The focus: images not issues

Victoria, B.C., Thursday, November 15, 2007, by : Eugene Parks

During the 1993 election, Kim Campbell’s personal attack on Jean Chretien’s face was resoundingly condemned by both the media and the public – ending the Mulroney era. But in just 15 short years, the public and the media are now tolerating paid adverting by Harper Conservatives aimed at assassinating the character of Stephane Dion – an action unprecedented in Canadian political history outside the confines of an election period. If we are going to be subject to Harper’s never ending trashy-talk advertising, could the media balance this with the facts of Mr. Harper’s actions? He ended all government environment-climate projects (cancelling the government’s green project), reversed position on Canadians on death row in the U.S., cancelled the Kelowna accord, cancelled Pine Beetle prevention funding, cancelled RCMP training courses, agreed to a 15% export tariff on softwood lumber is failing to mitigate the dollar-evaluation monetary crises that is costing tens of thousand of manufacturing and forestry jobs. On the social side, he has failed to provide any meaningful healthcare initiatives or improvements. He has cancelled funding for the arts, social development partnership programs, the Canadian wildlife service, the CBC, youth employment, adult literacy programs, and climate awareness funding (to give you the short list of cancellations). The Government of Canada's duty is to focus on good governance, providing fair and equitable programmes for all citizens. In contrast, Harper’s government is fixated on demeaning Stephane Dion, pre-programming voters for an election campaign dealing not with issues of consequence to the electorate. Rather we are being prepared for a Harper Conservative campaign "who makes the best Prime Minister?" in terms of image formulated from personal attacks.

Eugene Parks

Reference:

Rana, Abbas, Conservatives want next ballot question to be: who makes best Prime Minister? November 12, 2007, The Hill Times

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