And so it begins....

Full story here....

Authoritarian state? Tight control of the media? Thought control? Legislated morality? Not here in Canada!

Say it ain't so!?!

Well, in their effort to re-shape Canada they have fired the next salvo across the bow of civil liberties.

Jailing journalists who don't please the government....

From the article:

Mr. Mayes, a businessman and former mayor of Dawson City, Yukon and Salmon Arm, B.C., easily won the solidly Tory riding in the Jan. 23 election, replacing the retiring Darryl Stinson.

In his column, he writes that he was “perturbed” by the media's reaction to Mr. Harper's attitude to reporters.

“The media has blatantly painted a picture that our government is not open and transparent,” he writes. “We were elected just two months ago to run the affairs of the country for the people, not to accommodate the media.”

Nice....

Mr. Mayes, who perchance, do you think the media "works for"?

Maybe the people... you know, those "people" on whose behalf you're supposedly running the country... yeah them!

Dolt!

A.L.

Bump... and a thumbs up to Paul Wells blog-post on Harper media management

Paul Wells' take on the Harper PMO media handling regime.

I agree with Wells on this one (big surprise). Especially his last bit on the different perceptions (dishonest both) Liberal and Reform/CA/CPC supporters and detractors have of the whole thing.

Dammit Stephen, you said it was going to be different... but we thought you meant different in a good way! Jerk!

A.L.

Democrat's Opportunity '06 +

Kevin Phillips on TPM Cafe

"I believe that Democrats and liberals in 2006 stand to have their greatest opportunity since 1992 (which was lost). You will have the substantial support of many lapsed Republicans and doubters of Bush conservatism like myself. But I also have the sense that many Democrats and liberals have an instinct for for the capillaries, not for the jugular. If that leads to failure in 2006, there will be a major price to pay, not just for theUnited States but in terms of the credibility of your party and movement."

Amen brother!

We have to go for the jugular but make it look like we're going for the capillaries.... So as not to scare off the people who can't stand the sight of political blood.

A. (hopeful) L.iberal

Fineman on the White House's new script

Fineman: Agent Jack Bauer in the White House - Howard Fineman - MSNBC.com

Fineman does a great job analyzing and forecasting the new script that will be pushed out from the White House in the coming months leading up to the '06 mid-term and the '08 Presidential elections.

Be afraid.

A.L.

Rock on Garth Turner!

globeandmail.com : Tory MP urges party platform change.

Garth Turner continues to be a thorn in Harper's side/a rock in Harper's shoe/the uncomfortable lint in Harper's expanding belly button.

Go on Mr. Turner. I can't wait to see what it is.

A.L.

I will sign the King Edward Accord...

Found Here:

"'WE PLEDGE, to Canadians that we will do our best to reach out to all Canadians in every region of our country. To be inclusive. To be respectful. To treat others the way we wish to be treated ourselves. Our Party is on Standby to Serve Canadians when requested. Let's remember, no one should be left behind . . . it's about time. To renew Our Party. To rebuild Our Party. The Liberal Way . . . where everybody wins.'"

I would sign it. Would you?

I can't be in Toronto tomorrow night, but if I could I would be there.

Calgary Grit says they're offering press credentials to bloggers! Well done.

A.L.

Interesting in a Sleepy Maggie kind of way

So, the Globe is reporting that Celtic fiddle-rocker, Ashley MacIsaac is serious about running for the Liberal Party leadership.

That's interesting and could bring a nice young dynamic into the race.

It's funny, as I was falling asleep last night I was thinking about how important it would be to have a young person in the race, and by that I mean still younger than Gerard Kennedy.

I thought about doing it myself, but I have too much on my plate between now and next December so I have to sit it out....

I think it is very important to have a younger person in the race for a handful of reasons:

-The LPC is currently full of "old people" interested in steering the ship or lining their pockets or a bit of both. Half the currently speculative candidates are over.

-The issues of young Canadians MUST be talked about in this contest if the LPC is to gain any traction with young voters.

-The Liberal Party needs young people, badly! Energy, enthusiasm, grunt-work willingness, are all things young people TM bring to the table.

-If the Liberals can generate interest among the under 35 crowd, they could gain a bloc of voters in a demographic that they will not have to split with the Reform-a-Tories. That could be done by having a young, hip voice in the debate.

-It would be nice to not have the Campus Club co-opting by old pretenders that occurs for most leadership races. With a young canadidate perhaps the Campus Clubs could stand on their own, elect and send independent delegates? Incidently, the UWO Liberal Club delegates to the 1996 Ontario Liberal leadership convention all ended up as Gerard Kennedy (not an old pretender by the way) delegates somehow unbeknownst to the then current club execs (I know, I was there). It happens, and not just in BC.

Anyhow, I cheer him on and I hope it brings some positive energy, young persons' issues and young enthusiasm to the debate.

I also would really like to have the TVO moderator from the 2nd debates ask him what all those gaelic/celtic words are in that Sleepy Maggie song!

A.L.

A Conservative playing fast and loose with the law!?!? NO WAY!

TheStar.com - Harper’s stonewalling worthy of censure, NDP MP says

We've never seen that before in North America! This is outrageous...

Oh wait... we have seen this in North America....

Now these two things are not equivalent in their level of egregiousness, I will say that. But, it sure seems like Harper is taking cues from 'ol Dub-ya!

He's also dismissing a federal officer as purely partisan and asserting the supremacy of the PMO....

Those of you with score cards, are you getting all of this?

Fun-times!

A.L.