Canadian Politics Thread

that On The Media thing is so great

uOttawa lockdown lifted!

go get a beer!

So it looks like one guy shot at soldiers, jumps in a car and a 5 minute chase ensues with guns blazing, just like in the movies?

how was the lachenmann? your stoicism is admirable.....

xpost no looks like he shot the soldier at the war memorial and then ran into the Center Block parliament building, where he opened fire but was killed by the Sgt at Arms (basically the ceremonial guard of parliament)

but was killed by the Sgt at Arms (basically the ceremonial guard of parliament)

That's kind of amazing if true. The symbolic guard legit saving the day.

not even the first time a sgt at arms has stopped a killer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren%C3%A9_Marc_Jalbert

I didn't get to finish the Lachenmann. I navigated away accidentally and ended up talking with the prof who was locked in the office. It was really cool though and I'll definitely watch the whole thing some time.

Beer has definitely been got, though.

https://twitter.com/UnionSt/timelines/525326677698953216

Obviously she shouldn't be harassed but as someone who is standing for office she should expect her opponents are going to be force her to address her past statements about Israel. And heckling comes with the territory. People are really fucked up about Islam etc at the moment so this is not too surprising.

she should expect mobs of people to call her a jew hater?

heckling, or being screamed over, doesn't normally come with the territory. whatever she may have said that was disagreeable - and whatever might make her unfit (or not) for office – does not warrant being followed around and getting verbally assaulted/intimidated.

Thanks for posting that "On the Media" chart above--perfect thing to discuss with my Grade 6 students.

she should expect mobs of people to call her a jew hater?

In the current political climate yes, unfortunately.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/protests-give-harper-food-for-thought/article1106455/#dashboard/follows/

Ausma Malik, a University of Toronto student, called Israel's actions "state-sanctioned murder."

Think her bigger challenges are that she's implicated in a election rigging scandal from the U of T and she is apparently not particularly qualified for the job.

totally agree - i think she's kind of an idiot, even though this shit is obv beyond the pale. she's probably being slimed because she's been endorsed by the NDP machine (her name is on Chow and Cressy lawn signs in her ward), so it might be strategic bigotry

Clem, they did an episode going into detail about their findings that led them to make that, if you care to look for it. On the Media can get a little too, well, *NPR* sometimes but on the whole they're probably my favorite news source.

Found the podcast, thanks again. It's just perfect for our curriculum, which calls for media awareness, critical thinking, etc.--and perfect in light of yesterday's events. I didn't watch much coverage, but supposedly the CBC was very good (i.e., cautious and unsensationalistic). Anyway, we'll get a good conversation going around this.

It sounds like CNN didn't handle it well.

Perhaps CNN offered the most bizarre and insufferable coverage. Canadian Ashleigh Banfield was the anchor on-duty and, for ages, propagated the view that security on Parliament Hill in Ottawa is “unarmed.” The overall tone of CNN’s coverage, in images, was high on the possibility of a sustained terrorist attack, while no evidence of this existed. Simultaneously, Banfield seemed intent on painting a picture of an innocent Canada where the police don’t have guns. It was mind-boggling, and it took an insistent Canadian reporter she interviewed on the phone to persuade her that the “unarmed” notion was simply untrue.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/television/restraint-confusion-defined-tv-coverage-that-mostly-failed/article21252574/

I did almost nothing but follow coverage while I was locked in. The Ceeb WAS good. Maybe this will spare them from some cuts??

Very curious to know who from the CPC caucus leaked the "PM in a closet" story to the MSM.

i actually did not hear about that?!

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-attack-mps-fashioned-spears-while-harper-hid-in-closet/article21278580/

Some MPs kept their flagpole weapons as souvenirs.

“Everyone was taking their spears home,” the MP said. “I’m going to frame mine.”

you should listen to the on the media interview with... me http://www.onthemedia.org/story/hunting-youtubes-saddest-comments/

The Harper hiding in a closet while his caucus made flagpole spears is such a great image. Supposedly they refused to open the doors for the RCMP until they slid ID under the door. I think Fantino and Tony Clement were wrestling over the conch when the cops busted in.

https://belikewaterproduction.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/lord_flies.jpg

Mother Jones has a story praising the CBC's coverage on Wednesday:

http://m.motherjones.com/mixed-media/2014/10/cbc-ottawa-shootings-cable-news

Is there media coverage anywhere putting this in it's correct context as a mental health issue and scoffing at all the "Canada Has Changed Forever/TerrorTerrorTerror/Attack on our Soil" bullshit?

Yeah, the intent here appears to be aimed specifically at the military and the Canadian parliament, rather than to target and terrorize the general population.

The vibe in Ottawa seems pretty sanguine at the moment. Even Wednesday night on Carleton campus, nothing seemed different. Canada was changed for, like, six hours.

leaping into speech-restricting action

http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/10/23/conservatives-mulling-legislation-making-it-illegal-to-condone-terrorist-acts-online/

in fairness - that's a "sources say" the gov't is "mulling over" legal changes... not exactly "leaping into action". They can make noise about it, but it would be pretty hard to actually get those kind of free speech restrictions passed in Canada, I think. They might try to slip something into an omnibus bill though.

fair nuff, in America we know the worst will come to pass

not saying the cons won't try it

English Canada is doomed.

see now that's the kind of talk that's going to get you arrested

Jeet Heer on Twitter just now, either talking about the Fords, or Ghomeshi, or something, but Christ it's depressing stuff.

just now he's talking about the Toronto Sun, who deserve every damn thing they get.

I will say, from a half-facetious American standpoint, that the past year or so has been the most exciting Canada has seemed in eons. The whole country is turning into one of those dark underbelly of the suburbs stories.

uhh

Just joking, really. Canada not being exciting or whatever has been a silly American comedy trope for forever. But this does seem like a whole bunch of crazy Canadian stuff - Tom Ford, Ghomeshi - is getting major attention all at once.

Rob Ford, sorry, Drinkin wine.

I wish Tom Ford was our problem instead of Rob Ford. But tomorrow is the Toronto mayoral election!

It seems like the Ottawa municipal election is almost reassuringly boring, especially compared to Toronto's. We have 11 candidates for councillor in Somerset ward, all of whom are running on quite similar platforms. Jim Watson, who is so MOR that he used to be a provincial Liberal cabinet minister, will almost definitely be re-elected mayor, given that none of the opposing candidates are particularly compelling or radically different in political orientation, as far as I can tell. In a way, it's nice to not think about ideology and just focus on the experience and competence of individual candidates.

Wow: https://twitter.com/ddale8/status/526529361969938432/photo/1

Doesn't seem to be on the current Sun homepage.

Racist, deeply insulting, or both. I can't decide.

I also read another ddale tweet where he witnessed someone literally shout at Olivia "Get lost, bitch, this is Ford country" or something to that effect. More or less confirms my deepest fears about Toronto...

that chow cartoon is disgusting for a cornucopia of reasons. to be honest the vulgar dishonesty of it is the worst aspect to me. i work right by the sun offices and will be incredibly tempted to punch that fuck face cartoonist donato in the head should i ever encounter him.

at any rate – I'm looking forward to dofo being forever banished after today.