False News. False Newsmakers. Untroubled Power.
Written by Robin Mathews, November 2017
In a colonial country as wealthy in raw materials as Canada is… awakening can take decades, if not centuries. If Canada had taken control and major ownership of Canadian fossil fuels (just for instance), it might have no national or provincial debt. And, like Norway (with fewer fossil fuel resources than Canada has) it could be sporting something like Norway’s One Trillion Dollar Heritage Fund for use in (future) troubled times. Instead, Canadian governments have HUGE debt and Canadians live in troubled times … now.
If Canada had only retained the right of the Bank of Canada to make interest-free loans to Canadian governments for infrastructure and related needs (Pierre Trudeau handed the right away in 1974 on behalf of Canadian and global private banks), then the Canadian Heritage Fund for use on a rainy day might easily be pushing far above the One Trillion Dollar mark … instead of being virtually a minus quantity … as it is now ….
The picture is depressing, especially since those are only two examples among a great many Canadian (colonial) failures to grasp opportunity. It is especially depressing because Canadians are brainwashed to see none of it, and they are trained to believe that (1) the Canadian wealthy and political leadership are, usually, honest; (2) that bad, bad things happen where it really matters, in the USA. But not here; (3) that fake news and fake newsmakers are in the USA … not in Canada; (4) that the CBC, for instance, “covers Canada well”; (5) that bad people happen in Canada, but not often, and we (deeply colonial in fact, and deeply a part of the worst U.S. savagery engaged in around the world - actively refusing to take over our own government for our own people) are - somehow … admirable and principled people with admirable and principled leaders.
We think all of those things because the majority of Canadian journalists and political commentators are earnest, focussed, even intense … shams. Where they are not (mostly) out-and-out liars … they are (mostly) lies. The first group misleads on purpose. The second is taken in and tells lies because it believes them.
What do leading Canadian political commentators have to say about all that? Why … nothing, of course. That’s why they’re leading political commentators (Canadian-style). Take Chantal Hebert, just for instance – all over the press and media. And Andrew Coyne, columnist for the National Post (and elsewhere). Those two are higher profile than many others … but representative of the pack, I say.
The National Post, remember, was founded by ex-convict Conrad Black. The paper was founded specifically to further neo-liberal (what I call neo-fascist) politics in Canada. The National Post would have collapsed early if it had been a normal business undertaking. It wasn’t that. It was founded as a propaganda sheet for neo-liberal (neo-fascist) forces in Canada. For at least its first twelve years it lost money … year after year after year … and may be still doing so. It’s kept alive as a political pamphlet masquerading as a daily newspaper.
It should have disappeared. But someone swallows its debt and keeps it going as a major propaganda source for the likes of, say, Stephen Harper, for the likes of, say, Andrew Scheer – for what I call fascist politics in Canada.
When Conrad Black (Lord Black of Cross Harbour) was released from U.S. prison … he had a problem. Having renounced Canadian citizenship to become a British Lord, he didn’t belong in Canada. But if he went “home” to England and tried to enter the House of Lords as a Lord himself, he would have been tossed out on his ear and sent packing. The Lords of Britain are not attracted to ex-convicts!
Since the National Post had helped prepare the victory of Stephen Harper’s neo-liberal (I say “neo-fascist”) “Conservative” government, Harper was happy to have Lord Black take up residence in Canada. The National Post welcomed him. The Globe and Mail positively fawned on him … as if a hero.
Remember too: the Globe and Mail, the National Post and ALL the Post Media newspapers across Canada worked for a Stephen Harper victory in the 2015 election. Let us not fool ourselves about Canada’s “Free Press”. So let us not fool ourselves, either, about Chantal Hebert, Andrew Coyne, and their kind.
Andrew Coyne works for the National Post. Chantal Hebert writes for … for other outlets. Both Hebert and Coyne have been long members of CBC’s panel on National Affairs where the absolutely key issues of Canadian life are never discussed …. Chantal Hebert is even, Canadian-style, a senior Fellow of Massey College in the University of Toronto. When you get into the belly of the Canadian Ruling Class … it shows … and shows. Lyin’ Brian Mulroney’s last Chief of Staff (before Mulroney went down in flames) is the present Master of Massey College, (Hugh Segal).
Hebert and Coyne (I say) are everywhere. They do the bidding of their masters. They do not (I say) work for Canadians. They work for their masters and live in the land of Perks Canada. But … But, you say, “they have both been energetically on the Bill Morneau-Shepell story. They have turned over every sod….” That is because in the world of Perks Canada Bill Morneau is fair game. If the Liberals go down, the neo-liberal “Conservatives” with the same platform are there to take over. The surface issues can be beaten to death by the likes of Coyne and Hebert. But the issues beneath the surface: Don’t Touch.
How many sods have they turned over about (retiring?) RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson? (Strangely retiring early – at 58.) He had to be the final RCMP overseer of the completely fake evidence-gathering and preparation for the totally phoney thirty-one criminal charges laid against senator Mike Duffy – not one of which held up in an honest court! That story should have just begun … and should be pursued and headlined every week … but Hebert and Coyne are nowhere to be seen (nor any others in their pack) on the story. And so … as planned by their masters … the outrageous, gigantic story of the false criminal charges against Mike Duffy is … disappearing….
How many sods are they turning over about what had to be Bob Paulson’s role in the GIGANTIC (run-out-of-Ottawa RCMP Headquarters) False Flag entrapment of two defenceless Canadians to fake an Islamic Terrorist Attack at the Victoria, B.C. legislature grounds on July 1, 2013? (incidentally involving more than 200 RCMP and millions of tax-payers’ dollars). The (face-saving?) Appeal against the unequivocal erasure of ALL charges against the two entrapped Canadians by B.C Supreme Court Justice Catherine Bruce – who laid all responsibility for the event upon the RCMP - is to happen on January 18, 2018. Where are Chantal Hebert and Andrew Coyne (and their journalist pack) on one of the Biggest National “Terror” Stories in Canada since the FLQ Crisis of 1970, involving, almost certainly, Stephen Harper and the PMO, and now the Trudeau cabinet? Hebert and Coyne, and their pack … are … (you guessed it!) nowhere to be seen….
Sods turned over? None whatever. Sorry.
Two entrapped, socially challenged Canadians were “framed” and then charged by RCMP dirty tactics, and stripped of freedom. They were jailed … robbed of their basic rights and liberties as Canadians. Then improperly convicted … facing more harassment… until B.C. Supreme Court Justice Catherine Bruce told the real story of what has to be named highly organized RCMP crime. Why do we not hear from Andrew Coyne and Chantal Hebert who have to know that Bob Paulson had to be informed … at least, of galloping RCMP criminality? And that Stephen Harper’s PMO almost certainly had to be neck-deep in it all … and that the cabinet of Justin Trudeau is doing absolutely nothing to assure the RCMP is brought to justice? Chantal Hebert, Andrew Coyne, and their fellow journalists are … very far away … somewhere else … chasing Bill Morneau. (Chasing Bill Morneau is okay.)
And now Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness in the federal government has (I insist) endorsed RCMP criminal activity… an outrageous act, for which he should be forced to resign. Where are Chantal Hebert, Andrew Coyne and their spineless, conscienceless pack? Why … Why are they letting Ralph Goodale off without so much as a question?
All this is brutally vile. Two innocent Canadians. Entrapped. Charged with false charges. Tried. Harassed. Jailed … for months. Targetted. Still being dragged through horror so the RCMP can fake legitimacy with a Supreme Court of B.C. Appeal. Will it be a stacked court? We will have to wait and see ….
Where oh where … on another issue … are Chantal Hebert and Andrew Coyne and their pack … how many sods have they turned over … as Big Oil in Alberta, hand in hand with the Alberta government and the Alberta courts and the Alberta RCMP and, of course, the Alberta ‘open and free press and media’ continue their program to wreck the life of Jessica Ernst. (The only stellar exception in the Jessica Ernst story is journalist Andrew Nikiforuk who tracks the Corporate/Court Horror Story for all who care.) Ernst is trying to gain a shred of justice and meaningful regulation in the matter of public health, landscape destruction, air/water and general environmental poisoning by Encana Corporation and the rest of Big Oil in Alberta (by “fracking” and other means)… starting with the fracking pollution and destruction of her own farmland in Rosebud, Alberta?
Jessica Ernst is just back from appearing in England and Ireland where she is something of a hero – for alerting the Irish to the truth about Fracking … so they could outlaw it. She did much to alert North America … and most certainly Alberta. The Right in power in Alberta at the time when she began didn’t support her … at all. Worked to obstruct her. But the NDP? When it came to power surely all must have changed….
Sorry. Not at all. The bold NDP took power in Alberta in 2015, and to show her courage and determination to serve the people, Rachel Notley, premier, did nothing to support Jessica Ernst. Premier Notley, in fact, retained as Alberta Energy Regulator a man who had been president of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers and a top officer of Encana Corporation. Ridiculous? Of course. That is the fossil fuel corporation against whom Jessica Ernst has fought, facing every dirty trick (I allege) that big power, corrupted courts, and sleazy policing … and money can use. Rachel Notley (keeping on what I call the odious “regulator”) was telling Big Oil in Alberta (I allege) that she is Big Oil’s Girl – Now And Forever ….
Every decent Canadian must wonder how … in addition … when a portion of the Jessica Ernst court matters got to the Supreme Court of Canada … Justice Rosalie Abella could have termed Jessica Ernst a “vexatious litigant” – as insulting a phrase as almost any that a judge can speak . Not only was Justice Abella wrong – as other judges made clear (Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin, for instance). But the insult was included in the written report and sent to the media.
Planned? Paid for? A dirty set-up? An intention to slander? How can we know unless Justice Abella appears publicly to explain and apologize? And of course she wont unless pressed to do so. We may be sure that neither Chantal Hebert nor Andrew Coyne (nor any of what I call the ‘false newsmaking’ pack) will ask Justice Abella to explain publicly her monstrous insult. Not because they can’t … but because they won’t … because that’s not what they are paid to do…. The sods they turn over … do nothing to ruffle the feathers of Real Power anywhere … ever ….
And so false newsmaking, false posturing by news-gatherers, and avoidance (all clearly describing and supporting the deep corruption in our democracy) - all those things, I allege, are the bread and butter of Canada’s false newsmakers to assure the continuation of… untroubled (corrupt) power. But untroubled (corrupt) power in Canada means increasingly troubled times … for Canadians.
Written by Robin Mathews
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Like the chameleon pictured above, it doesn't matter what colour is shown or what message is delivered, Canada's two main federal parties, Liberals and Conservatives are one in the same...
Justin Trudeau has been a miserable failure....he governs for the 1%...
Sad, I had high hopes for real change, over to you
Jagmeet Singh...
The Straight Goods
Cheers Eyes Wide Open
4 comments:
Speaking of Fake News & Donald Trump, I thought you might enjoy this one....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsFX-y44ZCQ
Guy in Victoria
The sad fact, all that Robin has said is sadly true.
Reflecting on Rafe Mair's passing, I too am approaching the time, that I will depart this mortal coil and my once beloved Canada has devolved into a neofascist police state, which sole existence is to enrich friends of government.
It is not just Trudeau that I am disappointed in, the NDP have been a long running disappointment (the Conservatives have always been a party of useful idiots)as they try to micromanage political dates past.
The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.
What once made Canadian stand out, honest, thrift, helpfulness, community has now devolved into an American quest for wealth and power.
We have sold our children's birthrate of a home and a jobs, to our new Chinese overlords. Quick profits today will equal civil unrest tomorrow.
We have again children working in cheap sweatshops, for cheap, cheap wages so multinational companies, such as McDonald's or Little Caesars make huge profits.
No sport, no fun, just work, school and work.
Welcome to the bad old dickes's era, updated to 21st century standard.
The once revered Canadian Civil Service (at all levels of government, has devolved to a bureaucratic nightmare, where the bureaucracy has become the readout of those so stupid, they cannot get a job in the real world.
Stupidity and ignorance reign supreme in our halls of government.
Our once cherished universities have turned into degree mills, so designed for foreign students, teaching forgettable courses on politically correct subjects. What once were "hallowed halls of learning" have turned into an abattoir of intelligent discourse.
The police, government and judiciary have become a new kind of organized crime, whitewashing real crime because most leaders of our local drug cartels, while they are not busy laundering monies at casinos, are good friends and political insiders of the ruling 1%.
The Americanizing of Canada is ongoing, complete with fake news and alternative facts and a very weak "Trudeau the Younger" at the helm, change is not going to happen.
My Canada is gone; the Canada my dad fought for in WW2 is gone; and the Canada which bore those boys who in 1915 to 1918, made Canada a nation, is gone.
We live in a shell of a country, which has been sold out, bit by bit, piece by piece, to satisfy a political reality, invented by the religious right wing to split and divide this country so, to allow its plunder.
Adios Canada, you were a good friend once, but no more and he sun now sets.
No Flattery intended. Your Best yet. Thanks so much. Courage under fire, Press on.
Vile seems the only suitable word when considering the entire miserable gang of Treasonous hounds. How Horrible. I remember and cling to a very different Canada. We need a Miracle.
Thanks Evil Eye...Guy in Victoria n co...
Canada is on an unsustainable path indeed...Trudeau is not the prime minister of Canada.."others" are calling the shots...remember Federal election 2015?..How Trudeau said he understood BC...and in short order..he approved a not-needed Site C..he approved a doomed LNG project at the mouth of the Skeena river..and he approved Kinder Morgan..
Trudeau repeated industry lies, easily proven industry lies without batting an eye...Trudeau used the proposal of a tiny carbon tax as justification to pollute, poison, and propagate industry lies..
The day is fast approaching when the people blow up the system...
We need PR everywhere..no more dictatorships...we need CAPP ..Fraser institute..Chambers of Commerce and every other propaganda spewing corporate entity to be eradicated...
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