Mason Doesn’t Get it (OR Doesn’t Want to), Palmer Remains Silent: The BC Mainstream Media–Their Own Worst Enemy
Let me tell you a great story, with which to open my remarks.
In the last years of Rafe Mair’s tenure at CKNW, Paul Martin was quickly leader and then prime minister of the land. He had refused to appear as a guest on Rafe’s show, obviously for fear of being reduced to thin paste.
Well, one day, as Rafe was about to go to air, a producer at NW informed him that Paul Martin was, indeed, to appear in studio. Rafe, couldn’t contain his glee, believing, naturally, that after enduring an hour or so of Rafe, Martin would feel as if someone had lowered him, head first, into a blender.
But Rafe’s joy was short lived. “They bloody well informed me that Martin refused to come on to my show, and instead was going to appear with Bill (Good) in the afternoon–a clear snub which pissed me off to no end considering how hard and courteously my crew’d tried to get him to come to the station, period. So, I jolly well got on air in my last segment and said that I guess he was going on with Bill in the afternoon because he didn’t want to face tough questions from me! Well, that was the truth, and it probably ended what little relationship I had with Bill–although we were generally respectful of one another. But Martin’s cowardice was goddamned obvious. It was the beginning of the end of the respect for media. And then the suits took over and it’s now to the point where we have to be our own fucking press. It’s very troubling, don’t you think Alec?”
Yes, I most certainly do .
I am forever amazed by the uneven, imbalanced and incompetent mainstream press in this province–well, some of them–and sadly, some of the most prominent.
The notion that because they have been blessed with Webster Awards and other false, tarnished honours, we should somehow be falling at their feet in appreciation of stellar reporting, is beyond laughable.
What stellar reporting? When?! IF it were so, it should be the standard, and NOT the exception.
In the ten years since the BC Liberals have been in government, the systematic failure of the mainstream press in covering the most corrupt government in BC history, is breathtaking.
I ask again: What stellar reporting? Where?
Bill VanderZalm received $20,000 in cash on a SIXTEEN MILLION dollar deal, and this was considered shocking enough to prompt a wasted trial (he kept the cash in safe keeping for the purchaser, where it remained well past all the media’s howls of indignation).
Though, to this day, there are still those idiots that disregard the evidence and believe it was a bribe. Think about it: A man is collecting SIXTEEN MILLION, but he’s taking a bribe of $20,000??? No one is that much of a no-mind. Give your heads a shake!
Two investigations and three books later, the sale was all much ado about nothing in the general scheme of things.
Keith Baldrey and Gary Mason wrote a book about it, called ‘Fantasyland’ (perhaps because of the amount of fantasy contained in the book itself).
This week, though, after solidly covering the BC beat primarily for the Toronto Mop and Pail for a good portion of that time, since the Zalm’s ignominous departure, Gary Mason, really put his foot in it.
In fact both feet–and deeply. It pains me to write this because Gary is a friend and has been very supportive of this blog and this blogger, but he demonstrates the distance between many long-time, elites in the mainstream press–and reality.
Mason, who is a very good journalist and is a must read, went off on twitter this week when Gord MacDonald of CKNW masterfully lambasted the Premier for her pathetic and rather disgraceful tirade-in-a-tank-top last Saturday, when she whined and bitched about the coverage provided (as of late) by Vaughn Palmer, and the sustained excellence of CKNW in treating her viral gaffes and endless bimbo eruptions with the requisite bright light.
Gary even suggested that Gord had done this to generate a reaction.
Pot, meet kettle.
Everything we goddamn well do in this business is intended to generate a reaction. Everything. Do not let anyone lie to you.
You think I became the most read blogger in Western Canada, with over 260,000 monthly readers, by offering up fluff? Even my enemies read me. That came from a lot of hard work–and the undercurrent, was knowing that my words would get a reaction. Our job as scribes isn’t to sway polls or push you to think what we think. Our job is to make your lives better by creating robust discussion on any given issue and in any of the public fora.
We’re your last line of defence IF the Opposition fails you. We are first responders–or should be, when PERTINENT stories are being downplayed by the politicians who’ve created them–and synchronously spawn great scandal by doing so.
We can’t put our arm around you as you wave your measly welfare cheque at our cameras and curse a corrupt government.
We can’t show you how heartbroken we are when your father dies in the hallway of the hospital you relied on to keep him alive.
We can’t hug you on the courthouse steps when you tell us how much you miss your son, who died under the wheels of that drunk-driving monster.
We can’t leave for the truck quick enough and weep your tears as your 20 year old daughter, who you bravely gave us on loan to Afghanistan, is lowered into her grave.
We can’t tell one another the truth about our failures–HOW WE FAILED YOU, because most are paid so poorly that even the rumor of disenchantment with the status quo could land you in a Starbucks apron. It’s the results of the Dennis Skulsky Doctrine–that really killed a good portion of the press in this country. Whippings will stop when morale improves.
I’ve worked for many news venues, even the straight column writers, as opposed to colour players like Mason (I guess that logically makes me a neon peacock, adorned with Christmas lights) write stories to generate interest. An opinion isn’t necessary. The cause is important.
But is it? Really?
Notice the reaction by the defenders of the Dim One’s remarks? All elite media players. Or is that ELITIST media players? She had the RIGHT to launch her attacks, they claim. Really?
It’s okay for her to complain when it’s so obvious the complainers are bang on???
When Bill VanderZalm tore a strip off former BCTV great (yes, he was great) Clem Chapple in what is known as ‘The VanderRant’, Mason and his, then young, counterparts ripped Willy Wooden Shoes a new one for his audaciousness and disrespect (I was there).
When Mike Harcourt dumped on a CBC reporter at an impromptu presser about his “strong political” connections to Dave Stupich (false story) during the ‘Bingogate’ affair, the Victoria Press Gallery, along with Mason and others in the media, were apoplectic. They were, in fact, incredulous. (Mason was at the Sun, but go back and read their coverage and find ONE reporter that offered a contrary opinion–meaning, supportive of Mike).
When Glen Clark allowed his lawyer, the late David Gibbons, QC (who was a friend of mine), to lash out at the media for more innuendo than any of us could take, the same media starlets complained bitterly.
Recently, when Alberta’s wild rose, Danielle Smith was ripping anyone that would dare (and rightly) criticize the anti-gay idiocy of a few of her Neanderthal candidates–that included some whining about the media, Gary Mason spilled a barrel full of ink taking her to task in a column he told me himself raised eyebrows.
But now, Clark is doing it–on her own, no less, and with a deep seeded vengeance, and that’s okay for Gary??? Really? Interesting…and not a peep from the front pages.
Oh, but did you know? Adrian Dix was the first staffer in the world to fake a memo to cover his bosses ass, and some years later he missed a SkyTrain ticket for all of three dollars. Shouldn’t this man be getting the death penalty or close to it?
After all, we’ve had such wonderful stories that get detailed coverage, like BC Rail…right?
To me, this is just all unadulterated, contemptible bullshit. And inconsistent. And asinine.
Clark didn’t say Vaughn’s feet smell funny, or that she hates his penchant for neutral suit colours and unexciting ties, or that she thinks he might even boil bunnies in his spare time. She went much farther; much deeper, and with greater nastiness. She attacked the most senior and respected journalist in the province by DEGRADINGLY mocking him. “You don’t read Vaughn Palmer, doooo yooouuu?” she asked the 400 people who could stomach her last Saturday. And this from whom? A woman who skated through her entire life, on a wink and a wiggle, and hasn’t a resume to speak of either in academia or business. She’s never really failed, because she’s never accomplished anything to fail from, other than having her ex-husband land her a junior assistant’s job in Ottawa because they are dyed-in-wool federal Libranos and then when Pat Kinsella got her the job at CKNW.
Christy’s whole life is one, stream-of-consciousness, theatre of the absurd, played out in the best of political psychiatry, by a sociopathic harridan.
Outside of that, she’s slung bacon and eggs and at the Blue Boy, no less. Before that, she was jettisoned from SFU for cheating in an election (where have we heard this before) and has admitted to more than an average consumption of dope over the years.
That’s your Premier. Aren’t you proud?
The belly-aching about Palmer and NW wasn’t your garden variety offence from a simple dimbell–it was a swift elbow to the head, behind the play, with clear intent to injure from someone undeserving to be in the arena, never mind just unqualified to be on the goddamned ice! Mason knows she’s completely ill-equipped for the job, he’s bloody well written about it, if not perhaps in those exact words.
Clark didn’t say CKNW hosts serve awful coffee in the green room or that they make about as much sense as the cult of Scientology. She mocked the very station that provided her the platform to become Premier, with the same degradation as she did Palmer. “You don’t listen to CKNW anymore, doooo yoooouuuuu?” She reveled in it! The gall of this woman is uncontainable! She won’t go on with fairness titans like Simi Sara or Jon McComb because she’s a bloody coward and easily confused on her feet.
Geezus…
But Mason claims this is what previous premiers and other politicians have done. Jesus Christ, Gary, that’s total horse manure! She’s not qualified to speak to these matters, and you damn well know it.
The Premier is essentially complaining about being covered fairly and aggressively, and respected journos like Mason, defend her, instead of our profession!
No wonder there is so much disdain for the mainstream press and people come here, go to Harv and Norm and Bill and Ian to get the real stories.
No one could possibly be more vicious than Christy–IT’S IN HER DNA!!! Mason’s covered the stories and been quite vocal about her successive failures. He completely misses this angle. Why? Who knows? And, frankly, who cares–it’s just so wrong to defend her right to be so vicious. That’s what this is at its lowest common denominator.
What she did, and this is very telling, (and perhaps provides a little foreshadowing–one lives in hope), is the same as what her Liberal hero, the feckless Paul Martin did in the waning days of his disastrous turn as prime minister of this blessed land.
Problem members of the media were literally quarantined from the PM at ALL public events across the country.
Know whose design this was? A fellow named Mark Marrisen, Clark’s then husband (and campaign guru during her FRAUDULENT leadership run–they cheated) and the guy who delivered Martin’s still-born tenure.
And the agents of such policy? Perhaps you’ll recognize some of the BC cast: Jamie Elmhirst, Kim Haakstad, Erik Bornmann, Dave Basi and Bob Virk.
Basi and Virk confirmed this for me well over a year ago.
But Mason’s still foaming about Gord MacDonald’s superb editorial. He didn’t look at the plethora of reasons Christy was wrong.
It annoyed him that many of us were justifiably appalled.
Well, tough titty. Gary’s absolutely on the wrong side of this and so is anyone else in the media, who thinks it’s appropriate for any politician–particularly a sitting premier, to be moaning about poor coverage that she generates almost entirely herself.
Then again, the Clark-like bitching only happens when the executioner begins to look for a fresh blade…
You’ll excuse me now, while I iron my hood.
_________________________
Three things:
Firstly, I’m gone until Tuesday. I’m so damned busy on the road, words cannot describe. So, I’m sorry, I need to handle some family pressures.
Secondly, to confirm that the 1300 person, Beans n Jeans, fraudulent figure bandied about by Pamela Martin, Mike McDonald and Christy Clark: They had almost 1400 RSVPs to the event…AND OVER 1000 cancellations. Then add about 100 walk-ons. You do the math.
Lastly, I would like to congratulate CKNW for standing their ground in this flap over the Premier’s outrageous comments. Truly, not an easy task to fend off her friends in the media–some of whom still call NW home. Kudos to that stations resilience and professionalism!
There’s an old adage about letting sleeping dogs lie. Most of the MSM in this province have for some time been sleeping; to Christy Clark’s benefit. That she was stupid enough to wake some of those dogs looks good on her and she deserves what she gets for doing so, even if it will never be enough in my book.
I’m still troubled though, by the fact some dogs didn’t wake up and some only awoke because she called their names. They didn’t stir because of the plethora of misdeeds and conduct unbecoming the premier’s office laid before them by AGT. They woke because she had the temerity (sorry) to slag them. That to me is the wrong reason and I have no doubt that those dogs will soon go back to sleep.
Dan Rather has a timely message regarding the press that applies here as well as the in the excited states: http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/19/opinion/rather-quote-approval-reporting/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
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I hate to quote Dan Rather, but on this one, he was right. Regardless of his own shameful conduct near the end.
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For everyone that missed Gary’s debate.. I took the liberty,
You need to read from the bottom to the top.. enjoy!
shane woodford @WoodfordCKNW980
@garymasonglobe I get it but I think @GordMac980 accomplished what he set out to do and that was generate reaction. He has that in spades
17 Jul Gary Mason @garymasonglobe
@WoodfordCKNW980 I could say all sorts of crap that would “generate reaction” but how honest would it be? Not very most of the time.
17 Jul shane woodford @WoodfordCKNW980
@garymasonglobe True I get it and agree but I do think Talk radio is a little bit of a different animal at times than say just reporting
17 Jul Gary Mason @garymasonglobe
@WoodfordCKNW980 fact is, a commentary designed “generate ratings” gets passed around – even if it’s intellectually dishonest. Problem.
17 Jul shane woodford @WoodfordCKNW980
@garymasonglobe An editorial while an opinion piece is by its nature designed to essentially get a reaction & is different from ‘a story’
17 Jul Gary Mason @garymasonglobe
@WoodfordCKNW980 anyway, I’m not picking on Gord. It’s the broader commentary on Clark’s comments that, as media, I find embarrassing.
8:51 PM – 17 Jul 12 via Twitter for BlackBerry® · Details
Tweet textImage will appear as a link
17 Jul YMI Political @YMIPolitical
@garymasonglobe Sure you were picking on Gord. It was an emotional over-the-top editorial. @WoodfordCKNW980 @Gordmac980
17 Jul shane woodford @WoodfordCKNW980
@garymasonglobe It is a little over the top and definitely makes a case for Christy in how she feels she is being treated by the media
17 Jul Gary Mason @garymasonglobe
@WoodfordCKNW980 I don’t regard Gord’s piece as a “reasoned” editorial but rather a more emotional commentary, which is less dispassionate.
17 Jul Gary Mason @garymasonglobe
@WoodfordCKNW980 fact is, a commentary designed “generate ratings” gets passed around – even if it’s intellectually dishonest. Problem.
17 Jul Gary Mason @garymasonglobe
@WoodfordCKNW980 I could say all sorts of crap that would “generate reaction” but how honest would it be? Not very most of the time.
17 Jul Gary Mason @garymasonglobe
@WoodfordCKNW980 well, if it only becomes our job to “generate reaction” than God help us all. Could lead us into areas we don’t want to go
17 Jul Gary Mason @garymasonglobe
I’ve always found it curious that the media is so unable to take what it dishes out most days. So thin-skinned it’s unbelievable.
17 Jul Gary Mason @garymasonglobe
My point is, whether she worked at NW @ 1 time should be irrelevant. If she feels she’s being treated unfairly it’s her right to say so
17 Jul Gary Mason @garymasonglobe
@rodmickleburgh it’s kind of funny. Early on she was accused of showing favouritism with NW, now she’s being unfair. Media needs to relax
17 Jul Gary Mason @garymasonglobe
Premiers have been cursing out members of the media for years in BC – why is it suddenly big news when Prem Clark does it? Silly, honestly
17 Jul Gary Mason @garymasonglobe
Amused by hysteria in some media circles by Prem Christy Clark’s criticism of a columnist and her old radio station. Never been done b4?
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Thanks George. I have zero use for Twitter, currently, so your compilation helps.
“I’ve always found it curious that the media is so unable to take what it dishes out most days. So thin-skinned it’s unbelievable.”
I can appreciate that point. I’ve seen it a few times this month.
As for the rest, he’s basically not biting. He’s waiting for a bigger hook.
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Over the years I’ve become less and less of a fan of Mason’s.
But I still buy his jars.
Cheers.
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I get his jars for free. Try Classico Spaghetti Sauce. They make great shakers for bunches of mixed drinks in a pinch
Cheers!
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In mason’s case you can see his bias and lack of research. I could care less if he can wordsmith, I need substance, truth and justice.
Article in the US states that CNN is noticing that less and less people of seeking their news from the MSM. Journalism is changing just as the internet changed the need for travel agents.
I truly miss the WW2 generation, now those folks had morals, their children are something else. Of course this is a generalization but…
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Thanks George. Some might wonder where Mason has been. The chronology of Christy’s treatment by the MSM is right there for all to see.
She’s had a free ride for so long, and now is bitching because some people have come out of their slumber???
Gimme a break.
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Complete agreement.
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I bet Gordon C is laughing right now!! I would compare it to the pilot convincing the flight attendant (CC) to steer the plane for a couple minutes while he quietly jumps out of the plane with a (golden parachute, pun intended) leaving the gas tank empty, and the plane heading for the mountain.
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That about sums it up.
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Clark has been getting by on looks and now that the looks are fading, and the energy is dwindling she’s done and so is Pamela the tele prompt reading model.
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CC is going to let Kinsella’s buddies get the LDB contract because Kinsella got her that ‘NW job and the unelected, stolen Premiership.
What a monstrous payback !! What is it; 10 years at 50 million, a 1/2 billion dollar theft of another taxpayers’ moneymaker.
I listened to CBC’s Rick Cluff this morning and he had on Mark Milke from Alberta’s Fraser Institute. He spouted about how great privatizing Alberta’s LDB was working in Alberta and Cluff never once rebutted him, just asked another question, though the questions could have set up a lot of rebuttals on Cluff’s part. Pure spin and CBC just bent over and took it.
Absolutely disgusting!!!
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I dont think the province can afford to sell a money maker right now so I dont agree with the privatization of the LDB but I remember being in a Superstore just south of the Chinook Centre in Calgary a while back and I was amazed at the cheap booze they had.
So I am not drinking the Koolaid yet about costs going up in BC if liquor distribution is privatized.
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I believe much of that price difference is the difference in taxation.
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I found Crown Royal the same price (and that’s with our HST.
On the LDB front; I know ( from a driver for LDB’s distributors) that Kelowna has already been changed to Exel. These were private drivers.
The company (Van-Kam) that has LDB’s contract right now is downsizing and offering their divers buyouts. Van-Kam has another line (Saltspring Trucking?) that pays its drivers $2 dollars less an hour and less benefits and offered some of the drivers that are in good at Van-Kam jobs there after the buyout.
Saltspring (very smnall trucking outfit right now) has about a dozen semi-trucks just sitting there waiting to go into action. What small outfit can afford to have all that money in trucks tied up?
Van-Kam is also re-painting their building new colors.
Looks the writing’s on the wall for the change-over somehow probably involving Saltspring trucking and their cheaper drivers.
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The problem is that Kinsellof is involved in this privatisation of the LDB. Concerned citizens should try a legal avenue to prevent this. The Globe and Mail stated it was Shirley Bond who changed the course on this LDB privitization issue….speaking to possible foreign German buyers. Her cooking classes must qualify her for such decisions.
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Alberta and BC have diffent taxes on liquor. Alberta uses a flat tax and BC tax is the result of alcohol content and purchase. Value products including beer are cheaper in BC. Premium products are cheaper in Alberta. In Alberta everyone must make a profit. The Gov’t takes their share, Exel takes some and the private liquor stores has a mark up.
In BC the private stores mark their products from 16% to 220% above their cost. The worst are the wine only stores – ie – everything wine.
They buy for 35% off the shelf price (example – LDB shelf price $14.49 they buy for $9.84 and sell for $20.99). Many private liquor or wine only stores prefer to purchase products that are note available in the LDB stores. That is the way that they cover up selling products where they overcharge the unspecting customer. If BC used the same flat tax as Alberta, BC’s price would be cheaper on every product.
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well alex, its a free country and CC can say whatever she wants. there will be consequences for it though and not just to her, she seems to like ignoring her resposibility to others that she has choosen to accept.
her tirade was insulting and damaging to a lot of people
-cknw
-the vancouver sun and VP
-the listeners of cknw
-the people who read VP and the sun
- and most importantly it was damaging and insulting to the liberal party of BC. most liberals supporters i know have far more class than to be that insulting.
i am wondering who managed to insult more people at once though, falcon with his stupid tax comment… managing to insult 55% of the population or CC with her recent comments.
have the liberals just completely given up on the next election? they do still remember people have to vote for them to retain power right?
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Alex, why do you insist on trying to kick Mason’s ass, while jerking him off at the same time.
It’s a fag ploy you pull all the time.
Pick a side tough guy, which team are you playing for?
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I knew it…
The second they shut down Riverview we’d see more you…
You’re an idiot, Larry an everyone knows it.
How many sites have you been banned from now?
Go away, fool.
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This guy has serious problems……
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I know.
You should have seen some of his other comments about my family, etc.
Stunning.
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Alex, I know why you leave such disgraceful commentary up, but could you please delete this one?
I believe the word “fag” is evidence of bigotry and classifies as a slur that promotes hatred and violence. It has no place on a blog of such high calibre, and if any of your readers are gay, this would be highly offensive and hurtful.
On another note, nice to see Dix finally, perhaps, being worthy of Leader of the Opposition. He actually calls out CC and her pack of cronies:
http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2012/07/06/No-To-Pipeline/
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I’m leaving it up.
I received about a dozen VERY supportive notes from gay readers.
I’m leaving it up to show what kind of obsessed idiot Jordan is.
He’s been doing it forever and finds it amusing.
We’ll see how amused he is when I bump into him one day.
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It’s just that it’s a word I’ve seen cause so much pain for so many I’ve taught in the past, and it makes me shudder.
Thanks for dignifying my request, and I respect your reasoning for leaving it up.
Have a wonderful weekend off! You’ll be sorely missed…
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Thank you, Vanessa.
I don’t like the word either.
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As completely biased as I am in your favour. Alex, it is my thinking that what you continue to do with Christy, Baldrey, Mason and others you’ve critiqued is express as much human regard for the PERSON as possible while still opposing their actions or point of view with everything you have in you. While people’s actions and words do, over time, comprise their character and have very serious effects on the lives of British Columbians, you do try to give credit where it is due without holding back and becoming just another pro-Liberal or pro-anything celebrity media person. This is journalism and it hasn’t been practiced much in these parts for the last decade. Yes, I think it gets messy and heated from time to time but that’s what professionalism requires. Professionalism isn’t politically correct pablum and public relations; it’s purposefulness and commitment to causes beyond corporate ideology. When I say that you are anything but predictable, AGT, I mean it in the most positive way.
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THanks for the kind words.
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We know he’s a complete idiot…how about giving him a perma-ban?
Your site would be better for it!
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Yeah, I’m done with Larry Jordan.
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Just send Larry down to the Pumpjack Pub on Davie Street, late one evening….. he might learn a thing or two about calling people inappropriate names. Or a little more about the gay community.
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Great idea!
I have a couple of pals who go there all the time. He wouldn’t get away with that there!!!
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LJ-
Alex, why do you insist on trying to kick Mason’s ass
because LJ he is dead wrong in this instance
, while jerking him off at the same time.
LJ this may be a foreign concept to you but it is possible to respect someones opinion and work while still dis-agreeing with them.
It’s a fag ploy you pull all the time.
LJ,well using intelligent arguments like that, maybe you should apply for CC’s press secretary. im sure it pays well and you have just proven you are qualified.
Pick a side tough guy, which team are you playing for?
LJ that should blatantly obvious, agt is on the side of the people of BC.
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Err Jordan jams home another one.
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Larry is the result of 3 years of high school football without a helmet
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Only three?
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that is pretty damn disrespectful to those of us who played football , in LJs case cant we just leave it we cant cure stupid.
thanks a former football player – with brains
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Bless you buddy.
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I almost think if I said what I think on this matter that he would get a kick out of knowing his comments are highly offensive and not welcome. I respect your decision to leave up his “comments” but he is really troubled. I LOVED the Riverview shot that was awesome. But remember people he isn’t into cheerleaders…….
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FUCK LARRY JORDAN.
He’s the belly lint of life.
Meaningless and disposable.
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He repeated Grade 8 afew times…
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Alex,
Cannot fathom what Mason was thinking on this one.
Let me just say what a pleasure it was to read what you have written here in this post.
In my book, one of your best ones, as it sums up exactly how things should, and should not be done by the scribes in the MSM, or anyone reporting for that matter.
The media in this town (not all) have become more of a side show, than the actual messenger. Too much “Hollywood” and not enough substance. Too closely linked to the people they are supposed to cover without bias. Too much promotion based on looks or connections.
I am afraid, with the exception of a few, we have become rudderless in this town when it comes to our news reporters.
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another great one alex,
mr mason needs to give his head a shake
what in gords editorial was intellectually dishonest?
it is caqlled fair comment.
as people talk about how she is picking on vaughan palmer and nw i end up telling them about the harrasment that you have had to endure.
the reason msm is not covering your harrasment is because to do so would be acknowledging that you were first and that they have been playing catch up.
by msm taking credit for your work ( when they have no choice but to report it) alex that to me is is intellectual dishonesty.
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Well, thank you.
But I don’t make it easy for them either.
It’s tough to acknowledge a man who’s work is constantly shaming you.
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Oh, I think that anyone with an interest in politics in this province know who’s been the driving force behind a lot of this stuff, Alex.
I talk to people everyday. Even those who are a litle “unsure” about you, respect the fact that you have pushed and pushed and pushed the envelope. And that you are the reason that the msm is finally asking the right questions.
Congratulations.
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Thank you.
Means a great deal to me to hear that.
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One of the saddest aspects of the Fiberal
Hindenburg slowly sinking into oblivion is the
fact that that the lowest piece of rat feces that ever
became Premier is not on board.
The master of the B.C. disaster should have
been front and center to reap what he has sown!
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Yup and it WILL all come back to him…….one day!!!!
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The Babylonians are indeed at the city gates. It was best to surrender, accept their terms of peace and go free. If not , perish in a brutal, punishing siege. Despite years of persecution and ridicule from the elite ruling class, the prophet Jeremiah got it; and he walked out a free man.
King Zedekiah, on the other hand, didn’t get it. Instead, he witnessed his sons executed right in front of him. Then, immediately after that, bound and shackled, he had his eyes gouged out and was led into exile in Babylon.
And we think politicians have it rough in BC? Think again.
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Ride on Sir George (Alex) the dragon draws near
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Great post Alex. All of this bowing down and defending of CC makes me wonder if most of the MSM have had their palms greased at some point by the Libs. I know you have copies of wire taps in the BCRail travesty, involving Baldry and Palmer. Is it out of the realm of possibility that CC is somehow holding that over their heads? Even though if those tapes came out, it would not help her at all.
I`m not trying to be a conspiracy whore, just trying to figure out why CC
and the Libs are untouchable by most of the major players in the media. If any body can shed some light on it for me, I will sincerely
appreciate it!
Regards,
Kerry
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Excellent article Alex. While I don’t always agree with you, posts like this cross the spectrum and are the reason you have so many readers.
Just one point, on the ” Before that, she was jettisoned from SFU for cheating in an election” I need to correct you. She was not turfed from SFU for her election violations, she FLUNKED OUT. I know, I was on the committee to disqualify her for not paying her fine for cheating.
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Hey Alex,
I didn’t know that CC worked at the Blue Boy making breakfast? Did she get that job legitimately or did her brother Bruce get that one for her? Regardless, it sounds like that is the only honest and respectable work she has ever done.
I may be too dense to figure out Mason’s angle or even Baldrey’s. However, I think I figured out something about Vaughn.
I speculate that Vaughn feels vindicated by Christy’s speech. He felt so guilty for giving Snooki a free ride for so long, (not the kind she was used to getting in University but in the paper), that he decided to wake up and give us the quality VP journalism we expect from the little guy. Christy knocking him makes him feel atoned for being asleep at the switch and it demonstrates to everyone that he is equally harsh to all politicians. In short, he was actually thrilled Christy said that nasty stuff about him. However its only a theory.
I look forward to more bombs from you on Tuesday. Have a great week.
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Respectable? Are you sure she wasn’t working for the B&B Escort Service?
Sorry if I offend
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Oh well, once a tomcat has been fixed, it prefers to sit comfortably by the fire … why venture out in the night?
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Whippings will stop when morale improves.
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Alex, its “beating will continue until moral improves”
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Um, I can’t alter to make it my own?
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I first saw it as “floggings”… I figure: you delivers the beat-down, yous can say it hows you want.
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Alex MSM is useless and dying off , you and others just need to continue the work you do msm is losing more readers every day people are not as dumb as they hoped.
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Great comment as usual Alex. As for the state of BC’s MSM, all you need to know is that Bill Good has a Webster award.
Take time to be with your family Alex, those are the best times. Politics and the morons that inhabit them will be there waiting for your attention.
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I agree but it’s a problem I need to solve or I’ll be very alone.
Thanks.
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Alex
First of all….you will never be alone.
I just figured out tonight what my father said to me ( when it was due) since I was five years old.
“Well done Billy Muldoon.” ………..what the hell was that?
After multiple hours of searching tonight …….
Seven fights, six losses, and one important win.
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What a great comment…
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I would suggest Mr. Jordon find something else to do with his time. He obviously isn’t all that keen on this blog. Mr. Jordon, you might not want to waste your time & efforts writing on this blog, if it makes you so unhappy.
You see this is Mr. Tsakumis’s blog. He gets to decide what he writes here, no one else. (o.k. maybe his lawyer gives him a little advise) He doesn’t even appear to have people who advertise. So he really owns the whole show. I personally don’t always agree with AGT but I still enjoy what he & others write here. Your comment was not appreciated. Its sexual overtones are very unnecessary. I am sure by now AGT knows what team he is batting for. As to the “tough guy” comment, well we are all tough & we all have our soft spots. One of your soft spots appears to be between your ears.
Now on to the subject of the blog. I don’t get where the media is coming from. Sometimes I think they are obtaining their “writing/marching” orders from their bosses, so I can understand that. On the other hand if they were & they found them morally objectable, they should resign. To continue to do work with which you do not agree, is bad for the soul.
Christie Clark just doesn’t get it. I would suggest it comes from her having being able to get by on her “prom queen” act. There comes a day though that we all hve to give up that act. We get too old. There comes a time for substance & style. That time was a few yrs ago. If you can not grow into the job & you can’t take the heat then it is time to find another job.
If it weren’t for all the pain/damage c.c. & her lieberals are doing to the province the whole act would be funny. The media has closed its eyes to the damage & I would think they haven’t noticed they are being shit upon from great heights (or very lowly ones) or who knows they may hve forgotten why they became journalists. Its kind of like in Britian; the press, politicians, & police just had forgotten what their actual roles were in the grand scheme of things. Please all of you go back & read your job descriptions & then try to live up to them.
P.S. I loved the column, bang on! Have a good weekend. Have fun with the family, the kids are only kids for so short a time & then they are teenagers. I trust you, your wife, & kids have a great time.
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Real investigative journalism is dead. The politicians now pull the strings. As someone who used to work in a “highly visible” occupation with a lot of media coverage, the rules from above were very clear to the media: “Play nice and don’t report anything scandalous, or else access to us will be cut off going forward.” When you have the newsmakers dictating the news, you’ve got a problem.
Thank goodness social media has changed the landscape of the news world, and to bloggers like you and Laila Yule who keep the pressure on.
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Another great article.
Don’t know LJ but seeing his comment brings to mind an old saying,
“Strong like bull, smart like stick” not sure who to attribute that to.
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All you need to know about government control over media can be discovered in the list of advertisers on that media.
Government ads
Electric and gas companies
BC Rail
Home builders
Car dealerships
Cash flow rules!!!
But informed people can decide where to put their cash.
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Agreed.
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you forgot about the unions.
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Well sure- all I hear all day long day in and day out is the constant din of union advertising- definitely as much or more than car dealerships and oil companies. Gosh I bet the plumbers union alone advertises more than Ford. And let’s not even mention those hours of teamster commercials we are all so sick of.
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Alex
Right on. It is sad to hear the Major Media outlets navel gazing that they treat Crusty worse than they treated Grodo! ( In my humble opinion, Gordo must have pictures of most of them with goats)What utter hogwash. As you correctly stated, they should compare it to how they treated, Gordon Wilson, and Glen Clarke. Perhaps their style of navel gazing is skewed as they are looking up and forward rather than down., because their heads have been up their as…. for so long.
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Hi Alex,
Really? can you do another piece on this guy, and blow his creditability further away!
Minister Rich Coleman is calling some of the inferences being made about his connections to the Liquor Distribution Branch privatization process “ridiculous.”
Coleman insists at the time he didn’t know the names of companies bidding on the lucrative, 10-year contract
“I didn’t say that I didn’t know anybody…I didn’t know the bidders at the time because obviously that was a process that was arms length from me, and was being handled arms length from me. And because I had the liquor file over the years it was felt I would stay as far away and arms length as it was.”
But now that he’s seen the short-list of six companies, he admits he has met with some of them.
“You do do business and meet with people and listen to them as a minister, but that doesn’t mean that they have any…that there’s anything…anything more than that. You’re just doing your job.”
Coleman says he’s had the liquor file for around 7 of the past 12 years and that’s why he’s staying even further away from the privatization process.
He thinks there are some people trying to connect dots that just aren’t there.
Freedom of information documents obtained by the NDP last week indicate the government’s plan to privatize the LDB is driven solely by well-connected lobbyists.
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I’d like to ask Rich Coleman a whole pile of questions about his tenure in government.
Under oath…
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Perhaps he ran into them at the heli jet…right?
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Right? RIGHT?!
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If Rich Coleman had Pinnochio Syndrome, you’d have to stand 20 feet away from him to have a face-to-face conversation.
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After her clandestine trip to meet Alison Redford, I think we should now call her Sneaky Snooki.
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Zoot, was Redford only the cover meeting? So she could secretly meet with Enbridge people, to finalize her money deal for pushing it through soon?
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Geezus, be serious please.
Nonsense.
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AGT great column as usual. Your comment/answer to frank is spot on.
Think for his sake it may be time to be brave and come out of the closet. That way he doesn’t have to hurt the one’s he loves with cruel uncalled for comments.
You take the time off that you deserve and we will be here when you return.
One of those cap-ta devices would totally louse up frank.
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Interesting article in the Calgary Hearld re: Clark
Be Thankful Christy Clark isn’t Alberta’s Premiere
http://blogs.calgaryherald.com/2012/07/19/be-thankful-christy-clark-isnt-albertas-premier/
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a short quote:
“We can wonder why our government played along with a sad political charade, but we have to be grateful we have a straight-talking premier like Redford instead of some cloak-and-dagger flake like Clark.”
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BANG!
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I note that the question from the above blogg asked:
Who would you rather have as Alberta premier, Christy Clark or Alison Redford?
Christy Clark 17.54% (157 votes)
Alison Redford 82.46% (738 votes)
As a BC resident – I’d prefer to have Sneaky Snooki as Alberta’s Premier.
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I’m surprised.
That’s quite a few votes for Christy.
Clearly, Mike Morton’s forces have been at work.
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As a BC resident, I’d rather have Alison Redford ANY DAY of the week.
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Thanks for that. There’s a fun poll question, asking who you’d rather have as the ALBERTA premier: Christy or Alison?
I voted for Christy.
Christy is trailing badly, though. I encourage others to go and vote for her!
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Allow me to intervene.
I think it’s wrong to vote for Clark.
The question is clearly for Albertans, one, and, two, trying to skew what would otherwise be a fair representation is asinine.
It’s what Clark’s people do all the time.
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Sorry, I was just being an imp of Satan!
(These on-line polls aren’t scientific anyway.)
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why would you wish such misfortune upon your neighbours barry stewart?
give alberta some credit, they are a major part of the canadian economy… i would not want that destroyed by premeire bimbo.
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How embarrassing for our province! This is getting really nutty! I used to liken it to Jim and Tammy Faye but its actually getting to be more like MJ or Britney. How much longer can this circus continue?
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Also the snivelling little side-door sneaking around like a diseased r@t that Christy showed as her best way to proudly represent BC during her secret visit.
Repugnant, embarrassing and so very slimy. Congrats Christy … you are now without a doubt the very lowest of the many gutter crawlers to have slithered through the Offices of either Province’s Premier.
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.
The BC Mainstream Media –Their Own Worst Enemy?
Take a “Good” hard look at this picture:
http://www.boardoftrade.com/Images2/Events/BillGoodRoast_event.jpg
(Bill Good’s Board of Trade “20th anniversary at CKNW” broadcasting roast on September 18, 2008)
Gordon Campbell was a VIP and had a front row seat that night.
And if Christy Clark can so easily and mindlessly crap all over the people she used to work with at CKWN since 2007 she will have absolutely no hesitation in crapping all over any BC Liberal MLA or any of her current support staff if it’s to her advantage.
No loyalty, no integrity, no brains.
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I was there.
Bill Tieleman and I sat at an empty table together and listened to Christy absolutely trash Rafe just to blow sunshine up Bill Good’s ass.
We all thought it was a pretty pathetic display when the Premier was there. Gordon was laudatory of Bill in a way that both Tieleman and I found unfathomable.
To say nothing of Christy’s utterly bizarre and nasty performance, which had more than a few tongues wagging and jaws dropped.
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AGT wrote: “To say nothing of Christy’s utterly performance, …”
Utterly what? Don’t leave me hangin’, Bro!
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Sorry.
Corrected now; thanks fo that.
She was really nasty at the microphone and made really bizarre seguays, etc.
Perhaps there was some foreshadowing in play.
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Speaking of segues, another correction: “Perhaps there was some foreplay in shadowing: she was real nasty at the microphone”.
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Come on – it was perfectly clear – “…UDDERLY bizarre and nasty performance, which had more than a few tongues wagging and jaws dropped.”
Crash Test Moo-Cow thought it was amateur strip night at the Blue Boy, so she shook her ta ta’s and insulted everyone like she usually does.
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And little Pammie, with her botoxed smile and ‘fat arms’ was there as well. What a creepy group!
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I don’t find Pamela unattractive.
She’s looked good her whole life.
It’s her sense of entitlement that I find offside.
How on earth does she dare think her unqualified derrière belongs in the Premier’s Office?
It strains credulity.
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Pamela’s dictum: “Boldness deserves luck!”
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“How on earth does she dare think her unqualified derrière belongs in the Premier’s Office?:
Now that’s getting to the bottom of an important issue there Alex.
Alex you’ve been there. Even the Premier’s office needs a well rounded person to haul ass when it’s nessesary.
Even though many including myself are bummed out about why a person who hadn’t previously seen a stack of envelopes on the kitchen table of the riding president’s house. or ever seen the inside of a local riding candidate’s campaign office manages to bag a $130,000 a year cushy job.
No butts about it.
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It’s called getting old. Wrinkles creep up, body parts sag. Some age gracefully as nature intended, others turn to the surgeon’s knife and injections….if they choose to do the latter, so be it.
Her sense of entitlement is indeed staggering. She was a former beauty queen who read the news for goodness sakes!!!
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I still think there’s an inherent goodness to Pamela Martin.
And, frankly, she did some excellent reporting early in her career. Really good work.
But she became a media celebrity in her mind and that was the end.
How she feels she’s at all qualified to be in the Premier’s Office is beyond me.
Then again, who’s her boss..?
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“It’s her sense of entitlement that I find offside.”
Kinda like former GG Adrienne Clarkson or maybe the non-accountable expense-burning Gordon Campbell and his true love Lara D.?
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Oh Dear Lord, was there anyone more of an entitlement whore than her and that idiot husband of hers???
Insufferable idiots.
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Alex, what the hell was premier wiggly buns doing in Alberta and Saskatchewan???, it seems her host are at a loss for the point of her visit, just more wasted tax payers dollars??.
At least it seems she has lost a lot of respect of her fellow premiers, what an embarrassing dunce!!!!, how much farther is she going drag down British Columbia’s name???
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It was all about Enbridge an from my contacts in Edmonton, I understand Redford walked out of the meeting shaking her head at Christy’s weak handle of the issue–from any side.
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The only reason that I can figure she’d be there embarrassing us is that she wants to explain (wink, wink) that she’s going to ‘talk tough’ for the Enbridge-opposing BC public and contrive to ‘negotiate hard’–assuring them that she is not going to renig on any back room deals or agreements in principle she may have been party to. With BC Rail, the LDB, and so many other fiascos to her ‘credit,’ I bet she’s trying to keep her cards a bit closer to her chest and orchestrate her ‘tough cop’ role as provincial and federal politicians line up across the country to oppose the BC public, Dix, and Mulcair. How pathetic! Most of us bet that CC has been easily and cheaply bought. It’s all spin. Creepy, creepy, very creepy.
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I think she is trying to give us the impression that she is trying to win us a bigger piece of the pipeline pie $$.
I believe Christy hopes this puts her back into some people’s good graces..
What she forgets is that she has not shown us any honesty on several other files, BC Rail and the liquor privatization.
By sneaking off to Alberta for a meeting she thinks the media will focus on it… and they did..running in the wrong direction to catch the bone.
Rather than paying attention to the fact that the announcement for the short list of bidders for liquor privatization was pushed out on a Friday afternoon to avoid media scrutiny..
Thank goodness for those internet bloggers that Christy so vehemently tries to discredit..
Who has the credibility now Christy?
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I’m surprised people aren’t jumping on the fact that Big Richie was enjoying a glass of wine at 10:30 in the morning.
This corkage fee announcement is a smoke and mirrors tactic to distract from the LDB fiasco…it’s quite pathetic actually.
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10:30 am – 10:30 pm – for Rich “Mr. Creosote” Coleman – what’s the f*cking difference?
You’re 100% right about the corkage fee – it’s a bogus distraction – “here’s a subject to talk about amongst yourselves while we ‘LIEberals’ sell what we don’t own to our scumbag friends.”
Since the “LIEberals” love corks so much, the voting public should fashion some king-size butt plugs for every one of those liars, and insert them with a sledge hammer…. and I mean that in a nice way!
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RE: 5 points for building a pipeline
The industry standard for a “successful cleanup” is that 10% of the crude oil is recovered. This is for CRUDE OIL, not BITIMEN!
This pipeline must not come to pass, no matter how much bribe $$$ gets sent BC’s way!
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I agree.
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Hi Alex,
I wasn’t aware of this change in government portfolios until I read this .. pay particular attention to the link inside the article that says “Industry Bulletin – Oil and Gas Commission Responsibility for Processing, in the following article:
http://blogborgcollective.blogspot.ca/2012/07/minister-rich-coleman-is-responsible.html
So, I wonder why C. Clark is now taking somewhat of a harsher stance on this particular issue, as mentioned in the following article:
http://www.theprovince.com/business/Christy+Clark+Enbridge+Northern+Gateway+pipeline+very+large+risk/6966460/story.html
A couple of your last commenters mentioned R. Coleman and I’m wondering if you may provide any insight as above, that is if there’s anything related or not — by the way, have you noticed Mr. Coleman, although never exactly Mr. Sunshine happy face, lately is looking either more worried or angry, or something, not sure what, but it’s telling any time you see him lately — whatever, maybe it’s nothing?
Have a good weekend.
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Coleman isn’t connected to Enbridge.
He’s the guy that was the architect of the LDB fiasco. And he’s knows it.
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Stan, you are absolutely correct. Ol’ Richie is looking a tad frazzled as of late. Stick handling a few acres out of the ALR to friends and family during the sophomoric days of a less aware ( or stunned ) public is one thing. Repeating the theft of a public asset while an ever increasing hostile electorate ( and awakening media ) is a bit more taxing. What makes this almost the best shill game in recent times, dear ol’ Dummy will take a stance on Enbridge and we’ll never notice the end play.
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I still wonder what happened in that hanger at Fulton Field in Kamloops.
I’m assuming something ” Big Boy” doesn’t want us to ever know
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Hi Alex,
I couldn’t understand what Crispy Cream was talking about so I went up to chapters and bought “Running The Province of BC for DUMMIES” By the way I couldn’t help but notice all of the pictures and references to CC.
So this is her quote from earlier today!
“I understand the national benefit in this, and the huge benefit to Alberta in this. I understand that. But there is a very large risk to British Columbia for our marine and terrestrial environment. And there is a very small — at the moment — benefit to our province,” she said in an interview Thursday evening.
The book translated this for me as the following!!
“Harper tells me why I need this dirty oil flowing through my back yard! And I see Algeria’s benefit (Psst CC its Alberta) Oh sorry my bad Alberta’s benefit! But, us here on the East Coast (Psst CC it’s West Coast) Ya Ya West Coast I meant East of Victoria. Baldrey can you pipe down I’m trying to give my Erection speech! (Psst CC never mind) Any way we here on the West Coast don’t wont your oil messing with our marine and extraterrestrial’s. And there is a very small AT THE moment wink wink nudge nudge benefit to my pocket! Now Pammy will pass around her hat!
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Love this comment!
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somebody’s going to get another spanking
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Premier+secret+visit+reinforces+reputation+being+indecisive/6967687/story.html
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No surprise at all.
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Hmm… and Vaughan has gone back to not allowing responses, after that one blip the other day.
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Yup .. no surprises at all!! It is because of letches like Palmer and co that these actions/ deals have slid beneath the noses of the electorate for the past 11 years.
And now VP has the audacity to promote himself with a few columns that show there may be .. there ACTUALLY might be a beating heart in the corpse-like shill (tic) that represents him and the rest of the MSM!!
If he somehow feels justified to hologram his social conscience to the public, then why does he not have a ‘comments’ section after his diatribes? Maybe he has had too many suggestions to grow a set and start doing his job in an unbiased fashion much like our beloved AGT!!
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“Yawn” Palmer is setting the traps for the NDP government.
When the NDP get in, he’ll be on a mission from God to hammer the shit out of them 4 or 5 times a day for any irrelevant minor infraction.
And if anyone calls him on his biased heavy-handedness, he’ll be able to say, “wait a minute, remember when I hammered the Crash Test Dummy – I’m fair and balance!”
I’m so sick of this left/right shit! What about right and wrong?
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Vaughn has “hammered” Christy? EXCUSE ME?
For the first year and a half of her disastrous tenure as Premier, he all but paid her a deference akin to foot kissing.
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Alex, you’re absolutely right!
Sorry for the confusion – I was only expanding on this thread and the related MSM article.
“Yawn” was… and is, a toady!
Please allow me to clarify my point by rephrasing my 3rd. paragraph:
“…And if anyone calls him on his biased heavy-handedness AGAINST THE IMPENDING NDP GOVERNMENT, he’ll be able to say, ‘wait a minute, remember the 2 OR 3 TIMES OUT 0F 10,000, when I hammered (READ: GENTLY SPANKED) the Crash Test Dummy – SEE, I’m fair and balanced!”
Again, “Yawn” never ever truly “HAMMERED” the Crash Test Dummy – he gave her a couple of mini-spankings/times-out, without the allowance of reader commentary.
These ultra-rare instances of “pseudo-balance” are nothing more than cheap devices to allow him to hammer the NDP relentlessly in the future over nothing and to then tell us how even-handed he is/was.
To avoid any confusion on my political alliance, may I also say – I don’t buy into left/right political party propaganda – I’m not a political party dogma fan boy – to me it’s either right or wrong.
“Yawn” is wrong.
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alex re ms clarks edmonton trip.
in principle i do not have a problem withthe need for face to face meetings
,
i do not have a problem keeping the agenda secret.
my problem is the way she chose to enter and leave the meeting
she left the way she did to avoid the hard questions from a press core that actually lobs hardballs rather than slow pitch.
if you cannot hold a scrum on the fly and answer questions and devulge nothing then you should not be in politics ms clark
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This is the same Premier Occupy who would not debate her opponent in the Point Grey by-election. CC’s ‘tough talk’ about the pipeline is about generating a few (feeble) headlines in the daily tabloid newspaper to complement their pro-Liberal editorials. To see who was tweeting this non-story feverishly shows it’s all for effect and spin–to create the impression that it’s not a done deal and Christy cares about BC and British Columbians. If anyone believes that, has a railway and a liquor monopoly to sell you! Legitimate bids and due process only. Ha ha!
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Christy pulled the same avoidance tricks when she visited Hope in March.
It was the first day of our 3-day teachers’ strike and Christy was scheduled to get out of town (to avoid the heat?) that day and visit the hinterlands. A retired teacher lives in an old folks’ home in Hope and she tipped us off that Christy was coming to visit.
When it was known that Christy had arrived, we took our placards and gathered outside the home — in the pouring rain — supported by parents and students.
Christy was spotted inside before the curtains were snapped shut. (Our insider friend kept opening them a crack to give us a wave.)
Christy’s security man and an RCMP officer both told us she wasn’t in there but we kept her pinned down for about an hour.
A tactful politician would have invited our president in for a chat. Imagine how that would have diffused the situation — but no.
A group went to cover the back route, where a decoy vehicle arrived… then the official black van arrived out front and Christy was escorted out.
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G. Barry Stewart said, “…Christy’s security man and an RCMP officer both told us she wasn’t in there..”
So Crash Test Dummy had her security man and an RCMP officer LIE to you about her presence there – how dignified!
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I don’t know why you keep referring CC as Premier Occupy … there is only one party leader that threw their party support behind the occupy mob. However, I suspect the communist party of BC is of like mind.
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She is Premier Occupy because she occupies the premier’s chair and won’t step down no matter how hideous or unethical her performance turns out to be. She is also called this because this blog has posts which suggest convincingly that she did not win the BC Liberal leadership in the most upstanding of ways. Other premiers stepped down for much lesser lapses of judgment than Campbell and Clark have demonstrated.
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Two of the three shortlisted proponents for the Liquor Distribution Branch have ties to Patrick Kinsella. Can you say stacked deck?
http://www.biv.com/article/20120529/BIV0109/305299958/-1/BIV/ldb-privatization-a-containerworld-game-changer
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It’s an ugly situation, to be sure.
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Not so ugly now that Patrick Kanswindleya’s sphere of influence has been reduced to 50%, down from 67%. Right
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Good one, RS!
Grade 2 student: “Mr. Kinsella… do you spell your last name like this:
K-A-N-S-W-I-N-D-L-E-Y-A?”
And the teacher grins….
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You know…I’ve let these comments go about Pat, even though, he swindled no one.
Pay attention: Love Kinsella or not, he’s a shrewd and intelligent man. If this government allowed him to do anything against the interests of the general good, who is really to blame?
Think about it. Kinsella has not seen the inside of a court room and hasn’t been charged with a single thing. Notwithstanding his position as de facto Premier, he’s not committed a swindle. He’s simply doing what’s in his best interests–and Christy Clark, like Gordon Campbell before her, has provided him a free hand.
Who is really to blame?
Not Kinsella.
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Uglier still when these theives cause the price of Grey Goose to go up and I’m still having to toast you for exposing them. Coleman described it as ‘ridiculous’ & ‘connecting dots which just aren’t there’. Right.
Take all the time off you need my friend. We’ll all be here when you get back (you may even have time for a beer) and the election is months away. Plenty of time for them to step on their dicks again and again.
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A Coleman lamp sputters atop The BC Liquor Cabinet, giving very little light to read LDB bids in.
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Alex
Started reading your blog this past spring and have found you very informative and VERY addictive! Thank you for your efforts.
Between CC and RC providing daily fodder of late I suspect you will have a difficult time getting back to the BC Rail story. You couldn’t get anyone to believe you if you made all of this up.
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Thank you for the kind words.
Yes, it’s quite something to behold all tha happens with this govt on any given file.
It would indeed be unbelievable if we weren’t living it.
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Don’t worry. ‘Mr. Fix It’–wink, wink, jiggle, jiggle–’will fix it. He fixes EVERYTHING.’ lol
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Maybe the Liberal strategy is one of “shock and awe” — overwhelm the voters with story after story after story of corruption, bad decisions and slippery actions. They’ll be so overwhelmed that they won’t know where to focus their energy.
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I have been thinking about this for some time now. cc is just like(wait for it) Sarah Palin UGH!!!. Showing up at events uninvited, if the questions are not easy and on script, or the comments are not flatering then they are gotcha questions/comments. being rude and shrill is not what i want from a leader. the leader i (and i think most if not all of us) want is someone(man or woman) who can take the heat give a straight up answer to a straight up question. Not someone who thinks glasses makes them smart or their looks will make them popular. All this vicious attacking shows a lack of understanding of what is really going on. Don,t know the answer attack don,t like the comment attack ,attack ,attack,attack, like a bully or an insecure person(opps they are the same, my bad). Also funny how cc is all for stomping out bullying but seems to do a pretty good job of trying to be a bully to all who do not bow down to her every utterance. Hang your head in shame ms. DUMMY and stop taking lessons from sarah p. if you are going to be a bitch at least be origanal, you have enough bitches and morons on your staff to come up with something you can call your own.
You are great as always Alex. Keep up the stellar work . I salute you as do many others.
PEACE be with you
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Thank you.
I’m trying.
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Thank you God, for the creation of social media.
I pray it forever plays a key role in keeping the people of BC free from having to endure piss-poor governance, such as that I feel they’ve had to endure the last 11 and a half years or so.
Praise the Good Lord! Hallelujah!
Amen.
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Simple answer it won’t.
People think social media is all the important resource, but it isn’t. It does help, but in 100% of itself, it doesn’t do much more than the teleophone did in the 1960s to 1980s and BBSes dd in the 1990s.
Sadly, people rely on being on their rumps sitting in a cheap IKEA or Wal-Mart office chair doing nothing but adding commentary to Facebook and Twitter thinking it will change everything.
People get into cocooning at home and want to do nothing but write opinions to blogs tweet to pound bc poli on twitter and Like someone who hates the BC Liberals. Big deal.
The only thing that will change any piss-poor government is actually getting out there to vote. Get involved. Work a campaign.
If ya want change, get out there and help a candidate of choice.
Get on the phone. Talk to an undecided voter. Get out in your own neighbourhood and walk it with candidate material. You might get the door slammed in your face, you might get a strange look, and you’ll get chased by a Jack Russell Terrier seeing you as an afternoon snack.
While Alex has a very good blog, in isolation of itself, it is not going to change the government (sorry Alex, we’ve been there before, through the world of BBS and MySpace and CompuServe. None of those affected an outcome).
It doesn’t matter if its the NDP, Provincial Tories or even the Rhino Party or something else.
and or next year, don’t ever think the NDP is going to be the best thing in BC since Woodward’s Food Floors or when McDonal’s offered curly fries. .
But get out there and vote.
But read Alex when you can even with a bowl of Frankenberry or Booberry, or while going through another can of Beaver Buzz.
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“People think social media is all the important resource, but it isn’t. It does help, but in 100% of itself, it doesn’t do much more than the teleophone did in the 1960s to 1980s and BBSes dd in the 1990s.”
ABSOLUTELY CORRECT!
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Hmm… I don’t know about that, Seymour. Are you saying that the MSM are still King? If so, surely you must agree that the gold crown has turned to brass.
Alex’s blog has a huge following, partly because it’s a source of info and opinion that can’t be found in the MSM. In sheer numbers, telephones and BBSes couldn’t come close to the amount of buzz created by this blog and others.
I totally agree with your point about getting the vote out, though. Feet have to hit the street.
In the recent byelection in Hope-Chilliwack, I was cut out of voting by a few km. (I’m in John Les’s riding.) But, being a teacher, I was motivated to help out with the campaign in the riding where I work.
I knocked on doors, helped with photography, drove people to the polls — and used my e-mail and website contacts to further the message. My goal was to help bring out 50-100 voters and I think I did.
Social media helps hybridize campaigning work. For example, one of my students’ parents got involved door-to-door and backed up her message with her Facebook contacts.
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I agree. That’s why I said a “key” role.
Social media helps to educate voters, which in turn (hopefully anyway) will help them to vote wisely.
Were online media not yet created, the BC Liberals would have a much better chance of winning the next provincial election.
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Just wondrin…???
What’s going on with the NW interwiew with Basi/Tieleman/Tsukamnis…??
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Mackin tells me it’s this week.
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Thought of The Day
“Hasta la vista, baby!”
Excellent read, Alex!
I don’t know how you do it, really!
Family, research, interviews, follow ups… are you a Clarkborg from the future?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1ypn0y32Ac
GR,
We live in Vancouver and this keeps us busy.
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Completely off topic.
I emptied out my wallet today … old receipts. Guess what I found … a couple of passes for skytrain for a couple of months ago … the only times I took the skytrain in the last year … go figure.
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You and I both.
But I love it! Particularly the downtown to Surrey route.
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Thank you for your blog Alex for it is the only news outlet that I know of where I can get some streight answers. It is dificult to beliedve in the future with politicians so self centered. I live in Prince George and the media is just as bad here as it is anywhere. If a young person wants to vote and lots of them do but when I ask then who they are going to vote for hardly any young person knows who to vote for. Therein is the problem how to get people to vote inteligently? I am sure that this is the same problem in many of our communities. I am starting to write the papers and express my views on political issues and I hope youir young readers do the same. You’ve set the bar with your wonderful blog and expressed that you care about our province, msm, and political process and I want to thank you.
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Thanks, Bob. So very appreciated.
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Nice work AGT! The Brits have the Leveson inquiry for a reason. We’re overdue in this province and country for our own. Police,politicians and the press.this three-way is responsible for the mutant spawn that passes for democracy in this country and province.BTW, watch out for Metro in theLDB giveaway. This is like handicapping the ponies,ay Pat?
Adios Muchachos !!!!!!!!
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Thanks for the kind words. Always appreciated.
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I agree it should be looked at. Has anyone dusted off the “Kent ” commission work? It was an issue then.
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I had a look at it some time ago.
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Alex,
I just read the conditions under which Clark, Lake, Polak and the Liberals are prepared to prositute themselves to Alberta and Enbridge. I guess all that’s left to do is haggle over the price.
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The BC Government is simply blowing smoke in the belief that the voters are smoking blow. The 5 “conditions” are what any government ALREADY IN FAVOUR of the pipeline would have required. If there were a principle involved, the position would simply be “NO”.
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TOTAL AGREEMENT.
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Bob Mackin is on with Simi at 2:05 to discuss the LDB shortlist.
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And he was terrific.
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Indeed he was – suffice it to say, he feels it smells no less than before.
I look forward to his reports from the Olympics, as well the report with Basi, Bill T, and yourself.
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On the way.
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