Caution: Falling Ice and/or Snow

By Ouimet Editor, publisher, factual entertainer. Published December 18, 2007 7:09 pm

You may not be aware of it, but Canadian Conservative-leaning blogs are aflame with outrage over the fact that an unnamed CBC parliamentary reporter suggested questions to MP Pablo Rodriguez for Brian Mulroney. So instead of asking something about Airbus, he asked something about cell phones. Even the fake Stephen Harper is pissed off.

For them the question is who did it?

One thing about this crew, they love themselves some Photoshop.

A few of them have written me and accused me of not having the “guts” to “cover the story.” They accuse Inside the CBC of the same thing.

Personally I just don’t see what the big deal is. And it’s boring. I nearly fell asleep writing that opening paragraph, and I might have got that last part wrong. That’s how I “cover a story.”

The breaking story RIGHT NOW is that one of these bloggers has received an email from an actual CBC Vice-President! Wow! I wonder if it was Ray Carnovale? Or perhaps Mr. Saint-Cyr?

The blogger suspects his special treatment was due his “Bourque-driven traffic,” whatever that is, but I don’t have the heart to tell him that CBCers get emails from Vice-Presidents all the time. The first thing we do is delete them. The nerdier CBCers have programmed their Groupwise to auto-delete them on sight.

Hell, I just got one yesterday about falling ice. You don’t see me blogging about it.

The point is, these things take time. You got an email, but that’s just the first step. We need some committees. Preferably with steering. Then the ombudsman must be brought in. The collective agreement must be consulted. A trip to Ooh La La might be in order.

Then, and only then, can the issue be properly avoided. So please be patient.

22 Comments

Doug Finley's Dog says:

January 9, 2008 at 6:26 pm

I wanna know why a hired gun (Campaign Director Doug Finley who is about as offensive a person as their is in Canadian politics) is sending a letter to the CBC.
Why not the Comm Director (Buckler) or, maybe the PM or his elected minion.

Reply
Doug Finley's Dog says:

January 9, 2008 at 6:26 pm

I wanna know why a hired gun (Campaign Director Doug Finley who is about as offensive a person as their is in Canadian politics) is sending a letter to the CBC.
Why not the Comm Director (Buckler) or, maybe the PM or his elected minion.

Reply
Doug Finley's Dog says:

January 9, 2008 at 6:26 pm

I wanna know why a hired gun (Campaign Director Doug Finley who is about as offensive a person as their is in Canadian politics) is sending a letter to the CBC.
Why not the Comm Director (Buckler) or, maybe the PM or his elected minion.

Reply
The Book of Don says:

December 22, 2007 at 4:12 pm

Dr. J — Lol. Very funny.

d

Reply
Allan says:

December 22, 2007 at 12:30 am

Agent 69 has informed me that the operation originated with Rabinovitch, and that the target was in fact Rodriguez. The goal was to make Paul look stupid by having him make an assertion he couldn’t prove.
Apparently, Robert is still ticked off about the way he was treated by Rodriguez in Reply

Anonymous says:

December 21, 2007 at 4:47 pm

The problem is that the implication is, what do the Liberals get for asking the CBC’s question? The answer is naturally, favourable coverage in the future. Real, implied or imaginary this is not what the CBC should be doing while on the taxpayers dime.

Anonymous says:

December 21, 2007 at 6:41 am

I agree, a fantastic comment from Allan, stunning for its clarity.

It’s a Christmas miracle!

Dr. J. says:

December 20, 2007 at 10:55 pm

Prepare for the apocalypse.

As I read through the litany of bullshit written by a number of people named anonymous I stumbled upon a voice of reason. I found myself in agreement, actually praising the rational mind that called a turd a turd. I looked up to see who wrote it — and — my god it’™s Allan.

Allow me to bow down in praise and retract the thousand times I’™ve thought ’œfuck you, Allan’. The Christmas season, a time of giving and forgiving. Allan, go forth and buy yourself a shot of the finest booze you can find, and charge it to The National’™s ’œdamn, we sure got that one wrong’ budget number.

Happy Holidays
Dr. J.

Allan says:

December 20, 2007 at 8:34 pm

Reporters don’t damage the CBC, they damage themselves.
In this case, the reporter did not really do anything wrong at all.
I have the right to call an MP, and the MP has a right to listen to me or to not listen. Does being a reporter mean having fewer rights than I have?
The problem in this case is that it gave the appearance of the CBC as being less than impartial in the proceedings, so management needed to address that.

The odd thing is that this country could use a press that is actually just a tad less impartial every day.
A dispassionate view can be quite boring and disingenuous.
Patrick Watson knew better, and he was irritatingly right. Knowlton Nash, Barbara Frum, these people did not hide their views and we are proud of the CBC exactly for that reason.

Is the infraction here such a big deal?
What then of The National Post printing an article the day before the hearing titled “What Mulroney needs to tell us” ?
How dare they print such a laundry list of demands. Aren’t they supposed to be impartial?

Anonymous says:

December 20, 2007 at 6:44 pm

I’m not really sure why anyone thinks this is funny. One silly girl with stars in her eyes has done more damage to the reputation of CBC’s news service (tv, radio and on-line) than all the good reporters have done to elevate it. What’s most concerning is that this has become a political football that most people just don’t “get”. Any political party worth their salt would run with this for their own agenda….and that’s precisely what’s happening. The fallout from this has not even begun and for the first time in recent history the CBC actually deserves the spanking it is getting. So, if you actually care about the CBC (and yes, I know it’s hard to some days) and it’s reputation in the news game, wake up, quit yawning and be outraged that one of your own has put a scarlet letter “U” for unethical on everyone.

Anonymous says:

December 20, 2007 at 4:24 am

CBC Toronto types don’t seem to care what happens outside the purple, green and blue elevators…..”

You have a point, they are more concerned with the actual elevators, as these days only half are working…. Perhaps they were usuing their time wisely and prepared the questions while they were waiting the usual 15 minutes to get an elevator…. just a thought

Anonymous says:

December 19, 2007 at 8:31 pm

Hey, Anonymous, 10:56am:

I’m sure Vince Carlin will conduct a thorough investigation and will make his findings public.

Hohohoho….

Anonymous says:

December 19, 2007 at 1:53 pm

Dick isn’t safe, he’s number one on the hit list.

Hubert’s job will be to reduce the CBC to ashes.

Anonymous says:

December 19, 2007 at 10:44 am

If there is some winter ad revenue after all the make-goods then Dick is safe.

Anonymous says:

December 19, 2007 at 9:02 am

Hubert is a corporate vivisectionist and he will manage with extreme prejudice.

Can you feel it Dick?

Anonymous says:

December 19, 2007 at 8:56 am

Ouimet and everyone else who works in the Mother Ship on Front Street has zero interest in this story. But it illustrates the divide between the CBC. Employees working outside Toronto often harbour an us vs. them view of the people in the Death Star. In Ottawa circles CBC still has a certain importance. And our reputation is paramount. Unlike Toronto, where you tell people you work for mother and they yawn and start listing all their friends who work at Much, City, TSN and Entertainment Tonight Canada. CBC Toronto types don’t seem to care what happens outside the purple, green and blue elevators. P.S. If it turns out to be a certain bossomy young reporter who gave the Liberals a question, there will be a mutiny in Ottawa with universal demands for her beautiful and well coifed head. We may have to hit up Tyra Banks to find Canada’s next top Parliamentary reporter. ‘Girlfriend, you really pull off that Parliament thang.’

Anonymous says:

December 19, 2007 at 6:53 am

Wow, “ya it’s me” – time to take a pill…

Ya it's me. Fuck you. says:

December 18, 2007 at 9:49 pm

wrtpfhghyt?

(cough-HACK)…(URGHHH).(oh)

“Is a diagnosis of cancer a yawn?”

It happens every day, doesn’t it?

This is a world where a CBC reporter sent emails to a protester (or protesters), within which the big PMO was referred to as ‘the forces of evil’.

AND he was exonerated. The reporter (TM), that is.

Questions are just fucking questions, you moron.

How dare you maintain that suggestions of certain lines of inquiry (i.e. not forced by threats) are evidence of nefarious evildoing, necessitating witch-hunts.

Fucking questions. Next they’ll be asking for representation. Plebes!

We like our questions to be supportive, and from oath taking teammates. Tell us what to think, KR.

Medea Benjamin has been barred from entering Canada due to misdemeanors earned protesting the dumbest mistake ever, the Iraq war.

WTF is that? Why don’t you rail against the exclusion of peaceful protesters against oil wars (thx Greenspan, PRICK) entering Canada instead of silly sources of (OMG) questions!!!

Fucking jackass. Wake up.

(nap)

Ya it's me. Fuck you. says:

December 18, 2007 at 9:49 pm

wrtpfhghyt?

(cough-HACK)…(URGHHH).(oh)

“Is a diagnosis of cancer a yawn?”

It happens every day, doesn’t it?

This is a world where a CBC reporter sent emails to a protester (or protesters), within which the big PMO was referred to as ‘the forces of evil’.

AND he was exonerated. The reporter (TM), that is.

Questions are just fucking questions, you moron.

How dare you maintain that suggestions of certain lines of inquiry (i.e. not forced by threats) are evidence of nefarious evildoing, necessitating witch-hunts.

Fucking questions. Next they’ll be asking for representation. Plebes!

We like our questions to be supportive, and from oath taking teammates. Tell us what to think, KR.

Medea Benjamin has been barred from entering Canada due to misdemeanors earned protesting the dumbest mistake ever, the Iraq war.

WTF is that? Why don’t you rail against the exclusion of peaceful protesters against oil wars (thx Greenspan, PRICK) entering Canada instead of silly sources of (OMG) questions!!!

Fucking jackass. Wake up.

(nap)

Ya it's me. Fuck you. says:

December 18, 2007 at 9:49 pm

wrtpfhghyt?

(cough-HACK)…(URGHHH).(oh)

“Is a diagnosis of cancer a yawn?”

It happens every day, doesn’t it?

This is a world where a CBC reporter sent emails to a protester (or protesters), within which the big PMO was referred to as ‘the forces of evil’.

AND he was exonerated. The reporter (TM), that is.

Questions are just fucking questions, you moron.

How dare you maintain that suggestions of certain lines of inquiry (i.e. not forced by threats) are evidence of nefarious evildoing, necessitating witch-hunts.

Fucking questions. Next they’ll be asking for representation. Plebes!

We like our questions to be supportive, and from oath taking teammates. Tell us what to think, KR.

Medea Benjamin has been barred from entering Canada due to misdemeanors earned protesting the dumbest mistake ever, the Iraq war.

WTF is that? Why don’t you rail against the exclusion of peaceful protesters against oil wars (thx Greenspan, PRICK) entering Canada instead of silly sources of (OMG) questions!!!

Fucking jackass. Wake up.

(nap)

Ww says:

December 18, 2007 at 8:48 pm

Just wonder why it is a non issue. Why it is a yawn. Is a diagnosis of cancer a yawn?
You may not agree but doesn’t it deserve a mention when the government of the day is accusing the CBC of something which – they say- is a serious breach of ethics? True or not, isn’t that a story worth covering? AND the hostility the question shows could spell the end of the CBC eventually (rightly or wrongly). Isn’t THAT a story? So where are the journalists on this story? It is left to bloggers. I don’t expect our national broadcaster to hide under a hoodie and slink off down the alley.

Fucking Moder8ted Comments says:

December 18, 2007 at 8:07 pm

I fell asleep reading your post about this.

(nap)

And writing this too. What a non-issue.

(yawn)

Maybe I’ll start my blog, and get VP emails just like your accusers. Then I can finally feel special, and not in the short bus way.

Isn’t Britney’s sister preggers? I expect the new CBC to cover this heavily. When is Perez going to be on tHe hOur? Has he already been? Was I asleep due to non-issues when this terribly important irrelevant celeb-porn occurred?

I’m getting old. Just like you.

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