They’ve bunkered in on "The Hill" as they call it and are clearing the landscape of the Liberals’ political foes--in particular when it comes to the Conservative Party.
The arrogance of the Ottawa press corps is showing up daily in our newspapers and televisions.
Election by media.
The last elections were fought on the same old healthcare and gay rights issues, well known and well polished by the keepers of the gates in Ottawa. The fiasco of healthcare had occurred on the Liberal watch. The scribes in Ottawa somehow turned this issue into a positive across the country--and the Liberals were returned to power.
With an election looming, we’re seeing very clearly that Canadians are fed up with all things political. The Ottawa press gallery is bunkered in on "The Hill", ready and willing to fight for their candidates and their party.
There is nobody to clear from the landscape. CBC and Canadian Press, owned by the Prime Minister’s Office, are breathlessly churning out the polls: 75 percent of Canadians do not want an election. The Liberals have caught and passed the Tories--by a margin of 1 percent, no less. Read the headlines: "Layton wins $4.6 billion in new spending and a rollback of most corporate tax cuts."
Instead, on the buses, in the restaurants and in their homes, Canadians are slamming down their dead trees (newspapers) in disgust--and are turning to the newest mindless entertainment.
Ottawa political pundits normally get fertilized about this time prior to an election and spring up across this land with words of wisdom, insight and foresight for all of us to read as the gospel from the hill in Ottawa.
Quebecers are incensed. They’ve had enough. They will soon be ringing the bells across their province for a new referendum. The PQ will get a huge majority. The Bloc is going to sweep Quebec in the upcoming federal election. They will not be talking about healthcare or gay marriage. They will be talking about leaving Canada.
Here in alberta, it’s exactly the same. We have had enough of the politicians in Ottawa. Harper and his party, who have forgotten where they came from and decided to spend their time, energy and money in the east, are in a world of hurt. If albertans can come up with a viable alternative, they too might entertain the notion of separation.
Charest is in trouble in Quebec and, believe it or not, Ralph Klein has had his day in alberta. The Calgary media is constantly reporting the newest figures on oil companies’ profits and how much they pay their chief executives or presidents on $50 a barrel oil. The numbers are staggering.
The anger in the rest of the country over this flaunting of wealth has overflowed to the point that Calgary is rocketing past Toronto as the most hated city in Canada.
But albertans know that the average annual salary for them in the province is, in fact, $29,000--down from last year, believe it or not.
Ralph has left rural alberta behind. Being on a ranch or a farm has been compared to what happened in Newfoundland when they attempted to close all the outports and force the fishermen to live in the big cities. The feel in rural alberta is that Ralph and his bureaucrats are clearing the landscape of anybody who dares get in the way of the vaunted oilmen. The fewer ranchers and farmers, the better. No access problems, nobody upset about sour gas--keep them barefoot and pregnant.
Ralph now sits at tables of 12--oilmen only, please. Letters to his office--after he asked for input from average albertans--receive the ‘thank you. Nice to hear from average albertans--I’ve passed your letter on to … yaddayaddayadda.’
Canada is about to change forever. The federation is in dire jeopardy. and every Canadian knows that there is no leader now that is capable of keeping us together. The Ottawa press gallery is in their fort, with all guns pointed out. They have handed out the free pass to the Liberals. They have made sure that the Prime Minister is going to have benefit of their blanket of security. No Liberal miscues to be reported and, above all, let them have the time to regroup and come back as strong as ever. The media is prepared to shoot anything that comes to take "The Hill". The status quo is safe.
Maybe not.
CBC has poured its venom out across this country for far too long. I would argue that Canadians should never get their news from an agency of the government of Canada--which is what CBC is--but more about that another day.
Over the last few months I have been staggered by Canadian Press--it represents most newspapers and radio stations in Canada--and the Prime Minister’s Office is using them as its propaganda machine. CP has become the puppet of the PMO.
Quebecers are fed up with the federal Liberal politicians. average Quebecers--like albertans--have come to realize that the problems are centered in the Parliament Buildings on a hill in Ottawa, Ontario. The faster a federal election comes around, the better.
Following in quick order will be a referendum and Quebecers will leave. albertans will not be far behind.
The fathers of Confederation are turning over in their graves. Never could they conceive of a situation where Canadians would constantly vote to keep the same party in power year after year after year. Federally, it’s the Liberals. But in alberta it’s the provincial Conservatives.
I would argue that only the people of Quebec have used their votes with great wisdom and they will do so again.
The fear mongering in our media has reinforced the idea across the land that it is time for great change — and this time the press gallery is passing out the ammunition that Canadians can use against all of them--the Liberals, the Conservatives and the NDP.
Canadians are all looking for an alternative--that could be separation. and it could very well cost us the federation known as Canada.
Canada Free Press columnist Garth Prtitchard, is an award-winning documentary filmmaker living in alberta.
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