Who are you, and what have you done with Stephen Harper?

by Andrew Coyne on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 12:55pm - 88 Comments

“As you know, as part of our economic action plan, one of the things we’ve of course done is to step up government advertising. One of the purposes of that has been to support media outlets during the recession that have been particularly hard-hit.”

– Stephen Harper, A-Channel Ottawa, Jan. 11.

As part of its scandalous disinformation campaign against our prime minister, the Liberal party is currently putting about this obviously fabricated quote. Is this what our politics has come to, that this sort of dirty trick would be tolerated? The idea that Stephen Harper, of all people, would publicly confess to such a ridiculous policy, is beyond absurd, and no serious person would believe it.

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  • Evalina

    What a joke

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/c_9 c_9

    Harper said it. There's video later in this comment list. However, it is so far away from anything he would have supported 4+ years ago that Andrew is joking that he must have been replaced with an imposter (his headline), or that the Liberals clearly made it all up (his content). Two jokes for the price of one!

  • kcm

    “As you know, as part of our economic action plan, one of the things we’ve of course done is to step up government advertising. One of the purposes of that has been to support media outlets during the recession that have been particularly hard-hit.”

    "…yet a further part of our plan was to lend support to the tottering billboard industry…i believe our efforts here have been particulary successful."

    • http://intensedebate.com/people/Jenn_ Jenn_

      I'm sorry, I've read this quote three times now, and I just can't get the voice I use for Feschuk out of my head. It's like the caption challenge but we don't have to supply the caption, or the picture!

  • JasonW

    OH MY GOD.

    They actually have no clue how to govern nor do they even realize that they sound like complete idiots.

    The country is adrift with no leadership just a schoolyard bully with the penny jar.

    I may just leave Canada so I won't have to pay all the wastage back.

    • Bugzy

      Better idea, run the SOB right out of Canada and the problem is solved and we can all stay and rebuild the Canada we once had before the cult lunitic Sh came on the scene.

  • Candace

    Just out of curiousity, and not as a defense, what's the difference between supporting the media and advertising companies of Canada as compared to, say, the automobile industry? Because I'm not really seeing one.

    • Lord Kitchener's Own

      Well, GM ads don't come with a subtle "don't forget how AWESOME the government is" message.

      It's the difference between the government giving GM taxpayer money to advertise how great their cars are, and the government giving GM taxpayer money to advertise how great the government is.

    • John D

      Well, Harper didn't come to power on the heels of an automobile-sporting scandal

  • Dave

    Why is it that every time there is an economic-instability-inducing confidence vote impending in the House of Commons — like on some b.s. crime bill — federal government advertising on the TV and radio suddenly spikes?

    It's like a scam or something. One related to ads. Now, only to come up with a clever and catchy name to describe this incipient scandal…

    • http://intensedebate.com/people/NorthernPoV NorthernPoV

      Adscam ?

      • Dave

        Ad… scam… Yes! Adscam! It's the assonance that makes it.

  • Christian

    Yep, he said it all right. For those of you who don't want to go through the agony of watching the whole interview (posted by Harold Hansard) you'll find the statement around the 4:15 mark. Man, he really has lost the plot. Andrew, how are you coping?

  • Anon

    Is it possible that Harper is making a threat?

    In other words, he's telling the media bosses — especially CTV and Canwest — that if they cover prorogation any more, he's going to turn off the EAP ads?

    That couldn't be it, could it?

  • JasonW

    Sounds like a veiled threat. Is he saying play nice or the money stops?

  • jonboy

    Harper will not be suing anyone for this quote.

  • rob

    Hey Maclean's, stop lying.

  • Name

    Perhaps this really the "sanctimonious twaddle" that Peter Kent was referring to and he was just quoted out of context?

From Macleans