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Okay, it may be too much to speak of one bright shining moment -- but there was a time (late 2008, early 2009) when it looked as if we had a chance to see the end of Stephen Harper and see the beginning of an era when a coalition of progressive and enlightened politicians were going to be able to turn things around.
The day the coalition died, I became so disheartened and deflated that it took me awhile to get back in fighting trim. I have waited patiently for this election campaign to start and I can only hope it's the beginning of the end of Harper and the terrible legacy he has left for our country.
I watched the campaign launch this morning. Harper, sounding somewhat like an insane person, said we have a clear choice to "elect a stable majority government or a reckless coalition." In a pretty long speech, he shrouded the threat of a coalition in almost every pronouncement. His tone was, "If you're not voting for me, you're voting for the Devil."
This was to be expected. I have to say though -- and I try to avoid media-bashing -- the Ottawa reporters are shrill and single-minded in playing Harper's game. They are loudly demanding to know if Michael Ignatieff is planning to form a coalition and, in hectoring him mercilessly, are succeeding in demonizing the idea of a "coalition" just as if Harper had written the script.
It's shocking to stand by and watch as the people running for office and the people covering them knowingly display such a misrepresentation of our system. We don't vote for a majority/minority government or a prime minister or an opposition leader. And while there's absolutely nothing wrong with a coalition, we don't vote for that either. We vote for a single member of parliament who may or may not be a member of a political party.
There are suggestions from some of the media today that the "coalition" threat won't last and will peter out as the campaign goes on. Harper, who has worked so hard to make coalition a dirty word, will try very hard to keep it in the forefront every day. We can only hope the media won't be sucked into his grubby little game.
I agree.
Unfortunately,from what I've been reading and viewing from the MSM for the last 5 years,is that they've(the media) been playing a very partisan role without any objectivity and have,for the most part,remained Harpercon cheerleaders.
My guess is that the MSM will undoubtedly influence voter intention in the coming days and weeks.
Watch for Don Cherry to start using his 5 minute HNIC segment as a soapbox and Harper cheerleading show.
Complete with labeling all the Canadians who do not support him as 'pinkos' and 'left wing kooks'
I'll put a month's salary on it.
Fat chance. There is no opposition to Harper - whether in the media, or in the so-called opposition parties. A new way is needed.
While I wasn't as despondent as Ms. Fraser at the collapse of the chance of a coalition a few years ago, I agree with everything else in this article.
And what's wrong with a coalition anyway? At least there will be a semblance of majority representation in such a case, contrary to the current situation.
The NDP could counter the media bias mentioned above by recruiting Don Cherry to the cause, and have him appear on Coach's Corner in pistachio-coloured shirts while extolling the virtues of vegetarian nudism and other leftish philosophies.
FYI..The Don Cherry remark was a hypothetical.
To his credit,I tuned in to see if he would and he didn't.
Will it happen is yet to be seen.
But there IS a right wing bias in the media.
I'm not sure why the CBC has this bias seeing that the Conservatives have explicitly said they are against the CBC.
Bottom line is that the media should be fair and balanced and NEUTRAL.
"a coalition of progressive and enlightened politicians"
Huh? Wouldn't we be better off denouncing the fake democracy we have which includes obstacles to forming anticorporatocracy parties consisting of progressive and enlightened politicians?
I'm sure you can always find the least nasty members of any criminal organization you look at and wish them well, but...