Peter Mckay Writes A Letter To The Globe And Mail

[Pierre the Great]

He basically threatens the newspaper in the last paragraph. Unbelievable. Sorry I'm doing a political thread but this I can't pass up. Covering up for being caught off guard in a crisis by threatening the newspaper is not acceptable Mr. Mckay.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/bnfiles/pag...ogreenspon.html

[revvvrob]

except ...

if the 'unnamed sources' are lying or fabricating ... why wouldn't the PMO issue a strong statement to the paper?

i don't really understand why we always assume that a President or Prime Minister is some kind of lazy, self-serving bureaucrat ... perhaps (and not always) but perhaps - the PM & his office actually care about Canadians living abroad and their safety and their rescue from harmful situations.

or - perhaps i'm a modern-day rebel - someone who actually trusts fellow human-beings ... even fellow human-beings in leadership.

[Chips]

I don't have a problem with that letter. He's calling the Globe out on their article; its completely opinion, no facts if the sources are not revealed. Put yourself in their shoes, would you like it if the Globe wrote an article blaming you without naming a source or asking you to comment on the allegation?

Edited July 21, 2006 by Chips

[MAK]

PS: belindaaaaaaa come baaaaaaaaaaack

except ...

i don't really understand why we always assume that a President or Prime Minister is some kind of lazy, self-serving bureaucrat ..

ask the folks in new orleans

[revvvrob]

ask the folks in new orleans

my point isn't that leadership never screws up - my point is that leadership doesn't always screw up.

leadership DID screw up in NO - the debate lies in the question of which LEVEL of leadership - and so - again, my point is - it isn't necessarily the TOP level that always screws up.

of course - then, the argument is that the 'buck stops at the White House' - but with NO, the White House doesn't elect a Governor or Chief of Police or Mayor, etc. sometimes you have to work with what you've got.

again - i want to reiterate my point - so that we dont' get in a NO debate ... again.

my point isn't that leadership never screws up - my point is that leadership doesn't always screw up.

[KoZed]

i don't really understand why we always assume that a President or Prime Minister is some kind of lazy, self-serving bureaucrat ...

Not always. Its just in moments of crisis that people turn their eyes to the Head of State. Stakes are higher. If a Head of State shows a little leadership during a crisis, his popularity can sky-rocket ridiculously. Consequently, it can drop like a stone if he gives any indications of being slow or sloppy in his reaction.

The best example I can get for a popularity boost due to a crisis response would be Lucien Bouchard in 97 during the Ice Storm. Lucien Bouchard was front and center in both crisis and gave the impression to take matters in his own hands, even if it meant going around the bureaucracy to speed things up. Mayor Guliani right after 9-11 gave off that same impression.

There's a few very obvious and well-known things a Head of State should do when crisis hits: speedy recognition of the problem, showing grave concern, showing the political will to go the extra mile to solve the crisis, etc. Georges W. Bush missed it during Katrina and Harper's missing it now with Lebanon.

Its not a matter of ethics, of being trustful or not. Its a matter of competence, of being a good politician (ie. successful use of the political techniques) or not.

[Fanpuck33]

ask the folks in new orleans

Come on, blaming Bush for what happened in New Orleans is just plain silly. There is plenty of blame to go around, including the city and local governments for not doing a good job of guarding against hurricanes. Even then Katrina was a very powerful hurricane and would have caused a lot of damage anyways.

Heck, if you want to blame people for what happened, blame the French explorers who decided is was a good idea to start a settlement below sea level. Of course, I'm only somewhat joking, as I have no idea if those explorers had any idea how low the elevation is there.

He basically threatens the newspaper in the last paragraph. Unbelievable. Sorry I'm doing a political thread but this I can't pass up. Covering up for being caught off guard in a crisis by threatening the newspaper is not acceptable Mr. Mckay.

What threat? I've read the letter twice and can't find anythign resembling a threat.

[KoZed]

Come on, blaming Bush for what happened in New Orleans is just plain silly. There is plenty of blame to go around, including the city and local governments for not doing a good job of guarding against hurricanes. Even then Katrina was a very powerful hurricane and would have caused a lot of damage anyways.

I dont think people blame the Hurricane itself on the Bush Admin. They blame the relief efforts on the Bush Admin. And quite frankly, if you're stuck in the Hell that follows a natural disaster, its the public agencies (ie. the Government) responsability to bail you out. So if the relief is lacking, there isnt really anyone else to blame then the Administration.

Heck, if you want to blame people for what happened, blame the French explorers who decided is was a good idea to start a settlement below sea level. Of course, I'm only somewhat joking, as I have no idea if those explorers had any idea how low the elevation is there.

They must have known of Holland and how the people there dealt with it. Besides, at a time where sailing was so important, below-sea-level lands had their advantages.

Anyway... Spkie Lee's making a TV movie about Katrina. Its called "When the Levees Broke" Should be good.

What threat? I've read the letter twice and can't find anythign resembling a threat.

Same here. If he had wanted to threaten the newspaper, he'd have specifically ask for a retractation. That's how it usually works. Otherwise he's just making it really clear he's pissed.

[Pierre the Great]

That's very true about leadership KoZed. Really bad storms have just gone through the st. louis area and Francis Slay the mayor is on the ball. He's having press confrences, called in the guard and so on.

Fanpuck during Katrina Bush had to be shown a Dvd of everything going on, on his wafe to Louisiana.

The last paragraph to me sounds like a threat. Basically the last sentence to me says "you're a bunch of liers".

"The very serious allegations you printed are completely untrue and without merit. I sincerely hope in the future that the Globe and Mail takes its responsibilities to Canadians - and the truth - far more seriously than you have today."

I don't know what caused this letter. I read the Globe and Mail everyday on the internet and I didn't find anything misleading. All they did was interview Canadians in Lebanon. Since when did that become misleading?

[Fanpuck33]

The last paragraph to me sounds like a threat. Basically the last sentence to me says "you're a bunch of liers".

"The very serious allegations you printed are completely untrue and without merit. I sincerely hope in the future that the Globe and Mail takes its responsibilities to Canadians - and the truth - far more seriously than you have today."

Since you seem to have no idea what a threat is, I will enlighten you:

threat

Pronunciation: 'thret

Function: noun

1 : an expression of intention to inflict evil, injury, or damage

2 : one that threatens

3 : an indication of something impending <the sky held a threat of rain>

Maybe, possibly, if you're really stretching as far as you can, it might be possible to say that the statement you point to falls under the 3rd definition. But that is a big stretch. There is no expression that there will be consequences for further actions. All he is doing is calling the paper a bunch of liars and that they are irresponsible.

[bbr93]

He basically threatens the newspaper in the last paragraph. Unbelievable. Sorry I'm doing a political thread but this I can't pass up. Covering up for being caught off guard in a crisis by threatening the newspaper is not acceptable Mr. Mckay.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/bnfiles/pag...ogreenspon.html

I just read the whole thing beginning to end and I didn't see anything that remotely looked like a threat. What exactly are you referring to when you say he "threatens the newspaper" ?

[Pierre the Great]

I thought this part was weird: "In the interests of correcting your false and misleading story today, I am making this letter public via other members of Canada's media."

This is just a Globe and Mail thing, why send it to its competitors (The National Post, Toronto Star).

I don't know really I just think the whole writing a letter to a newspaper is kinda silly. Its like they are saying "call me a cry baby because I don't like what you print". Well tough I say.

[Athlétique.Canadien]

I thought this part was weird: "In the interests of correcting your false and misleading story today, I am making this letter public via other members of Canada's media."

This is just a Globe and Mail thing, why send it to its competitors (The National Post, Toronto Star).

I don't know really I just think the whole writing a letter to a newspaper is kinda silly. Its like they are saying "call me a cry baby because I don't like what you print". Well tough I say.

I can't wait for the day that the Liberals get in power and screw up. Why do I get the feeling you won't be as quick to post news about them.

BTW: Do you have a card in your wallet that's "RED"?

[Pierre the Great]

Yeah my state farm insurance card.

I'm more of a soft Liberal-NDP-Green supporter. Conservatives where I'm from are just plain idiotic and weird. And since everyone seems to want to copy us americans. (Why I don't know) I see these wannabe american conservatives out there in other countries and it just bothers me. Why would someone want to be buddy buddy with a hot button country like this one I have no idea. I don't get it. Alining yourself with american political views only gets people in trouble. S

So if that's seen as anti-american so be it. Canada and U.S. and U.S. to the world will always be big trading partners. Just because you trade goods and services doesn't mean you should become like us, corrupted by money and power.

The United States is not the world. Canada is not part of the U.S. The EU is not apart of the U.S. so why all the sucking up? I just don't get it. Yeah were the only super power but someone needs to grow a back bone and stand up against america or it will have free reign on everybody. It seems as if the U.S. is the shepard and the world is its sheep I don't like that.

[JLP]

The government can interfere with newspapers, blocking full or prompt access to briefings, not calling on their reporters during question-and-answer periods, leaking stories to the competition first and so on. I would say the letter under discussion here might be construed as a "veiled threat" as it implies that the Harper administration may not be so cooperative with the Globe and Mail in the future. But it's posturing, not a real threat, otherwise I don't think it would have been made public at all.

By the way, in Japan, the media is almost completely under the thumb of the corporations and government -- it is basically an official information vehicle, nothing more -- no investigative reporting, no attempt to present the other side, build consensus. Journalists basically show up at briefings, and are told what to write. You should value the free press that in Canada.

[KoZed]

The government can interfere with newspapers, blocking full or prompt access to briefings, not calling on their reporters during question-and-answer periods, leaking stories to the competition first and so on. I would say the letter under discussion here might be construed as a "veiled threat" as it implies that the Harper administration may not be so cooperative with the Globe and Mail in the future. But it's posturing, not a real threat, otherwise I don't think it would have been made public at all.

Couldnt have put it better myself. Its exactly how you described it.

By the way, in Japan, the media is almost completely under the thumb of the corporations and government -- it is basically an official information vehicle, nothing more -- no investigative reporting, no attempt to present the other side, build consensus. Journalists basically show up at briefings, and are told what to write. You should value the free press that in Canada.

"Free" is a relative term when refering to the Press. Lets not forget that they are owned by corporations too. Although the corporations might not weight directly on the editorial positions of the press it owns, there's always a editorial leaning disposition that reflects what the owners thinks, if not on specific issues then on broad ranges of topics. All the most when sponsors are in questions.

The press is a form of power. Its only natural for the political power to try to bend it to its will. But its also to ignore human nature to believe that the power of the press is completely free and independant.