You can’t overstate the importance of the role the media plays in shaping how election campaigns and the candidates themselves are perceived. So early on here during the race I’ve been keeping track of things the media is trying to spin for us. F…
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NEW MEDIA AND POLITICS CANADA: DAY SEVEN: Tea Leaves, Mass Psychosis and Narratives
For those who drop in and check out the election related news links I’ve been posting and my comments you’ve probably noticed I have some talent for being able to read tea leaves, but for all I know perhaps it’s just a talent for the bleeding obv…
Continue readingConfessions of a Liberal Mind: Open Letter to Stephen Harper, from Michael Ignatieff
This just crossed my desk this morning. Everyone should read this to hear the real story. Don’t believe the anonymous sources, believe this directly from the leader of the Liberal Party to the Leader of the Conservative Party. Open letter to Stephen Harper Dear Mr. Harper: I am writing about the one-on-one debate that you challenged me to two days ago. You will recall that when you issued your challenge, I immediately responded, accepting it with enthusiasm. As you stated, there are only two people who can be Prime Minister after May 2nd: you or me. Canadians truly deserve to see us go face to face in a contest of ideas, values and very different visions for our country. That is what democracy is all about. Like many Canadians, I was disappointed and puzzled when you reversed your commitment, and tried to back out yesterday. I don’t understand why you have gone back on your word, or why you would wish to disappoint Canadians. However, it is not too late for you to rectify the situation. Since our original exchange on Wednesday, many invitations to host the debate have come in from prestigious organizations across Canada. So there are any number of venues and times to choose from. Perhaps I can make this easier for you. I will meet you at the time and place of your choosing. There is no need for complicated or convoluted debate formats. Just two podiums – and you and me. A true, honest-to-goodness battle of ideas and visions. This is the kind of contest that Canadians are yearning for. I know because I have been meeting ordinary Canadians of all ages, backgrounds and political allegiances at events across Canada. It’s absolutely exhilarating. In fact, I would recommend that you try it. In closing, I urge you to reconsider your reversal and stick to your word. I strongly believe our fellow Canadians deserve this chance to see the different visions of leadership between the only two people who can become prime minister of this country at the end of this election. Sincerely, Michael Ignatieff Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada
Continue readingConfessions of a Liberal Mind: Open Letter to Stephen Harper, from Michael Ignatieff
This just crossed my desk this morning. Everyone should read this to hear the real story. Don’t believe the anonymous sources, believe this directly from the leader of the Liberal Party to the Leader of the Conservative Party. Open letter to Stephen Harper Dear Mr. Harper: I am writing about
Continue readingConfessions of a Liberal Mind: Open Letter to Stephen Harper, from Michael Ignatieff
This just crossed my desk this morning. Everyone should read this to hear the real story. Don’t believe the anonymous sources, believe this directly from the leader of the Liberal Party to the Leader of the Conservative Party. Open letter to Stephen Harper Dear Mr. Harper: I am writing about
Continue readingPample the Moose: Debates, Debates, Let’s Have More Debates!
Most of my current students are too young to remember the now infamous election debate clashes between Brian Mulroney and John Turner. So I like to show them the Free Trade Clash from 1988 or the patronage kerfuffle of 1984. Both debates were widely …
Continue readingNEW MEDIA AND POLITICS CANADA: DAY SIX: Ignamentum!
Okay, so I’ve coined a silly word and am probably jumping the gun on this. Michael Ignatieff has only a smidgen of momentum but it’s a good start for a guy who has been unable to get any for almost three years now. According to pollster Nik Nanos, Igg…
Continue readingHarper and Ignatieff receive invitation for two-man debate
Decision Canada is carrying this:
OTTAWA — While the Liberal and Conservative leaders exchange barbs through Twitter over the prospect of a two-man debate, a public policy centre has made an earnest offer to host the two men.
“We believe that t…
Continue readingA BCer in Toronto: Bubble-boy Stephen Harper chickens out of his own debate challenge
If you thought that Stephen Harper’s move Wednesday to challenge Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff to debate mano-a-mano was an odd play by the Conservatives, it will soon make a little more sense. After the news that the shadowy “broadcast consortium”…
Continue readingA BCer in Toronto: Who cares what the "broadcast consortium" says?
Following up on my post Wednesday about Stephen Harper challenging Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff to a one-on-one debate, and Ignatieff telling him he’ll debate Harper “any time, any place” the secret cabal of media executives known as the shadowy “m…
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumber Pushing for Two Party System
It started with Ignatieff joining Harper’s anti-coalition bandwagon, the common message being that the big boys don’t share power with the little guys and it’s extended to the push for a debate between just Harper and Ignatieff because they think that …
Continue readingMadLibMadLib: Democracy Debated? Or Democracy Debased?
So the boys have thrown down. The Conservative Leader, Mr. Harper, issued the challenge this morning to Mr. Ignatieff, the Liberal Leader, that they should have a one-on-one debate between the two candidates who, at least in the words of John Baird, are the only men running to become Prime
Continue readingNEW MEDIA AND POLITICS CANADA: DAY FIVE: Trying To Keep Up
With five parties vying for Canadians votes — the Bloc of course restricted to the province of Quebec where they will likely to retain or at least be in contention for approximately one sixth of the seats available in Canada — there are a lot of nar…
Continue readingNEW MEDIA AND POLITICS CANADA: DAY FOUR: Things Get Interesting Early
I have had my heart set on going to the polls since last year when Harper, our Evangelical Christian PM, reverted to form once again and started cramming his beliefs into Canadian policy. For me it began when he and his party decided to deny fund…
Continue readingPop The Stack: Every Vote is a Strategic Vote
Fellow DemReform blogger CuriosityCat has a great post today on a little tidbit that passed the lips of Jack Layton: “The way to stop Stephen Harper from getting a majority is to take Conservative seats one by one, and defeat the MPs who are there. That’s how you stop Mr. Harper from getting a majority,” I […]
Continue readingNEW MEDIA AND POLITICS CANADA: DAY THREE: Tory Promises?
When observing the Conservative ideologue performing its’ ritual mating dance (on the campaign trail making stuff up), it’s important to keep in mind the a lot of the promises made during the dance will never come to fruition. For example, today on th…
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: The Coalition is Dead – Someone Tell Stephen Harper
The idea of a coalition government is dead for the simple reason that it is not in Michael Ignatieff’s political interest to enter into a coalition that would require him to share power. Although it is in his political interest not to contradict Stephe…
Continue readingNEW MEDIA AND POLITICS CANADA: DAY TWO: Things That Should Be On Iggy’s `To Do` List
Michael Ignatieff deserves credit for political bravery this week for forcing an election while trailing in the polls. In fact they have trailed in most every snapshot poll since the last election, their best numbers only getting them to within t…
Continue readingMadLibMadLib: The Four Cs: Coalition, Coalition, Coalition and Coalition
In the House of Commons on Friday when the historic contempt motion was being debated Deputy Liberal Leader Bob Rae shouted across the aisle that it was the “four Cs”: Contempt, Corruption, Carson & Conservatives! On the second day of the election campaign it seems that the four Cs have
Continue readingNEW MEDIA AND POLITICS CANADA: DAY ONE: Duceppe Calls Harper Out For Lying
The 2011 Canadian election campaign is off to a predictable start with Harper calling the election “unnecessary” and trying to raise the spectre of governance by a coalition that includes “socialists” and “separatists,” as something Canadians have t…
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