Inkless Wells

Paul Wells on all the latest out of Ottawa—along with the occasional post about jazz. Follow Paul on Twitter: @InklessPW

Categories: Capital Read, Inkless Wells

Shorter Lawrence Martin

by Paul Wells on Friday, January 2, 2009 12:22pm - 70 Comments

What’s it been, three years already? I’m bored; bring me a new prime minister.

Tags: Actually that's shorter everyone these days

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http://wakinguponplanetx.blogspot.com Candace

“Three times [ i think? ] Canadians have sent him to Ottawa with a MINORITY and a mandate to work with the other parties. Times up. He better start listening.”

Alternatively, 3 times Canadians have sent him to Ottawa with a MINORITY and a MANDATE. The other parties better start listening.

Keep in mind that the “coalition” carried on well after ALL so-called poison pills were removed from the update.

Keep in mind that ALL 3 “coalition” party leaders pledged cooperation w/the new-new gov’t on Oct. 14.

ALSO keep in mind that the US, our largest trading partner, is changing administrations in 3 weeks, so bringing forth major economic initiatives two months before that occurs would be pretty stupid, since we don’t know, for sure, what the new US admin intends.

This isn’t rocket science, so why does it need explaining?

http://macleans.ca kc

Actually he had little or no mandate. He didn’t even reveal his platform until he was shamed into it. SH stood on that stage and pledged a new era of cooperation. Some cooperation. Get real lady.

David Bakody

A leopard does not change his spots and Ignatieff has not only told Harper but Canadians there is a new sheriff in town …… having said that …. I would suspect Harper’s day’s are numbered for a number of reasons ….. world events are happening at lightening speed …. the middle east is a now on fire and the once mighty US of A is almost broke and it’s fall from power is in clear and present danger approaching near 75% of it’s National Debt vs its total GDP…… add to this the deadly and devastating effects of Global Warming that has destroyed most of the Gulf Coast with over 2000 tornadoes last year alone in the Midwest ….. all now under the radar ….. and they are still spending billions per week on two Wars ….. and Canada well, hello we are tied to there coat strings and Harper lives in lu lu land ….. Think? Israel and Gaza and where are Bush and Harper? (on extended taxpayer vacations) …. and you say Harper is good until 2014? hey read this from one great journalist who received bunches of added backbone in his stocking on Christmas day http://thechronicleherald.ca/NovaScotian/1098997.html
kody

Paul, this is OT (but the thread is old now so….)

It would fascinating to examine the media’s coverage of the Gaza dispute, and more particularly the media’s reference to Israel hitting “civilian” infrastructure.

It now seems beyond dispute that Hamas intentionally intermingles with civilians as a form of defence. We’ve seen rockets stored in Mosques (they give quite a seconary explosion), rockets fired from schools (those guys really know how to scurry into the shool yard to shoot em off), intentionally surrounded themselves by family at a time when the IDF gave explicit warnings for the family to clear out,

and countless other examples.

What I find fascinating is how I learn this from seeing the actual footage of these things. As well as corroborating eye witness accounts. Hamas itself doesn’t even deny these things, in fact as a terrorist organization they’re quite open about it, sometimes bragging about it.

Where I DON’T learn about it is from mainstream media coverage. What I learn from them is only “Israel bombed a mosque, among other targets” without the crucial context.

My question then is this:

If Hamas actively uses civilian infrastructure as a defence (which btw is a war crime), as well as a propoganda tool “you’ve killed our civilians!!!” by actually intentionally putting its civilians in harms way, and the media only reports the civilian damage, without the context of Hamas actively committing this war crime,

is the media, not only failing to report, but also actively complicit in, factilitating, and gauranteeing the continuation of, the use of civilians as a wartime tool?

In my opinion the answer is not only YES, but it is also an example of where agenda journalism is “making a difference” alright, but the difference being actual deaths to innocent civilians.

I’d be interested in someone here at Macleans broaching this subject.

It seems that no one else is willing to do so.
David Bakody

Paul and Editorial Staff of MacLeans ….. it appears Santa just might have put more backbone into jornalist stocking than I thought possible ….. some veteran journalist in the US are now opening speaking out on the fact that Bush (Harper’s Mentor) as was Howard and Blair may have done even more damage than even they could have imagined ….. Obama has little or no room to operate on the world front …. pull out of Iraq and have it go south would be his disaster ….. move to Afghanistan and loose big as have the both and British and Russians have and it will be a double lose ….. Iran for all intent and purpose has an Atomic bomb …. they need not prove they just have to let the world know they can make even ONE! ….. no need to mention National Debt ….. no need to mention the world economic crisis …. and we the taxpayers do not believe the banks when they said we did not bail them out …. and each industry is now lining up on the gravy train ….. while the middle class gets taken to cleaners …. promises and lies one after another by BUSH-HARPER will just not cut it any more …… and if the MSM will not print the truth the bloggers will World Wide Will !!! ….. infrastructure money is a scam …. hello I can not even get a young kid to shovel snow let alone cut my grass …. why …. because they can not sit by computer talk on the phone and do the job . So look out …… it’s long way to 2015 ….. and just think how many will die waiting for health care? ……. now they are talking about the devaluation of the American dollar whoa! ….. how does that line go Paul “Too Close for Comfort” sorry to sound pessimistic ….. but we just had 8 years of BS from Washington coupled with 3-4 from Ottawa …… for all those who have a positive outlook please share in plain simple English with the facts and time line ……… start with Gaza ……
Mike Sr

Regarding the discussion on Paul Wells becoming a host for a T.V. political punditry programme. The several, not many, occassions I observed Paul Wells as a guest or a filler for political programmes I arrived at aconclusion he was out of his element. Having an ability to express one self in writing does not necessarily mean a person is suitable for a discussion on a similar subject.
Mr. Wells is also a self proclaimed Liberal. I do not know if he is a card carrying Liberal Party member, but my understanding is his support is more than being a small l liberal, (classical?) individual. I consider my self a classical liberal who is coincidentally a card carrying Conservative. Cheers.
Paul Wells

At last somebody is talking sense. Note, however, that I am not a card-carrying Liberal. I have servants who carry my cards for me, at a discreet distance, whenever I meet Michael and Szuszana at the Yorkville Starbuck’s for mocha. I have done this several, not many, times. Sadly I have to write down my end of the conversation.