Update #1: On August 19th 2013, Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that he will be proroguing Parliament for the third time since 2008. This time, he is using this extremely rare move (for all other PMs, not him) in the hope that the Senate Scandal he created will have lost its importance in the minds of Canadian voters. I feel it is up to the Canadian Media to take our Prime Minister to task for this affront to Canadian democracy. Mr. Harper needs to speak to Canadians about the Senate Scandal, about the Robocall debacle, about Deregulation of the Rail Industry and the Lac Megantic catastrophe.
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Mr. Harper, you have been my Prime Minister for seven and a half years now. Over that time I have wanted to ask you lots of questions. Because I never get the chance to ask you, I have wanted journalists to pose these questions. I have come to learn, however, that it is not a simple matter for journalists to ask you any questions of import.
* * * * * *
Mr. Harper, you have been my Prime Minister for seven and a half years now. Over that time I have wanted to ask you lots of questions. Because I never get the chance to ask you, I have wanted journalists to pose these questions. I have come to learn, however, that it is not a simple matter for journalists to ask you any questions of import.
You rarely hold news conferences, Mr. Harper, and when you
do, you are adamant that the entire group of journalists will ask a maximum of
five questions. This surprises me on two counts: first, I cannot recall any
leader, Canadian or American, who has paid such little regard for taking
questions from the media, and by extension, citizens; and second, it is we
Canadian citizens who pay your wages.
I assume you are a busy fellow. Besides all of the demands
required of a Prime Minister, you have repeatedly told us that you are writing
a book on the history of hockey. (I am an avid hockey fan and played the game
for almost 40 years, so as surprised as I am that you of all people have decided to write on
such a topic, I am looking forward to reading what you have to say about it.)
So I am cutting you some slack on why it is so difficult to
find the time to speak to Canadians about important matters. Some of these
matters are related to scandals, but as we have seen with Mr. Obama and the IRS
and NSA scandals, sometimes the best approach for a nation’s leader is simply
to come right out and address these kinds of questions.
I have dozens of questions that I would like you to answer.
But for the sake of time, I have chosen what you deem to be an adequate number:
five. I apologize for the wordiness, but I feel that some background for each
question may be helpful. Here they are.
Mr. Prime Minister:
1.
Given that the first state-owned oil and gas
company of North America, SaskOil, was sold to private investors by
Saskatchewan’s Progressive Conservative Government in 1986 (when it became
Nexen), does it seem ironic to you that
your government recently allowed the sale of Nexen to CNOOC, which is a
state-owned company of China?
2.
Given that on March 25th 1994, when
you were a rookie Reform MP, you made an eloquent speech in defense of
democracy by speaking against the federal Liberal government’s 21-page omnibus
bill, why did your government develop
and pass the 425-page omnibus Budget Bill C-38 that, among many other
non-budgetary items, gutted the regulations of most Canadian fresh waterways
without any open public debate?
3.
Given the public uproar over the ubiquitous use
of robocalls during the last federal election (in which you won a majority
government), why did you subsequently and repeatedly send
expensive lawyers to stop the courts from hearing the Robocall case brought forth by the
Council of Canadians?
4.
Given the fact that every student in
publicly-funded Canadian schools has been taught to value the knowledge gained
from science and the scientific method, why
has your government attempted so strenuously to muzzle its scientists?
5.
Given the incredible demands that the job we pay
you to do has, do you really have the
time to write a book about the history of hockey?
Those are my five
questions, Mr. Prime Minister. Although not all of them are easy ones for you
to answer, you must be pleased that none of them have anything to do with your
recent choices for the Canadian Senate, namely, Senators Brazeau, Duffy and
Wallin, nor the mysterious $90,000 cheque.
I am certain that other Canadians have their own important questions for you to answer. It's too bad that you have to spend so much time writing that book about hockey!
I am certain that other Canadians have their own important questions for you to answer. It's too bad that you have to spend so much time writing that book about hockey!
(For more on Stephen Harper’s reluctance to answer the
questions of Canadian journalists, and by corollary, Canadian citizens, please
see http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/05/22/f-rfa-macdonald-obama-harper-scandals.html)
Two more questions that must be asked:
ReplyDelete1. Given that your communications director Erica Meekes sent unsolicited financial documentation to the Barrie Advance about Justin Trudeau's money-losing speech, with the caveat that "these materials are provided to you on background, and should be attributed to a ‘source.’”, how much of our money do you actually spend telling media outlets what to think, ask and write? see http://thetyee.ca/Mediacheck/2013/06/20/Harper-Playing-News-Editor/
2. Given your record of defense procurement botch-ups (including the F-35s, the long-delayed search-and-rescue planes, the billions of dollars that continue to be wasted on Canada’s troubled, second-hand fleet of Victoria-class submarines, and "forgetting" to budget for necessary helicopters for newly-built Arctic ships) costing us billions of our dollars, would you agree that you are either a. completely fiscally incompetent, or b. Mr. Bean's twin brother? (see http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2013/07/31/the_mr_bean_approach_to_defence_procurement.html)
Ah, yes, the botched plan to purchase the F-35 stealth jets. Thanks for mentioning that (as well as the smile for the Mr. Bean's twin comment). I have always wanted our Media to ask Mr. Harper if he knew that the actual cost of buying the F-35 jets was almost double what his party campaigned on in 2011, or was Peter MacKay the only one who lied to the public.
ReplyDeleteHere is my question for Harper:
ReplyDeleteDo you believe that deregulation had anything to do with the train catastrophe at Lac Megantic in Quebec last month?
Good question!
DeleteIt would be good for our democracy if we could get the Prime Minister to express his thoughts on deregulation and the Lac Megantic disaster.
But how do we get him to talk to us??
Thanks for posting!
Another great post!
ReplyDeleteHarper's (and his ministers') refusal to answer questions- both to the media and in the House - are obviously a method to engineer the message to the vast majority of citizens who pay little attention to these matters, and thus through tacit approval consolidate power in the executive.
Of course anti-democratic discourse is a (documented) part of the modern conservative agenda. Democracy holds junior status to market theodicy, which has become the single truth to strive toward regardless of the consequences. (Canada's Liberal party is no better in this regard than the Conservative party.)
Even if some reporters voice their objections to this silence, continued editorial endorsement of papers like the Globe provide direct evidence that the so-called "Fourth Estate" is not a check on worldview, but largely a tool for establishing this anti-democratic hegemony.
So while the media ownership's complicity in Harper's silence is equally if not more disturbing than Harper's actions, it's not surprising. Corporate media is fundamentally purposed to serve and be served by market forces. (Broadly speaking, The Star's Atkinson Principles exempt it from some of this criticism.)
Your post further illustrates society's need for a vibrant not-for-profit and public media. Harper isn't playing the media- corporate media are playing along with him.
Thank you for your thoughtful comment, Jonas. You make an excellent point that was not part of my piece, namely, that it might just not be Harper who is keeping the mainstream media from asking these questions, but the journalists themselves!
ReplyDeleteThis would help explain why the newspapers never have a headline on their front pages along the lines of:
"Harper Refuses to Answer Many Questions Addressing the Concerns of Canadians" or something to that effect.
A few weeks with those kinds of headlines blaring out at the populace and I'll wager that our Prime Minister would hold more news conferences and take more than five questions at a time.
This would be a good thing for our democracy because, after all, we do pay this man's wages.
Yet another 2 questions for Harper...
ReplyDeleteWhy are the courts now muzzling and fining environmental activists for speaking out about the destruction caused by fish farms in Canada?
Have you begun admiring the traits of North Korea's leader?
I really like your first question! It is so strange that the Harper Cons keep getting away with this strategy of muzzling people. And this is occurring in a western democracy?
ReplyDeleteRegarding the second one, I assume that you are pointing to Mr. Harper's authoritarian ways? Yes, I agree, our federal government's approach clearly is to stifle dissent - not what we think of when we imagine what living in a true democracy is all about.
Would it not be amazing if Mr. Harper actually took a bit of time to speak to Canadians about SOME of these issues?
Thanks for your questions!
Even Tiberius (Caesar) actually answered unvetted questions from senators and the "crowds" if one is to believe Tacitus.
ReplyDeleteThen again Tiberius was just the emperor of the roman empire with half the known world under his sway. /end sarcasm.
I endorse Paul's critique of Harper's organized avoidance of answering compelling political, economical and ecological worries facing Canada and the world. As well, the insightful historical anecdote (regarding Tiberius) highlights Harper's hubris.
ReplyDeleteBut, pushing the metaphor of the emperor disrobed, one of the most effective ways to keep him exposed is to focus the public outcry on the weakest chink in his armour -Harper's self-proclaimed integrity.
Reminding the Canadian public about Harper's broken political promises, hypocritical positions or even untruths, however, quickly fades into yesterday's trivia. Coupled with the subterfuge of the slick political spin doctors, allied by a highly controlled media, the public becomes confused, or desensitized, by political scandals.
Although an intellectual critique of moral wrong doing might be cogent, it only reaches a tiny audience. Until a wrong doing resonates with the general public, spin doctors will successfully "deny, deflect and defer" any malfeasance. Occasionally, the emperor reveals his nakedness. And when he does, all the ethical forces should unite to banish him from his empire. Concretely, the swirling scandal of the Senate, and the infamous $90,000 cheque, constitute the first time that Harper has been disrobed.
Any talk of Harper becoming more transparent, or consultative by holding press conferences, would be a continuation of his consummate use of "smoke and mirrors".
It is time for a regime change!
Carpe diem,
Richard
Thank you for your thoughtful response to my blog post, Richard. I agree with you that somehow we need the general public to realize how anti-democratic the Harper Cons are, and the dangers created by this.
ReplyDeleteIt is my assumption that very few Canadians would prefer an authoritarian regime over the democracy we have had for many many decades, a functioning system that worked fairly well ... until recently that is.
I think it would be a very good thing for our nation if citizens started sending questions they have for Mr. Harper to answer to various media outlets across the country.
Eventually, even the pro-Harper corporate media will let him know that the strategy of ignoring the concerns of regular citizens is not going to work anymore, that he actually must talk to us (we who pay this guy's wages even when he refuses to talk to us).
A few more urgent questions for Stephen Harper:
ReplyDelete1. What does Senator Mike Duffy know about you and your government that your most trusted and intimate advisor, Nigel Wright, would risk serious criminal charges in order to keep Duffy quiet?
2. If you really didn't know what Nigel Wright was doing in the case of Senator Duffy, have you now discovered what other illegal activities have been carried out by Wright and other members of your staff since you became Prime Minister?
3. Have you made full and complete disclosure to the RCMP, of all relevant documents and records, and have you given them a complete statement yourself?
4. How soon will you be resigning?
These are all such excellent questions, Fiorella, thank you for posting them.
ReplyDeleteOf course, in a functioning democracy, our esteemed Prime Minister would not be able to stonewall the efforts of the RCMP in their investigation of the infamous "$90 grand to Duffy affair." Because Harper has not fully complied with the RCMP, we are left to conclude that our democracy is not functioning the way it should. It really is too bad that Harper has so much support from people who do not seem to be concerned at how our democracy is becoming weaker and weaker.
By the way, your fourth and final question has put a bit of a jump in my step - thank you.
FIVE questions?!?!
ReplyDeleteThose were the good ol' days...
"The PM pays a visit to the Irving Oil refinery in Saint John, where he will pose for photos -- but not, according to the advisory, actually take questions from reporters at what has been officially designated a 'cameras only' event -- alongside New Brunswick Premier David Alward, ACOA Minister Rob Moore and Irving Oil chair Arthur Irving. "
http://www.cbc.ca/newsblogs/politics/inside-politics-blog/2013/08/cameras-only-for-pms-visit-to-irving-refinery-in-saint-john.html
Thanks, Jonas! You may be correct - Harper's Five Question Maxim may one day be seen as the salad days when we were green with envy.
ReplyDeleteWe may actually get our Prime Minister to actually talk to us about major issues (such as the first four questions in the original blog post, and many of the questions that have been posted by commentators) IF citizens and the mainstream media start demanding that he quit this ridiculous illusion of a wall between him and the people. The mainstream media, however, are crucial to getting the PM to talk to Canadians. And as you pointed out in an earlier comment, much of the corporate media are complicit in protecting Harper from being asked these questions.
It actually boggles my mind that our Prime MInister has gotten away with this simple strategy of either ignoring us OR demanding that the entire media ask five questions maximum at his extremely rare news conferences.
Perhaps an "Update #2" is in order, since as of today he's effectively halved the number of answers he is giving Canadians:
ReplyDelete"A PMO adviser told reporters Monday in advance that Stephen Harper would not provide answers in both official languages, as he has for the past seven years (and he’s uncannily good at repeating the exact same message in both official languages).
It’s a standard request. It means reporters for French- and English-language outlets don’t have to repeat questions and each get replies. And it allows more subjects to be covered since the PM limits the number of questions he’ll take and almost always refuses to answer follow-ups."
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/08/19/stephen_harper_makes_questions_more_difficult_in_both_languages.html
Thanks for this, Jonas. I wonder if the reason Mr. Harper is spending less and less time talking to reporters, and by extension, Canadian citizens, is because he needs more time to devote to that silly history of hockey book he is apparently writing.
DeleteI really cannot shake the feeling that a guy like Stephen Harper writing a book on hockey is similar to a guy like Conrad Black writing a book on how best to walk in stilettos. Neither of them has very much experience on the subject to which they are writing! (That said, I am more certain of Mr. Harper's lack of prowess playing hockey than I am with Mr. Black's ability to walk in stilettos.)