Christy Clark exclusive with Global conditional no opposition parties allowed

The big news item today in BC was the massive climb-down from Liberal Premier Christy Clark on calling an election before the fixed-date May 2013. Clark had declared before that she needed a mandate from the people and wouldn’t rule an election out even when repeatedly asked by the media 5 days ago.

So, besides spouting yet another lie (newly discovered “international financial situation and the instability of elections” as the reason she’s flipped-flopped even though her caucus would probably revolt knowing that they would lose) a very interesting tidbit was revealed by those in the media who were shut out of this exclusive interview on Global.

Apparently the condition for Brian Coxford of Global to get this interview was that he promised not to get any reactions from the opposition parties which would then spoil Christy’s messaging.

This isn’t sitting well with some others in the BC media who up until very recently have been fawning admirers more than journalists and giving Clark an incredibly free ride.

Blood is in the water now and look for much more damning stories on Clark from here on in as I believe the missive from corporate headquarters is that Christy has to go.

7 Liberal ’06 leadership candidates still owe big debts

Joe Volpe, Gerard Kennedy, Martha Hall Findlay, Maurizio Bevilacqua, Hedy Fry, Ken Dryden and Stephane Dion still have a lot of work to do to repay their leadership loans with Ken Dryden leading the way with $354,121 remaining and the donations are drying up to a trickle for most. (see here)

Good luck to Kennedy, Findlay, Volpe and Dryden who can’t use being a MP any more as a fundraiser gambit although it’s not like it’s much of a draw anyway as Hedy Fry can attest.

I remember her leadership fundraiser soiree (see here) held at a gay bar in Ottawa where the who’s-who of Liberals attended including Bob Rae and Justin Trudeau but according to the update filed by Fry, it could have only brought in a total $1351.

Ottawa Press elites attack Sun TV but silent on media friends

If you want a direct comparison on how the Ottawa Press Gallery tag-team someone from Sun TV while looking the other way with one of their buddies, look at how the National Post’s Chris Selley and the Globe and Mail’s Stephen Wicary go ballistic on Ezra Levant for his column mistake.

Levant writes in his column “Funeral or NDP rally” that Layton did “not even sitting in Parliament for a day in that capacity” which is untrue but of course Selley and Wicary jump all over it like it was up there with the all-time journo mistakes such as the “Dewey defeats Truman” headline.

First, Selley writes that it’s  “flat-out and bizarrely wrong” in his NP make-work Full Pundit section.

Then Wicary chimes in Tweeting “@cselley puts Ezra in his flat-out and bizarrely wrong place.”

Now for the contrast…check out this from the CBC’s Kady O’Malley’s piece from today in which she refers to Sackville NB being off the Mainland.

Of course I can’t resist sending out this:

“Hey @kady isn’t Sackville on Mainland? Will @wicary @cselleycorrect her same as did @ezralevant?”

No response from any of these 3 so far…

NDP pulls MP’s immigration pension motion citing “error in submission”

In a stunning climb down from the ridiculous motion she tabled to allow immigrants to collect a Canada pension after living here a short time, NDP MP Libby Davies’ motion has been withdrawn with a statement claiming it was all a mistake:

“New Democrats believe in a fair pension policy for all Canadians, including immigrants, a policy which lifts Canada’s seniors out of poverty. Unfortunately, the Harper Conservatives continue to believe it is acceptable for some Canadian seniors to live in poverty.

An increase in OAS/GIS benefits would help seniors, especially women, because of their low benefits from work-force participation-based pension plans. This also stimulates the economy, as it is targeted at low-income individuals.

As for motion 141, this was submitted in error and Libby Davies (Vancouver East) is withdrawing it.” (see here)

Wow, love to hear how a such long-time MP like Davies’ accidentally submitted a motion to the House of Commons.

Will the Ottawa Press gallery members find out for us? I won’t hold my breath though as only 1 media outlet even bothered reporting on it yesterday.

Ottawa Press looks other way when Trudeau contradicts himself on Lib/NDP merger

The Golden Boy of federal politics continues receiving a free ride by the fawning Ottawa Press Gallery with his latest gaffe.

Liberal MP Justin Trudeau stepped into it yesterday by openly musing about the possibility of a Liberal/NDP merger:

“I’m not convinced a merger is the right way to go – I’m certainly open to being convinced” (see here)

I then notice Trudeau bizarrely calling it “shoddy journalism” for a reporter to use his quote in a story which made more sense in a completely bi-polar way after I read Trudeau quotes in another story:

- “is not in the cards.” 

- “I’ve never been convinced that a merger is a viable option or a desirable option.” 

- “Trudeau said that the only people talking about combining the parties are reporters”

And did any journo pick up on the total contradiction? Just one so far and if it had been a Conservative MP that had done the same, Macleans’ Aaron Wherry would have had his blog post dripping with sarcasm and condescension (see here).