Beyond The Commons

 Beyond The Commons

Aaron Wherry covers all the goings-on in and around Parliament Hill. Follow Aaron on Twitter: @aaronwherry

Categories: Beyond The Commons, Capital Read

The bubble

by Aaron Wherry on Tuesday, March 29, 2011 5:45pm - 37 Comments

Mark Kennedy reports from the Harper campaign.

After the announcement, Harper holds a news conference. He only provides one news conference per day, and it is specifically designed to ensure that it is not freewheeling. Journalists who are travelling with his campaign are, as a group, only allowed to ask four questions. One more question goes to a local journalist at the news conference.

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  • http://dougsamu.wordpress.com dougrogers

    EXTRA EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT NATION ALLOWED TO ASK QUESTIONS EXTRA EXTRA!

    • Stewart_Smith

      Only in Quebec… the rest of us are just a country.

  • Thwim

    What would be fun to see is all the reporters there including that paragraph at the start of their articles, and appending their articles with "The question that I would have asked, had Mr. Harper thought answering questions a priority, is ____________"

    • Reverend_Blair

      I'd give you 20 thumbs up for that if I could.

  • Patchouli

    So here's this guy who's campaigning for top job in our nation — and he won't talk to us, let alone answer any questions. Oh, he will talk TO us, but our journalists can't talk to him freely, he won't walk into a public place — in case we try to talk to him, or worse yet, ask a question.

    So when was the last time YOU went to a job interview and refused to answer their questions — insisted the interview be in your home, or that of a friend? Follow up question: did you get the job, or were you told to GO AWAY.

    GO AWAY, harper.

  • OriginalEmily1

    Do they also have to curtsey and say 'pretty please with sugar on?'

    'Dear leader' is getting above himself.

  • Richard_S_Argent

    I'm consistently amazed at just how poor a campaigner Stephen Harper is. The last two elections *should* have earned him a majority, the only reason they didn't was entirely on him – boneheaded moves in Quebec, abysmal performances in the debates..if he can't do it again, you gotta think that some grumblings about his leadership will emerge.

  • http://dredtory.blogspot.com/ Sir_Francis

    Journalists who are travelling with his campaign are, as a group, only[sic] allowed to ask four questions…

    …none of which has so far been, amazingly, “Mr. Harper, why are we not allowed to ask more than four questions?”.

  • Reverend_Blair

    The press should be a lot more pro-active when dealing with Harper. There's absolutely nothing stopping them from shouting out questions and then writing about he refused to answer them.

    • Matlock

      Agreed. This approach actually worked that one press conference outside the Commons where the media shouted down Harper's press secretary. I'm amazed the media wasn't emboldened by that day to do it more often.

  • http://secondthots.blogspot.com Dennis_F

    Classic incumbent/frontrunner campaign.

    The risk is that you might get caught off guard if the race ends up tightening.

  • David_M.

    and so my friends, make no mistake, let me be perfectly clear, and this is important…4 questions only. Thank you.

  • catherine

    What contempt for Canadians.

  • brooster2
  • Patchouli

    Does anyone have a copy of the video of harper playing ping pong yesterday? Don Martin closed the show with it — I'd love to see it again if someone could post.

    I'd love to see it all over the web if possible.

    • avr

      You know that just makes him endearing to normal, generally apolitical people, right? He doesn't care about appealing to people who loathe him with every fibre of their being, who INSIST on using ODD CAPITALIZATION to prove just how MUCH they HATE him. Post it everywhere you like, it's not going to hurt him.

      • Patchouli

        Clearly YOU haven't seen THIS video. Consider the caps to be emphasis — silent yet enthusiastic shouting, if you will.

        This would be oDd caPitaliZATioN.

      • Jan

        I'm betting we never see him with his jacket off again. Or in doing anything where he is competing with Laureen.

        • Patchouli

          He just looked so darn serious. At an impromptu ping pong game.

          Sorry, I meant to type: PING PONG game.

          Also his tummy under that green shirt was very jiggly; it made me crave lime jello.

          • Dave

            Then it didn't work. You were supposed to crave blue jello.

      • Proud canadian

        We realize it wont hurt him. You have to have a heart to be hurt!

  • http://www.lifestylelivinguk.com Park Homes

    Only 4 question,don't you think we need some more,,,,

  • Mike T.

    Four per campaign or day? :)

  • http://dredtory.blogspot.com/ Sir_Francis

    Per geological era.

  • danby

    You want to ask questions? Do you? I tell you what. Here are all the answers you need to know:

    Our economy is fragile. Only a Conservative majority will provide stability.

    The Liberals are plotting to seize power with the socialists and the separatists

    Michael Ignatieff is a lying elitist who hates Canada so much he lived elsewhere for 30 years

    The media is run by a left wing think tank that lies, and whose only purpose is to betray Canada and Canadians and the stability of our economy

    World peace is fragile. Only a Conservative majority will provide stability.

    Did I leave anything out?

  • Matlock

    Only liberal, if not excessive, use of the word "coalition" throughout.

    Otherwise, nailed it.

  • Dave

    C-word, C-word, C-word:

    Our economy is fragile. Only a Conservative majority will provide stability. Not a coalition.

    The Liberals are plotting to seize power with the socialists and the separatists. In a coalition.

    Michael Ignatieff is a lying elitist who hates Canada so much he lived elsewhere for 30 years. Coalition.

    The media is run by a left wing coalition that lies, and whose only purpose is to betray Canada and Canadians and the stability of our economy. Coalition, coalition, coalition.

    World peace is fragile. Only a Conservative majority will provide stability. Not a coalition.

    Coalition.

    COALITION! COALITION COALITION COALITION COALITION COALITION COALITION COALITION COALITION COALITION COALITION COALITION COALITION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • http://halooverride.blogspot.com/ Halo_Override

    You spelled "lieberal" wrong.

  • Proud canadian

    It just proves that without a script and pre-screened questions tories are at a disatvantage. Harpers gaging of his ministers and party members for the last 5 years have them babbling all over the place. They don't know what to say…he doesn't either. His statements are all written by script writers and he rehearses them. He can't speak off the cuff….
    ON MAY 2
    UN PRESIDENT HARPER

  • Patchouli

    He doesn't think we, the voters, deserve any answers.

  • David_M.

    Live debates are going to be a real problem for Mr. Harper.

  • Patchouli

    Perhaps all he willdo is look seriously into the camera, point, jab thrust and repeat the words "reckless coalition."

  • Dave

    Coalition.

  • Dave

    Every 5,653 years, in other words?

  • http://dredtory.blogspot.com/ Sir_Francis

    That’s correct. The next set of questions is due to be posed at around the time the government plans to have met its emissions reduction target.

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