It's become beyond the point of laughable with media coverage of Conservative politics and leadership in Canada, both federally and provincially. With the recent election win of Tim Hudac as the new leader of the PC party of Ontario, the media was quick out of the gate, led by the usual suspect James Travers of the Toronto Star, as saying the party made the wrong decision on choosing their new leader, that Hudac was another Mike Harris. Well, if he is, I would consider that a good thing. Ontario prospered under Harris, who by the way, actually increased health care spending at a faster pace than Dalton McGuinty, even with the federal Liberals under Chretien/Martin slashing transfer payments for health care to the province. The province also saw 500,000 jobs created during Harris tenure. Compare that with McGuinty turning the province into one of have-not status. Also, John Tory was denounced by the media as being McGuinty-lite.
On the whole, criticism of Hudac as the choice of leader might have some merit, except that one need only look at media coverage of other Conservative leaders as an example of the fact that regardless of what is done they will be vilified as being wrong. Take the PM, those same journalists, again led by Travers, have denounced the PM for supposedly abandoning Conservative principles, most notably with the January budget, which Travers himself likes to refer to as a "Liberal budget". So Hudac is the wrong choice because he represents and wants to implement Conservative values. The PM is now the wrong choice because he doesn't encompass Conservative values and has implemented left-wing policies.
Next we can look at Alberta, where Ralph Klein was also vilified for his implementation and leadership in Conservative ideology. Journalists mocked him for cutting spending to get government finances in order, for allowing the oilsands to grow and thereby allow the province to prosper, and by extension, all of Canada. Enter Ed Stelmach, who appears to be be more center-left than center-right. and again, the media throws insults his way, writing daily editorials for his leanings or things he has implemented as premier, with many saying he has abandoned Conservative principles.
So count me as being a little confused. Perhaps Travers and others can explain if it's a good thing or bad for a Conservative to act like one. whether a Conservative leader should be praised or criticised for following Conservative policy. Because right now, they are damned if they do, damned if they don't.
6 comments:
If it isn't a Liberal doing or saying it,
then it is to be criticized as unresponsive to reality,
or labeled radical.
To the Travers' in the media,
it's not the message,
it's all about the messenger.
Liberal good, Reform/Alliance/Conservative bad.
Iffy said :
'Harper was a "politician formed and shaped in the radical world of Calgary and Calgary think-tanks."
Obviously, Iffy hasn't read up on that chapter on Canadian political history.
The 'radicals from the Reform Party' were demanding balance books, getting rid of the deficit, paying down the debt and lowering taxes.
Then Chretien/Martin adopted 'the radical Reform agenda',
which rescued Canada from the former Liberal agenda.
Now media/Libs take credit for Reformer ideas, as their own Canada-saving policies.
article about Iffy and the 'radical PMSH':
http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Will+real+radical+please+stand/1759640/story.html
You cannot be surprised. It will not matter who leads a Conservative party he/she will be villified by the left wing media.
Travers and his ilk want to brand Hudak immediately so that anything he says will be viewed by Ontarians as Mike Harris lite. You can expect a lot more of this as the next Ontario election approaches. The media have been merciless in their attacks on Stephen Harper. The intent of the media is to help the Liberals to return to power. That, to them, is the natural order of things in Canada. Trouble is the Canadian people may have a different idea.
Travers then takes credit for allowing the liberals to corrupt steal abuse the E.I. for years; no wonder he is very quiet on the matters.
How is it Paul that you and other blogger have uncovered what the likes of TRAVERS failed too. It shows who are the better researcher- you paul, and others like you.
Travers has been a Liberal shill for years. He's the kind of "journalist" who gets very uncomfortable when he is more then 100km away form downtown Toronto.
Just read a comment at kady's,
if true, we definitely need to raise a stink over Mr. 'I am the only one to have been to Iran'
being incapable of putting out an original statement!!
''Libs plagiarized the official U.S. response to the situation in Iran in their press release almost word for word.''
Same thing in the U.S.; see the ongoing attacks on Sarah Palin.
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