Once upon a time in the Land of the Maple Leaf in a not-so-long ago chapter, Canadians had absolutely zero access to Fox News.
These were the days when Canada had been governed for 13 consecutive years by the the oft-described “Natural Governing Party”, the scandal ridden federal Liberals. In other words, during long, despairing days when Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, who blamed 9/11 on Americans and Prime Minister Paul Martin, one time UN Poster Boy Maurice Strong’s employee at Power Corp, were ruling this vast land.
Believe it or not, back in those days you could tune in on Fox News from parliament, but could not if you lived in an average Canadian home.
Longing for oxygen and to be set free from state-supported Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), Canadians including the publishers of Canada Free Press (CFP) wrote letters to the CRTC (Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission).
Like the magic at play at the Democratic National Committee Convention without the Greek columns, on Dec. 16, 2004 for the very first time Fox News could be found on the television sets of average Canadians.
So you can imagine how long-suffering Canadians must feel this Easter weekend when they can turn on their televisions to tune in on their CBC-scorned and suppressed conservative folk heroes like Ezra Levant, Charles Adler, Brian Lilley and others.
For television viewers it’s like being let out of the captive audience of lefty-kissing CBC at last!
The new freedom television network launched April 18, 2011 is not really the “Fox News of Canada”. Even better, it’s free market television run by the Sun News Network, an English language Canadian television news and opinion channel owned and operated by Quebecor Media through a partnership between two of its subsidiaries, TVA Group Inc. (51% ownership) and Sun Media Corporation (49% ownership).
Fans, who have already dubbed it “Sun News” were already singing “Here Comes The Sun” months before its April 18th launch.
Biz smart Quebecor executives are currently seeking to expand distribution from its current availability on a handful of cable and satellite systems.
Sun News, which appeared in the middle of yet another Canadian federal election, is slap in the face No. 2 to lib-left dominated Canada. Last December the City of Toronto long held under the spell of socialists like New Democratic Party leader and former Toronto councillor Jack Layton, elected its first conservative mayor (Rob Ford) in living memory.
One just has to scan the Wikipedia entry of Sun News to understand leftwing disdain:
“Sun News also aims to take a populist, conservative-leaning approach that mirrors the namesake, Sun chain of Quebecor-owned tabloid newspapers; that, and its employment of conservative commentators and operatives in key on-air and off-air positions, have led media reports, pundits, and critics to bill the network as “Fox News North.” Sun News management has openly bristled at the comparisons, saying that they only intend Sun News to mimic the Sun chain’s “irreverent” and “provocative” approach, and though some right-wing voices would be heard, a “range of (political) opinion would be offered.” (Wikipedia).
If Sun News “mimics” the Sun chain, including the feisty truth-seeking Toronto Sun, it will soar in record time all the way to the zenith.
Lefties going ballistic and headed off in the wrong direction include Robert F. Kennedy writing on March 1, 2011 that it was all over for Fox News North.
Kennedy Jr. seems unaware that Canadians have been watching FoxNews since 2004:
“Canada’s Radio Act requires that a “licenser may not broadcast...any false or misleading news.” The provision has kept Fox News and right-wing talk radio out of Canada and helped make Canada a model for liberal democracy and freedom.”
What a laugh reading that Canada, ruled on the airwaves by CBC is a model for “liberal democracy and freedom”.
Kennedy Jr. continues..
”as a result of that law, Canadians enjoy high quality news coverage, including the kind of foreign affairs and investigative journalism that flourished in this country before Ronald Reagan abolished the “Fairness Doctrine” in 1987. Political dialogue in Canada is marked by civility, modesty, honesty, collegiality, and idealism that have pretty much disappeared on the U.S. airwaves. When Stephen Harper moved to abolish the anti-lying provision of the Radio Act, Canadians rose up to oppose him fearing that their tradition of honest non-partisan news would be replaced by the toxic, overtly partisan, biased and dishonest news coverage familiar to American citizens who listen to Fox News and talk radio. Harper’s proposal was timed to facilitate the launch of a new right-wing network, “Sun TV News”, which Canadians call “Fox News North”.
“Harper, often referred to as “George W. Bush’s Mini Me”, is known for having mounted a Bush-like war on government scientists, data collectors, transparency, and enlightenment in general. He is a wizard of all the familiar tools of demagoguery; false patriotism, bigotry, fear, selfishness and belligerent religiosity.”
Kennedy Jr., often drafted in by the Canadian far left at times of trouble, could have been talking about “Obama “Mini Me” Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff and his CBC lapdogs.
Meanwhile, long live Sun News, who may in time make the taxpayer-paid talking heads over at CBC really earn their keep.
Judi McLeod——
Bio and Archives
-- Judi McLeod, Founder, Owner and Editor of Canada Free Press, is an award-winning journalist with more than 30 years’ experience in the print and online media. A former Toronto Sun columnist, she also worked for the Kingston Whig Standard. Her work has appeared throughout the ‘Net, including on Rush Limbaugh and Fox News.
