by arthur Weinreb, associate Editor,
December 17, 2004
and there is a very good reason for that as Conservative Party leader Stephen Harper found out recently--the media always has the last word.
The thin-skinned Harper took issue with the fact that the National Post was not blindly cheering his party on. Harper, in a short letter to the editor, argued as he now must do, that his party is really conservative. The National Post had simply noticed what everyone else who has been watching has noticed; the Conservative Party of Canada is drifting towards the centre.
Harper ended his letter by saying that what Canada needs is a real conservative newspaper, a comment he undoubtedly regrets making. His letter was responded to by a column by David asper, Chairman of the National Post. asper pointed out that the National Post is indeed a conservative newspaper and defined conservative as believing in conservative principles as opposed to following a particular party. Harper’s letter allowed asper to bring home the point to readers that although the paper may have a conservative bias, they are not beholden to the alleged right wing party of the official opposition.
asper’s column was followed by one written by columnist adam Radwanski, appropriately entitled, "The amateur hour that will not end". Radwanski pointed out the absurdity of Harper’s allegations — that the National Post is not a conservative newspaper because it criticized the Conservative Party for not being conservative enough. Harper’s letter to the editor allowed the Post columnist to not only refer to the Conservative Party as "amateurish, undisciplined, needlessly confrontational and frequently mean-spirited" but gave Radwanski the segue to repeat all of the major election blunders of the CPC such as accusing Paul Martin of being in favour of child porn. Radwanski concludes that Harper is trying to make enemies rather than friends because his party either doesn’t realize that they are doing that or doesn’t care.
The columnist also compared the Tories to the Liberals, writing that no matter what the Toronto Star published, Paul Martin and his party would never accuse them of not being liberal enough.
Radwanski concluded his piece by saying, "Political pros recognize their own deficiencies, and work to correct them. Political amateurs just blame everyone else for noticing them. The Conservatives are still stuck in amateur hour."
If Stephen Harper really thought that the National Post wouldn’t respond to his letter to the editor, he’s even more amateurish than Radwanski thinks he is.
Love them or hate them, the Liberals know how to obtain and hold power. Unfortunately for those conservatives in Canada, Stephen Harper never will.