Stephen Harper Is Learning the #1 Most Important Political Lesson

Don't mess with the CBC. Don't screw with their budget, don't screw with their mandate.

For those of you who aren't Canadian, the CBC is our version the BBC. Paid for by tax payers and created in order to promote Canadian news and Canadian programming.

For decades, politicians, business owners and even the general public have known that the CBC is 'usually' a mouth piece for either the political party in power, or the official opposition.

That all changed last year. Stephen Harper's austerity filled budget also included cuts to CBC's budget. This caused the CBC to cancel some very popular and long running programs as well as having to start firing staff.

Since this perceived attack on the CBC took place, they've been the most aggressive I have ever seen when it comes to exposing scandals, asking actual hard questions and not bowing to the pressure of the government.

As we saw with the Canadian Foreign Workers Program, the Senate Finance Scandal and the Voter Fraud allegations from last year's election, the CBC has been the only major news outlet in Canada to challenge our governments ineptitude and criticize their often lame rhetoric and question dodging.

This is why a publicly owned media is important for any nation to have. Not one controlled by the state, but paid for by the taxpayers and with a mandate to inform and with journalistic integrity standards written and enforced by law.

Mark my words Stephen Harper and your Western Reform Party, your downfall will not be because you are a corrupt and have committed acts of treason against Canadians. It will be because you insulted a group of people who hold more sway and have far more political power than you ever could dream of.

~Tenth

and is that a good thing?

I don't even like Harper, the globalist that he is.....but I don't like the fact that public sector unions, and other special interest groups have that kind of power.

Just take a look at Rob Ford and the intense hate that is directed towards him for trying to cut back spending. Hell, even I was told by a liberal that I am an elitist because I want smaller government, want less socialistic programs in Canada - I was told my money isn't really mine, it is for the public to determine what should be done with it.

reply to post by tothetenthpower

the CBC is our version the BBC. Paid for by tax payers and created in order to promote Canadian news and Canadian programming

More like just a liberal / socialist media outlet. Shouldn't be funded by tax dollars - PERIOD.

Sounds a lot like the BBC in fact, the only difference is that our BBC has become more timid and nothing more than a mouthpiece for whoever is in government.

It would have been great to see "auntie Beeb" getting bitchy, but it seems she's now nothing more than a dribbling wreck in the corner of the day room waiting for the PM to come along and giver her some meds.

reply to post by MidnightTide

and is that a good thing?

No, I would rather we bring him to court for his crimes and then exile him from the country, remove his citizen status. But if the CBC is gonna take care of it, I'm not bothered by the means.

I don't even like Harper, the globalist that he is.....but I don't like the fact that public sector unions, and other special interest groups have that kind of power.

A media for the people, by the people should be that powerful. Politicians and those in power should really fear the information outlets and not for one moment feel like they have any semblance of control.

Accountability and honesty in politics and government, only occurs when the institution that is asking the questions is more powerful than those who refuse to answer them.

I'm not familiar with Rob Ford's policies or his politician decisions other than the controversy in the media, which I summarily ignore really, cause who cares about a crack head mayor. The city is still running fine, no need to go on a witch hunt.

I don't want fewer social programs, I want better run social programs.

More like just a liberal / socialist media outlet. Shouldn't be funded by tax dollars - PERIOD.

The BBC is either a liberal /social media outlet when the Conservatives are in charge, or the opposite when the liberals are in charge. At least that's what people on either side will claim.

And yes, they should be funded by us, and we should have more control over the CBC in general as people who do fund it. Ballot initiatives come to mind.

~Tenth

I can certainly see the logic behind what you are saying about the CBC, but there are a few other main stream media outlets which also are not afraid to call it as they see it. One could point to the popular CTV and it's two premier news programs; the daily Question Period and weekly Power Play. I watch them both consistently and the panels are not shy about asking pointed questions. Right-wing newspapers such as the Globe and Mail and the National Post are not too shy either, if you follow them at all. In fact, the NP has been called the new Toronto Star recently, and that's quite a statement knowing their roots.

All in all, I'd say that the media in Canada is not being choked as much as it could be should The Harper Government ever decide to get down and nasty.

reply to post by masqua


I agree that the other outlets have been better as of late, but IMO that's a result of the CBC being such a pit bull.

I think a lot of those places take their Q's from the CBC's willingness to keep an issue no the front page.

I find in the past when the CBC was more mum, so were the others. If the CBC weren't breaking exclusive stories about the Senate Scandal, I doubt CTV or any other would have pursued it so strongly.

Originally posted by MidnightTide
More like just a liberal / socialist media outlet. Shouldn't be funded by tax dollars - PERIOD.

Sounds like you live in a heavily populated area.

The system which the CBC supplies reaches across the breadth and width of this immense nation. Places like Whitehorse, Yellowknife and Pelly Bay have current programming and news because of that funding by tax payers. It wouldn't happen any other way because no privately owned media is going to fork over the expense of broadcasting in remote areas of this country.

This is also why the CBC must not fail.

The CBC deserves zero dollars in funding.

Hope the Conservatives hack away at their budget even more.

reply to post by tothetenthpower


Well, instead of partisan politics, how about we audit every single Senator, every MPP - every public funded agency.

Originally posted by MidnightTide
reply to post by tothetenthpower

 

Well, instead of partisan politics, how about we audit every single Senator, every MPP - every public funded agency.

There are many senators, both Liberal and Conservative, who are asking for that exact thing.

The Senate voted on Thursday to ask Auditor General Michael Ferguson to take a look at the way money is spent by the Senate itself and by individual senators.

Source

Sen. Marjory LeBreton, the Conservative government leader in the Senate, said Monday she would table a motion Tuesday to ask Ferguson’s office to do a “comprehensive audit” of Senate expenses.

How far back the audit would go, and how detailed it would be, has yet to be determined by the Senate itself.

But the wording of the motion, which wasn’t immediately available, would put all options on the table, LeBreton said.

“The public would have a lot of faith in the auditor-general,” she told Postmedia News.

“We owe it to the public to ensure that the Senate is run properly and takes good care of taxpayers’ dollars.”

Source

Besides that Senate reform has been very popular as of late and a lot of people are trying to get it either abolished or drastically changed.

Not as partisan as one thinks.

~Tenth

Harper is his own worst enemy. At least he didn't piss off Don Cherry. He'd be gone in a week.

Originally posted by MidnightTide
reply to post by tothetenthpower

 

Well, instead of partisan politics, how about we audit every single Senator, every MPP - every public funded agency.

Good idea. I'm all for it, and let's not forget the MP's too, like Justin Trudeau suggested last week.

The Canadian news is simply a blind parrot of the media in the US most of the time....
They sell the same tired agenda of more and more government control of our minds and lives.
Regardless of whos in power, the Media here is working for the global agendas.

Originally posted by stirling
The Canadian news is simply a blind parrot of the media in the US most of the time....
They sell the same tired agenda of more and more government control of our minds and lives.
Regardless of whos in power, the Media here is working for the global agendas.

I think in one way or another all news media is leaning towards a globalist view point and agenda for sure.

However, it's important that we attempt to maintain the institutions that we have historically held the most control over, like publicly funded news. Honestly I want a lot of changes as far as the CBC is concerned.

I'd like to see some legislation for journalistic integrity and protection of whistle blowers. I know we have the ladder but they aren't good enough. I'd also like to see a branch of the CBC exclusively devoted to investigating and reporting on matters of the house, senate and other government offices.

With 100% transparency of content and findings.

Pipe dream right? It sure seems that way. But it would be far harder if there wasn't an established public system that we can take control over at any time.

~Tenth

reply to post by stirling



Yes... of course they are. How silly of me.

It is always wise to bow to a higher wisdom.

















(not)

reply to post by tothetenthpower


The inevitable outcome of a government dedicated to the suppression of information is always the same... they lose it and lose it badly.

Harper's choir in the PMO might sing the same tune upon the flick of his baton, but behind those collective eyes are brains that think whatever they want and, if it gets bad enough, then those brains get devious.

We're already seeing this happening between the progressive conservatives and those of the social bent. There is a rift developing, persons within Harper's Inner Cabinet are falling on their swords, his minions in the Senate are in crisis mode and their base is becoming equally split... even in Alberta.

How do we know this? Because we watch the news and read newspapers... that's why. So, in my view, the notion that we are marching to the tune of Yankee Doodle Dandy is just ridiculous and based on nothing substantive at all.

Perhaps those who believe otherwise have been watching too many of those Action Canada commercials we, the taxpayers, have spent $16M on. For me, it's all just money wasted on nothing because the Tar Sands are going to be a losing venture eventually. It's just that Joe Oliver hasn't been given the nod to tone down the rhetoric yet.

Build some refineries in Alberta to employ Canadians and sell the product to Canadians. What? we can't afford to refine our own oil?

reply to post by MidnightTide


In the balance between a monopolist/fascist/corrupt psychopathic leader, or unions and power to the people , you sound like power to the people is the worst evil. OMG no wonder this world is so sickening and so many are suffering. We, all of us, without exception, and no one is off the hook, have a duty to wake up and stand for equality and the people. Cannot graduate earth and hellzones like this otherwise.

Harper needs life in prison, he's that bad!

reply to post by Unity_99


and Muclair and Trudeau - are they any better? Hardly.

We have nothing to choose from.....and your power to the people. Now that makes me laugh. There is no power to the people, someone corrupt ALWAYS rises to power if you give them enough time.

Originally posted by MidnightTide
reply to post by Unity_99

 

and Muclair and Trudeau - are they any better? Hardly.

Yes. Yes either would be much much better. Harper prorogued Parliament twice to avoid being held to account, was found in contempt of Parliament (unique in the Commonwealth's modern history), introduced sweeping omnibus bills with very limited debate, sold-out our resources, sovereignty, environment, and health to authoritarian China, and has overseen the largest Senate scandal in our history (just so non-Canadians know, Harper's Chief of Staff wrote a sitting Senator (chosen by Harper) a cheque for $90 000 to pay back expenses that he illegally claimed). Need I go on? Because I could.

Thank You OP for posting this thread. The CBC is a national treasure. Canadians know their country because of the CBC.

reply to post by kimar


Trust me, as bad as Harper is, if either of those two get elected the resulting mess will make Harper seem like a saint. CBC is nothing but a walking talking leftist agenda machine.

Talking about accountability - how about the CBC become transparent with its over 1 billion subsidy. How about more news on the Ontario Liberal Party deleting emails over their half a billion gas plant scandal. Seems to me that the CBC is sort of like Quebec, they are in it for themselves and their agenda. The OP is correct in stating that don't mess with the money or they will go for your throat.

Canadians know their country because of the CBC.

So we know about Anne of Green Gables? About little mosque on the prairie? The only thing that Canadians know about the CBC is Hockey Night in Canada.