"Pushing Back..." BWAHAHAHAHAHA!

June 23, 2008
PMO pushes, CTV pushes back

Susan Delacourt "the Star's Senior Writer in Ottawa, has covered federal politics for more than two decades as a reporter and bureau chief. She is Senior Writer for the Star's Ottawa bureau and a frequent guest on CBC Newsworld's Politics." LOL!

"Yesterday, at the end of CTV's Question Period broadcast, there was some strong and remarkable evidence of journalists pushing back against the Prime Minister's Office. Rather than explain the story, why don't I just put the transcript here? I would imagine we'll be hearing more about this in the days to come:

JANE TABER: Craig, we've got to address a complaint. We received a complaint from the Prime Minister's director of communications Sandra Buckler about something you said on the show about the fact the Environment Minister or the Finance Minister would not come on to talk about Dion's green plan.

CRAIG OLIVER: And it was accurate for me to say they had both turned us down. However, they did offer us Jason Kenney, the Minister of Multiculturalism, to attack the government's green plan, and we said, sorry, we're not talking about multiculturalism, we're talking about taxation or we're talking about environment. And so they're insisting that we should take their person. And the question really is who's producing the show? Are we producing the show or is the Prime Minister's office producing the show? Would somebody tell me?

TABER: I think Sandra Buckler has an idea about who's producing the show, and I think that she, when she offers someone, she expects...

OLIVER: She thinks we should take her candidate.

TABER: Exactly.

OLIVER: Any time somebody's offered by her, that's the person we should have on the show. Not somebody we choose.

TABER: And we have to say that Jason Kenney of course did appear on the show, but we spoke to him in a panel situation with other MPs about, you know, what the accomplishments of the government were.

OLIVER: And we were glad to have him.

TABER: We were very glad to have him, we're always glad to have Jason Kenney on the show. So that's the complaint, we've addressed it, and as we leave you we're going to leave with you pictures from the studio of Parliament Hill and the preparations for the July 1st celebrations. Thanks for watching. We'll see you next week."


Comments

An interesting dialogue...especially from that source...
I rarely watch CTV's Question Period..since - a few years back - I thought Craig Oliver gave the Tories of the day far too easy a ride - compared to say a Don Newman in general..(or his Friday panel of pundits in particular!)...
Heck - Question Period was up there in Pierre Bourque Deep Blue territory!
I confess - more recently - since Jane Taber has been carrying the heavier part of the load - the balance of questions has improved somewhat...
As for Sandra Buckler and her team of non-communicators - they can't have it both ways - complaining on the one hand that the "Media" is biased - and then trying to play switcheroo with the Flower Pots - depending upon who the "Boss" trusts that week...
Good for Messrs. Oliver and Taber for giving light to that little game...

Posted by: wascally wabbit | June 23, 2008 at 12:51 PM

"However, they did offer us Jason Kenney, the Minister of Multiculturalism, to attack the government's green plan"

Is this exactly Craig Oliver said(from story above)? If so then somebody better tell Mr. Oliver that it's not the "government's green plan" they were discussing (Thank God!) but the opposition's totally useless tax grab plan!

This says it all to me! The Liberals still can't get over the fact that they are no longer in power and the Toronto media can't either!!

Pathetic!

Posted by: Caroline | June 23, 2008 at 04:47 PM

"I would imagine we'll be hearing more about this in the days to come"

Why? What would be the point of hearing more about this? This is just a silly little childish game on all their parts.

Re Wabbit's comment: Taber and balanced questions? Now there's an oxymoron.

Posted by: Scott | June 23, 2008 at 04:51 PM

Well those media guys sure told those Tories how things were going to be run!
Oh by the way who did they get?

Posted by: ian | June 23, 2008 at 04:55 PM

Another whine-fest from the mainstream media. Did you ever consider that these people actually have real work to do, and may not always be available for your 30 second trash-talk interviews? Perhaps they offered Mr. Kenney because they knew he would already be at your studio and he had time to deal with another interview.

Or, perhaps they know that the Liberal Green Shaft is really nothing more than a tax plan to suck billions of dollars out of the Canadian economy and Jason Kenney is better suited to talk about the tax implications of Dion's "plan". Nice code word for a massive tax plan, too bad you don't get the fact that the green they refer to is cash.

Posted by: Jim Pook | June 23, 2008 at 05:27 PM

CRAIG OLIVER: And it was accurate for me to say they had both turned us down. However, they did offer us Jason Kenney, the Minister of Multiculturalism, to attack the government's green plan

Someone tell Greg that the liberal party is no longer the government. The guy needs to retire.

Posted by: JK | June 23, 2008 at 05:49 PM

"However, they did offer us Jason Kenney, the Minister of Multiculturalism, to attack the government's green plan, and we said, sorry, we're not talking about multiculturalism, we're talking about taxation or we're talking about environment."

Attack the Government's Green plan?

Note to Craig Oliver: The Liberals are the Official Opposition as they lost the last general election.

Maybe someday, there will be a non-biased media in this country. Until then, I can dream.

Posted by: BrainDrainXP | June 23, 2008 at 05:50 PM

So, CTV Question period get to decide who speaks for the Government of Canada on a certain issue? Sure seems to me that someone is trying to "produce" something.

Posted by: pj | June 23, 2008 at 06:00 PM

So essentially what you're saying is that it was a Sunday? If you want an interview with Bill Gates and are offered Steve Balmer instead, do you throw a hissy fit or are you happy to have an interview with someone in the company?

Just because you have a show to do doesn't mean that you get to choose everyone who's going to be on the show; they have the right to decline. This is the point, I believe, they're trying to make. Take 'Right-of-Communist is Politically Incorrect with Bill Mahar' for example, does he choose or do those who actually represent contrasting views get to decide who will appear on his show?

Posted by: Gen. Lee Wright | June 23, 2008 at 06:11 PM

For a guy Oliver's age who has been around politics all his life, you would think he understands the job of Parliamentry Secretary to the Prime Minister. Hey Craig, here's a little refresher on what one of your hero's used that position for.

"During Jean Chrétien's term as Prime Minister of Canada, parliamentary secretaries were set to two-year terms and the post was used as a reward for weary backbenchers. Their duty was to answer questions and table reports on behalf of ministers when they were unable to be present in the house."

So Oliver and Taber have an issue with him addressing the issue. Did it ever dawn on them he discusses various issues in the House of Commons daily for cabinet ministers? I guess Craig feels he deserves more than the highest House in the land.

Posted by: Paulsstuff | June 23, 2008 at 06:17 PM

God - how pathetic are Canadian journalists.... It is a non story and it is even more pathetic that Delacourt seems to think this is the heroic Candian Media "pushing back" and worth a blog. Can't wait for Travers to weigh in. Tim Russert could push back...

Posted by: Barry W | June 23, 2008 at 06:29 PM

Oliver and Taber's comments more closely resemble stuffy arrogance than the journalistic integrity they are invoking.

The quality of Canadian Sunday morning political talk is sophmoric and shallow compared to that offered on the US networks.

Could one imagine the late Tim Russert pouting over who the DNC's congressional leadership named to talk about the President's agenda?

CTV - and others in the media - would benefit from more time spent researching the issues and positions of parties and candidates than clashing with them over the mundane.

Posted by: J. Weatherman | June 23, 2008 at 06:32 PM

Um... so you're saying that cabinet ministers must drop everything when CTV decides to allow an interview? And it had better be the one CTV wants. No substitutes, even if at the cabinet level? To comment on the phantasmagorical that slithered out from another party's internal squabbling. Oh yeah ... let's all get our [censored] noses up each other's [censored] and have a mighty whine.

Posted by: Lindsay | June 23, 2008 at 06:39 PM

I think the PMO still have their back up a little bit. I think this ethos will pass over time as the Tories get used to things up there for a few years. It's not like I haven't heard any of the news networks in the US say that so and so from the Republicans denied our invitation. Like that's a big deal. Like they care. Geesh!

Posted by: nbt | June 23, 2008 at 06:40 PM

If you make a living talking politics should'nt you know who is in government?
Oliver needs to resign or CTV should remove him from his post LOL.
CTV is making CBC look unbiased by comparison.

Posted by: Durward | June 23, 2008 at 06:41 PM

It is arrogant beyond reason for the press to assume they have a right to decide who can speak on behalf of the government. I'm sure if Oliver and Taber had their choice they would have Maxime Bernier there to respond so they could combine a double hit. Oliver was almost bristling as he indicating it was up to them to decide who speaks for the Canadian Government. Which leads one to ponder,Who elected Craig Oliver?

Oliver's attitude during the entire show was that of a Dion sychophant - calling the "Green Shift" a bold initative in the area of Dion's strength. The Green Shift contains no targets only taxes and as for strength under Dion as Minister of the Environment green house gases increased over 30% - what kind of strength is that?

Don't look now Mr Oliver but when you stated "However, they did offer us Jason Kenney, the Minister of Multiculturalism, to ATTACK THE GOVERNMENT'S GREEN PLAN" your political bias is showing. The Liberals aren't the governemnt no matter how much you may wish it.

Posted by: Dane M | June 23, 2008 at 07:04 PM

And why did the ctv keep quiet about the potential problem with the title of dion's plan.
Message to Delacourt and Craig, the liberals are not the government.
Over 2 years and the media has not got the message, liberals, out, liberals will be out for several years. If liberals ever get back in even with a minority, Alberta will be out.
We will not tolerate another NEP or Green Shift Tax, or GST2.

Posted by: MaryT | June 23, 2008 at 07:13 PM

Don't you think it is time the media realizes neither they nor the Liberals are in power? The whining from both is endless!

No wonder Harper ignores the media or gives them short shrift. They really are woefully ignorant on many issues and have an over-inflated sense of importance.

Besides, isn't Craig Oliver past his due date?

Small wonder Sandra Buckler barely gives these kindergarten refugees the time of day...