03.09.2014 06:21 PM

JWK on PKP

So, PKP.

I’ve never met him, I’ve never seen him, I’ve never heard from him.  That’s the way I like my media moguls: totally invisible.

In my years at the Sun – on air and in print – no one has ever told me what I could or couldn’t write.  Not once. My experience at other Canadian media outlets, however, has been quite different.  A sampling:

  • In 1988, at the Ottawa Citizen, Keith Spicer refused to publish a thing I did suggesting that the Free Trade Agreement would place our healthcare system at risk.  “We have to be nation builders,” Spicer said in a note to my editor.  My editor showed it to me. He actually wrote that.
  • In 2001, again at the Citizen, Scott Anderson dropped my freelance politics column because I was “too Liberal.” I pointed out that Izzy Asper (RIP) had hired me because the paper needed a Liberal. Anderson, who never met a managerial fart he couldn’t catch, was undeterred.
  • In 2007, I quit my media column at the National Post because (a) they refused to let me say positive things about human rights and (b) they absolutely refused to let me print anything positive about the Toronto Star or the CBC (I have the emails to prove it). Even though they are, you know, big on free speech and all that. Um.

Anyway.  Based on what I’ve read about his riding, Peladeau stands a pretty good chance of being elected to the National Assembly next month.  At that point, his media days are over for a long time, perhaps for good.  At that point, he’ll have even less influence over what I and others say than he does at the moment.  Which, as noted above, is presently the square root of f**k all.

And if he loses? Well, then he goes back to doing what he did before: which is, still not telling me what I can and what I can’t write. (Including the anti-separatist screed I had in today’s paper. Here.)

Let me conclude with the title of  a chapter in Kicking Ass in Canadian Politics: to wit, “the media is a special interest group.” That is, the only people who think the media is a pillar of objective thinking is, well, the media.  The public sure as Hell don’t think that. They never have.

And that is JWK on PKP.

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28 Comments

  1. Ryan Spinney says:

    This is a win…for Quebec Solidaire, the PQ has just massively alienated thier leftwing. The Unions in Quebec are flipping out. This will back fire on the PQ.

    And then when they lose the next election PKP will take over as leader and the will be the NDPs cue to enter the provincial scene.

    • Ronald O'Dowd says:

      Ryan,

      Don’t forget the second part of that equation: if the CAQ does a meltdown, most of them will move to the Liberals to block the PQ’s re-election.

    • Richard Besserer says:

      QS IS the NDP, or at least part of it. The former provincial NDP is a tendency within QS.

      But yes, this is a hard-right turn for the PQ—I suspect after concluding they’ll gain more seats from soft caquistes than they’ll lose to QS on the island of Montreal.

  2. dave says:

    Didn’t Izzy once tell a roomful of people working for a news organization he had just acquired that their main job was selling soap?

    • Warren says:

      If he did, let’s see the link.

      • davie says:

        Easy one is “http://www.rrj.ca/m4003/” 31st paragraph…although that one suggests he was referring to tv.

        Another is “http://www.calgaryeyeopener.com/Journal_Entry_Display.cfm?IngJournalID=143”

        It is also mentioned in Marc Edge’s book on the Asper business empire, but I cannot remember where.

    • Michael says:

      I believe you are thinking of Roy Thompson. He said the news was the stuff between the ads.

  3. steve says:

    There is no way Quebcor or any of its arms should get one ore cent of Federalist Government Money for advertising, hockey teams, etc as long as it lines Karls pockets. In a real sense that is funding the separation of Canada.

    • Paul Brennan says:

      I agree but we catered to Lucien Bouchard and his troop as Bloc Quebecois in the HOC so I doubt you will see any change in revenues Sun Media and Quenecor media scores from the feds …in fact it might go up as per history we try to buy them off…

      Big question to me is how tired are folks of hearing this and who will lead the fight against seperation as WK mentioned – maybe Mr Honderich and his bad of elitist brothers and sisters in TO will line up agianst ..it worked against Ford…errr forget it ..

  4. Ron Waller says:

    If you can write anything at the Toronto Sun, maybe you should get a debate started in the MSM about electoral reform.

    After all, the PQ is set to win a “majority” on the same percent of the vote as the Liberals (38%.)

    Then there’s the fact that a united Conservative party is Canada’s natural governing party under corrupt FPTP. (Since 1935, only two leaders of a united con party: Mulroney and Harper, who both ruled for a decade.)

    Then there’s the fact that 31 of 34 developed countries ditched FPTP, most a century ago.

    The (corporate-owned) media tends to bury the issue in Canada (where they obviously did their jobs in the developed world.) This is because businesses can better lobby and influence minority-party dictatorships than multi-party democratic governments (the norm in the developed world.)

  5. William says:

    Sadly, PKP has made a fortune pitting Quebec via the JdM and English Canada via the Sun chain against each other while under the same corporate umbrella.

    Great business model, sad social commentary.

    I no longer have cable, how is his candidacy being covered on Sun TV?

  6. po'd says:

    Has anyone considered his goal might not be Provincial but Federal? The next Bouchard maybe, which would be good for the CPC and bad for everyone else.

  7. steve says:

    Has anyone considered this is a billionaire tired of lashing out at hired help and just want to take it to the next level? He is logical thinking, because the electorate puts up with way more than a hired employee.

  8. steve says:

    There is a standard of which we should all stand for.
    The book on Karl as I see it is he was born on third base. He is running for a pop up fly and falls on his face. This guy is so out of touch with reality it will be super to watch. He is Rob Ford without crack or peeing in the park. Believe me now and I tell you later his character is going to be explosive.

    There is no way Quebcor or any of its arms should get one ore cent of Federalist Government Money for advertising, hockey teams, etc as long as it lines Karls pockets. In a real sense that is funding the separation of Canada.

    Has anyone considered this is a billionaire tired of lashing out at hired help and just want to take it to the next level? He is logical thinking, because the electorate puts up with way more than a hired employee.

    Bottom line Dear Leader, this is your Guy, fetted felt and not quite there for the Orgasam of a New Norquie in Quebec city.
    So the conservatives are in bed with the separatist cause they have written off
    Quebec. Thats a national unity platform only Preston Manning could love.
    I cant speak French, I have had no relations with Quebec since I kicked the glass out of
    the old fourm before an English concert of David Bowie,
    What the spinmasters want you to see is how
    your tribe is relevant with the Quebecosy
    Even if you ask this question your stupid.
    Diversity, some other view
    some look at life
    that is not anglo saxon
    belief in good goverment
    by individuals
    Many flaw in Quebec
    Many flaw in Canada
    Bind these flaws to
    create some kind of
    European synergy
    Are our kids to stupid
    to speak bilingualy
    In Europe every kid
    speaks English
    and likely a third langue
    perfectly
    I hope Quebec never leaves
    but now I have to admit
    with rednecks in the lead
    its a possibility.
    And will they not be so proud
    at taking what used to be one
    of the greatest nations in the world
    down/

    • Stephen J says:

      The consequences of La République du Québec are horrendous for the RoC! Canada would be partitioned (like Bangladesh and Pakistan), and eastern Canada would be cast adrift by Western Canada. Newfoundland and Labrador is economically self-sufficient with it’s off-shore oil resources and would declare their independence from Canada too. Their only question would be could they retain hold of Labrador which has been disputed by Quebec. The three Maritime provinces would be forced to seek union with the USA and they would try to negotiate something like a 99 year treaty for financial aid to replace lost federal transfer payments. Of course, the USA would welcome them into the fold.

      You see, if Quebec separates that means the confederation is shattered and each province becomes free to declare it’s independence too. The RoC could balkanize with B.C. and Alberta easily going on it’s own, as could Saskatchewan. The other alternative is to form a Western Canada country consisting of all the provinces and territories west of the Ottawa River. However, it’s probable that Western Canada would eventually seek union with the USA too; or the USA could easily annex us on the excuse that continental economic stability requires merging the remnants of Canada into the Republic (that Ignatieff so loved!).

      Québec would be sitting there, all alone in La Gloire Française free of the English yoke and united with France. They would be hated for generations in North America and would suffer the consequences of destroying Canada.

      • Stephen J says:

        I agree; destroying the Canadian confederation of provinces would be a painful and traumatic event that would destroy relations between the Quebec French and Canadian English for generations, particularly if the USA annexes, swallows up the RoC like Russia is annexing the Crimea.

  9. WestGuy says:

    So you’ve got a guy who relied on the Rest of Canada to make him rich and then when all those non-Quebec businesses make him rich, he says Quebec should be its own country. Yep, sounds like a perfect fit for the PQ mentality.
    I like this country but I’m to the point now where the first Federal party which makes dictating Canada’s terms for Quebec separation to Quebec will get my vote and I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one. Borders don’t make countries, people do.

  10. Greg from Calgary says:

    I wonder if Ezra and Brian L will go after and attack Peladeau is harshly as they do other opponents of Harper such as David Suzuki or anyway who opposes Keystone or Justin Trudeau?

  11. Stephen J says:

    If the Marois PQ win a majority government, you can be certain that Harper will immediately call for a federal general election asking for a renewed vote of confidence in his Conservative government to deal strongly with the Quebec separatists who would destroy Canada!

    What should be the NDP and Liberal response to a snap general election on the issue of Quebec separation? I can see a strong anti-Quebec sentiment building up in the RoC that can be exploited by the Harper Conservatives.

    • Ronald O'Dowd says:

      Stephen J,

      Stupid me. I thought Harper had no intention of being retired. You just put a big smile on Justin’s face. Gee, thanks for that!

  12. MississaugaPeter says:

    PKP Thinking:

    What’s better? Big Fish in Big Pond, or Big Fish in Small Pond? Which makes him richer and more powerful?

    With his capital and media empire in Quebec, PKP becomes richer and more powerful in a separated Quebec.

  13. patrick says:

    Well, I suppose we can hope Karl has his bunga bunga moment sooner rather than later.

  14. Stephen J says:

    Marois needs Peladeau to bring Quebec business on side with the PQ and if Justin Trudeau joins forces with her that will bring in the youth vote. Together with the old nationalist vote they will get a massive majority PQ government committed to Quebec sovereignty.

    Will Justin join Marois and Peladeau? Justin, the self-proclaimed “Son of Quebec … Servant of Canada”? Will he throw off his French serviteur chains in Canada and become another leader of an independent Quebec? Justin’s stark silence speaks volumes about his ominous intentions.

  15. Lon says:

    C’mon Warren, who would give Ezra Levant a show unless they were trying to destroy Canada?

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