrane, with a truly skeptical tone, had some tough questions for Minister of Industry Science and Innovation, Francois Philippe Champagne: “What's the plan? What tax measures? What are you threatening to do?”.Cochrane couldn't understand why Trudeau had changed tactics — proposing a tax on grocery store owners that he'd previously rejected — and changed them now..It was a dogged non-letup of an interview, the kind we used to see with CBC journalists like Julie VanDusen and Rex Murphy..“I was asking for specifics,” he says, looking around the studio, clearly frustrated, and finally asks, “What's changed other than the state of the country and political polling?”.Zinger one..Then earlier this week, a CBC article by Murray Brewster headlined: “Bill Blair steals a page out of the Harper playbook to justify cuts to National Defense; The new defence minister is blaming the bureaucrats — his critics say the argument makes no sense.”.Yes, there's the requisite photo of bogeyman Harper, but the details about the lack of budgetary competence 'on the Liberal watch' are compelling. Murray even cites a thorn in the Liberal's side, retired Vice-Admiral Mark Norman who in 2017 was accused of leaking cabinet secrets related to shipbuilding: "Notwithstanding the fact that they are no different than the previous government — they like to celebrate every time they buy big, shiny objects — their procurement record is abysmal. It's getting worse, it's taking longer. Even relatively simple projects, which arguably are military off-the-shelf, are still taking years longer than they should.".Norman alleges that the cuts and our inability to meet our basic NATO requirements at a time of geopolitical crises, suggests that Canada is “not a serious nation.”.The number crunching is solid, the analysis detailed. There is no hedging, no excusing — apart, maybe from an across-the bow shot at 'the Harper era.'.And with Bill Blair so fresh on the job. It's not Freeland or Jolie, but it's a start..That's two zingers..Then this by the CBC's Elizabeth Thompson: “Trudeau's Montana holiday cost taxpayers much more than reported.”.Gobsmacked..Trudeau right in the cross-hairs..“Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Easter weekend vacation in Montana cost taxpayers nearly a quarter of a million dollars, CBC News has learned—far more than the sum reported to Parliament.”.The Trip cost $228,000, apparently most of this for the Privy Council Office, Canadian Armed Forces, and in large part to the RCMP. Problem was Trudeau had disclosed only $23,846 to Parliament..“Trudeau's office refused to answer further questions regarding the trip, such as where he stayed in Montana, whether he paid for his accommodations, whether he visited anyone and who accompanied him there,” explains Thompson..I literally had to get a coffee, and tell my wife..Reporting on a topic that's in the public interest? Check..Uncovering what would otherwise be hidden? Check..Not editorializing? Check..Yes, the inference is made that these lavish expenses are a perennial problem, as Thompson highlights past travel controversies by our PM. But there's no finger wagging. She actually ends the story with “$26.72 for other expenses and $1,438 for other transportation.”.Just the facts, ma'am. No comparing to other costs incurred by the nasty Conservatives in the past. No defending the PM and suggesting it was an important trip for trade talks or whatnot. No hyperlinks to other stories only loosely connected to this one, and no hotline for an EDI cause at the end. Nope. The story is consistently, Trudeau took a trip that cost far more than he revealed to Parliament..Just what the headline had said..I literally checked that my URL was for the CBC..Are the winds of change blowing?.Of course, every so often a news agency will publish a story that is outside of their ideological bent, in order to appear objective: The CBC once posted a feature about a BC family who have an autistic son, and who in choosing to not have him aborted had to face pressure from both doctors and other 'concerned' people..And its worth noting that Thompson is a veteran and bureau chief who writes on politics and digital journalism, not one of the under thirty-somethings who have on their profiles the usual activist journalism topics..But its still the CBC! And three zingers — I speak relatively, of course — in one month!.What's going on? Why the sudden 'rigorous' reporting? Is it the dustup with India? The Nazi the House? The polls?.On September 18, the Western Standard published the story of the News Media Canada, a consortium of various media agencies, urging the government to double its $600 million 'temporary' bailout. These 'trusted news sources', according to lobbyist Paul Deegan, would also hope to receive 25% of government advertising, all due to “the precarious state of the news publishing industry.”.Of course, this relationship is a problem. As John Miller of U of T, and former foreign editor for the Toronto Star said, “Direct aid to the people who report the news, that's dangerous.”.Indeed, how can any reporter for this media consortium prove that they have not backed off on a government story because of whose paying their salary?.But the point is, our mainstream news agencies are going back to the trough, and at a time when they sense that something is changing in the political landscape..Yes, its only three stories, and in the world of nudges and well planned distractions, one hesitates to have any real hope for significant change. But, powerful institutions don't like giving up power any more than governments do; they will do anything to keep it. Guaranteed, if the CBC is suddenly choosing to critique Trudeau and his government, its because there's something in it for them.
I regularly give myself the CBC challenge..I take a month, and every day I look for any reporting that is even remotely skeptical about the PM or his government. Most months: Nada. Nothing. Zilch..Lots of articles about Trump, Putin, Danielle Smith, Poilievre — and all critical..The thread, and bent, is always childishly obvious..I do this, at least partially, because the editor of the CBC has consistently claimed that his taxpayer funded news agency is balanced and objective..Then three weeks ago on an episode of Power and Politics, in response to the Liberals attack on grocery store owners, David Cochrane, with a truly skeptical tone, had some tough questions for Minister of Industry Science and Innovation, Francois Philippe Champagne: “What's the plan? What tax measures? What are you threatening to do?”.Cochrane couldn't understand why Trudeau had changed tactics — proposing a tax on grocery store owners that he'd previously rejected — and changed them now..It was a dogged non-letup of an interview, the kind we used to see with CBC journalists like Julie VanDusen and Rex Murphy..“I was asking for specifics,” he says, looking around the studio, clearly frustrated, and finally asks, “What's changed other than the state of the country and political polling?”.Zinger one..Then earlier this week, a CBC article by Murray Brewster headlined: “Bill Blair steals a page out of the Harper playbook to justify cuts to National Defense; The new defence minister is blaming the bureaucrats — his critics say the argument makes no sense.”.Yes, there's the requisite photo of bogeyman Harper, but the details about the lack of budgetary competence 'on the Liberal watch' are compelling. Murray even cites a thorn in the Liberal's side, retired Vice-Admiral Mark Norman who in 2017 was accused of leaking cabinet secrets related to shipbuilding: "Notwithstanding the fact that they are no different than the previous government — they like to celebrate every time they buy big, shiny objects — their procurement record is abysmal. It's getting worse, it's taking longer. Even relatively simple projects, which arguably are military off-the-shelf, are still taking years longer than they should.".Norman alleges that the cuts and our inability to meet our basic NATO requirements at a time of geopolitical crises, suggests that Canada is “not a serious nation.”.The number crunching is solid, the analysis detailed. There is no hedging, no excusing — apart, maybe from an across-the bow shot at 'the Harper era.'.And with Bill Blair so fresh on the job. It's not Freeland or Jolie, but it's a start..That's two zingers..Then this by the CBC's Elizabeth Thompson: “Trudeau's Montana holiday cost taxpayers much more than reported.”.Gobsmacked..Trudeau right in the cross-hairs..“Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Easter weekend vacation in Montana cost taxpayers nearly a quarter of a million dollars, CBC News has learned—far more than the sum reported to Parliament.”.The Trip cost $228,000, apparently most of this for the Privy Council Office, Canadian Armed Forces, and in large part to the RCMP. Problem was Trudeau had disclosed only $23,846 to Parliament..“Trudeau's office refused to answer further questions regarding the trip, such as where he stayed in Montana, whether he paid for his accommodations, whether he visited anyone and who accompanied him there,” explains Thompson..I literally had to get a coffee, and tell my wife..Reporting on a topic that's in the public interest? Check..Uncovering what would otherwise be hidden? Check..Not editorializing? Check..Yes, the inference is made that these lavish expenses are a perennial problem, as Thompson highlights past travel controversies by our PM. But there's no finger wagging. She actually ends the story with “$26.72 for other expenses and $1,438 for other transportation.”.Just the facts, ma'am. No comparing to other costs incurred by the nasty Conservatives in the past. No defending the PM and suggesting it was an important trip for trade talks or whatnot. No hyperlinks to other stories only loosely connected to this one, and no hotline for an EDI cause at the end. Nope. The story is consistently, Trudeau took a trip that cost far more than he revealed to Parliament..Just what the headline had said..I literally checked that my URL was for the CBC..Are the winds of change blowing?.Of course, every so often a news agency will publish a story that is outside of their ideological bent, in order to appear objective: The CBC once posted a feature about a BC family who have an autistic son, and who in choosing to not have him aborted had to face pressure from both doctors and other 'concerned' people..And its worth noting that Thompson is a veteran and bureau chief who writes on politics and digital journalism, not one of the under thirty-somethings who have on their profiles the usual activist journalism topics..But its still the CBC! And three zingers — I speak relatively, of course — in one month!.What's going on? Why the sudden 'rigorous' reporting? Is it the dustup with India? The Nazi the House? The polls?.On September 18, the Western Standard published the story of the News Media Canada, a consortium of various media agencies, urging the government to double its $600 million 'temporary' bailout. These 'trusted news sources', according to lobbyist Paul Deegan, would also hope to receive 25% of government advertising, all due to “the precarious state of the news publishing industry.”.Of course, this relationship is a problem. As John Miller of U of T, and former foreign editor for the Toronto Star said, “Direct aid to the people who report the news, that's dangerous.”.Indeed, how can any reporter for this media consortium prove that they have not backed off on a government story because of whose paying their salary?.But the point is, our mainstream news agencies are going back to the trough, and at a time when they sense that something is changing in the political landscape..Yes, its only three stories, and in the world of nudges and well planned distractions, one hesitates to have any real hope for significant change. But, powerful institutions don't like giving up power any more than governments do; they will do anything to keep it. Guaranteed, if the CBC is suddenly choosing to critique Trudeau and his government, its because there's something in it for them.
