The Toronto Sun called the deal struck between the NDP and the Liberals a “socialist fantasy,” but for some reason, they meant that in a negative way. Yes, I can see how money for post-secondary education, environmental initiatives, foreign aid and pensions will destroy Canada. They even agreed to keep corporate tax cuts for small businesses, so I’m not sure where the drawback is here.
Of course, none of this will matter because Martin has already agreed to call an election once Gomery is done. The media coverage of this deal makes it sound like Layton is trying to save the government, but the government is already running on fumes. How anyone can believe any of these measures will last beyond this minority government is beyond me. It’s all optics.
Oh, and the paragraph of the day comes from the Globe’s report on the deal:
“The Conservative Leader, who began his day finger painting a picture of a tree at a children’s rehabilitation centre in Sarnia and ended it at a farm demonstration in Chatham, said Mr. Martin has stopped governing the country to run his own election campaign.”
But on to the rage.
More on Iraq, still CanWest sleeps
The Globe ran a story on the U.S. weapons inspector’s report today, noting that not only did he conclude that there are no weapons in Iraq, he said there is no evidence that any weapons were taken out of the country and hid in Syria. That’s one of the favourite excuses for U.S. administration types when anyone points out no weapons were found, “Uh, well, he moved them! To Syria!”
I am growing rather fond of these World section rundowns, so let’s do another one. Here’s some stories the Citizen ran instead of the weapons inspector’s report:
“It’s three cheers for Jesus’ team” (a story on faith-based cheerleading, complete with photo, of course)
“Jackson trial witness bolsters kidnapping theory”
“Fence-damaging camels to be hunted from the air”
“Forget the ruby slippers” (a story on the sale of the dress from the Wizard of Oz)
Whee!! Now let’s do the Post:
“Chili woman will be extradited” (a story on the woman who lied about finding a finger in her chili at Wendy’s)
“Capitol building in Utah to be lifted a fraction of an inch for earthquake-proofing”
“Shooters in helicopters to cull camels in Australia”
Really now, is a camel cull in Australia more important than revelations that undermine the case for war in Iraq? What about the Citizen’s devotion to the Michael Jackson trial?
This is getting depressingly easy.
Raining leaflets of freedom
This isn’t so much a media critique, especially because it’s a U.S. wire service story, but I have to point it out. The U.S. is distributing pamphlets across Cuba as part of an effort to stir up anti-Castro sentiment. One pamphlet has Bush’s inaugural address in which he vowed to free the world of tyranny; the other features the UN Declaration on Human Rights.
The story doesn’t ask what my colleague Steve did: Did they drop a few on Guantanamo while they were passing over?
“The Conservative Leader, who began his day finger painting a picture of a tree at a children’s rehabilitation centre in Sarnia and ended it at a farm demonstration in Chatham, said Mr. Martin has stopped governing the country to run his own election campaign.”
I’m almost CERTAIN that that’s irony.
As in, like, they did it on purpose.
That’s the kind of thing I would write to give Harper a kick in the ghoulies.