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Steve Paikin on the state of democracy in Ontario...and why Kate Holloway no longer supports the Libs
Mon, 2010-06-28 11:10
#1
Steve Paikin on the state of democracy in Ontario...and why Kate Holloway no longer supports the Libs
Mon, 2010-06-28 11:15
#2
[url=http://www.tvo.org/cfmx/tvoorg/theagenda/index.cfm?page_id=3&action=blog... Wrap-Up: A Rough Weekend for Democracy[/url]:
Out of sight have been any members of the Ontario government who have much to answer for with what many considered a draconian piece of legislation.Kate Holloway ran for the Liberals in the 2007 election in the riding of Trinity-Spadina. Her son Sam and Sam's girlfriend were simple onlookers at one peaceful demonstration last night, but got arrested anyway. They spent a night in jail and neither of Sam's parents had any idea where they were.
Kate told me today she is so disgusted with her party's passing this new regulation, she is washing her hands of the McGuinty government.
In Toronto the Good, we saw a law passed and enforced that was more anti-democratic than the War Measures Act. And we saw more people arrested than took place during the October Crisis in Quebec forty years ago --- more than 500 at last count.
Back in the early 1960s, the government of John Robarts tried to pass a similarly draconian law (Bill 99), which would have given the police powers similar to what they had this weekend. The government backbenchers found the law so inappropriate and inconsistent with our democracy that they mutinied and Robarts's attorney-general, Fred Cass, was forced to withdraw the bill and resign.
We have a wonderful history of peaceful democratic protest in this city. But democracy took a major step backwards this weekend. And many will have to answer for that.
Mon, 2010-06-28 11:19
#3
yes excellent - also posted to G20 Public inquiry thread
Mon, 2010-06-28 13:05
#4
Paikin's twitter reports were the only ones I read on twitter all weekend (I think twitter is part of the media problem, but that's another topic).
The bizarre part about Paikin's tweets, and the subsequent attention paid to his story, is that no one that I know of has bothered to ask the questions that Paikin mentions in his final tweet. Paraphrasing his words "I hope some journos ask some questions tomorrow."
I'm not sure anyone has. Or will.
Thanks for the info on Holloway, too.
Mon, 2010-06-28 13:28
#5
[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCWNqMV4Bgs&feature=channel]Paikin talks to the Real News[/url]
Mon, 2010-06-28 14:34
#6
Thanks for that, LordyP.
Paikin seems to have toned down his twitter comments. Reading his tweets, I thought there was more of a police slugfest with that group of protestors. Still, Paikin gives a strong account.
Sat, 2010-07-03 22:40
#7
I think Paikin could have a good future beyond TVO as a public figure of any number of sorts if he wanted to. He speaks with a very engaging candour that I wish more of our politicians had. Granted, journalists train to be engaging, but most of them don't manage to show that much sincerity.
Sun, 2010-07-04 10:58
#8
I think Paikin is too nice of a guy to get into politics :)
Thu, 2010-07-08 18:08
#9
I wonder if they'll let Paikin moderate the federal debates again.
Fri, 2010-07-09 01:38
#10
i doubt it.
Not that I think he's especially left-wing but integrity doesn't seem to get you that far in mainstream Canadian journalism and he seems to possess a bit of it. I didn't love the way he characterized the dichotomy between dangerous black bloc protesters and peaceful 'middle class' protesters who just wanted to stick up for 'middle class' freedoms and rights. That's a fairly shallow reading of things in my view. He's still better than alot of his colleagues though.