Stephen Harper-Canadian Press Feud

[GeorgeWendtCFI]

I just saw a story on the news about the ongoing feud between the Canadian Press and Prime Minister Stephen Harper. It is a very interesting story. It seemingly takes large gonads to take on the entire press corps covering the seat of government.

For the Canadian brothers and sisters...what started this feud? I couldn't find a story that talked about the precipitating event.

[MalahatTwo7]

I am not quite sure what got things going, didnt even know about it till watching the news while working on the stairmaster in the gym Thurs. The gist of it that I got was that it has something to do with being a minority government. I think..... I tuned in 1/2 way through the broadcast, so am not 100% sure.

But I agree with you George, big gonads in there somewhere. As a polititian the press is (or hopefully) is your Friend.

[SFD13]

Prime Minister Stephen Harper says he'll no longer give news conferences for the national media, after a dispute led a number of journalists to walk away from an event when he refused to take their questions.

Speaking to A-Channel in London, Ont., Harper said "unfortunately the press gallery has taken the view they are going to be the opposition to the government."

"They don't ask questions at my press conferences now. We'll just take the message out on the road. There's lots of media who do want to ask questions and hear what the government is doing."

Since becoming prime minister in January, Harper has had a testy relationship with the national media in Ottawa. His staff has tried to manage news conferences by saying they will decide which reporters get to ask questions.

The press gallery has refused to play by those rules. "We can't accept that the Prime Minister's Office would decide who gets to ask questions," Yves Malo, a TVA reporter and president of the press gallery, told CP on Tuesday. "Does that mean that when there's a crisis they'll only call upon journalists they expect softball questions from?"

On Tuesday about two dozen Ottawa reporters walked out on a Harper event when he refused to take their questions.

[ndvfdff33]

Good On Em....Media Annoys the hell out of me and I'm not even a part of it...LOL..So I can;t imagine what it would be like to have to deal with it all the time

[Haweater]

I didn't catch all of the issues on this either but caught part of a story on the radio. The press have their own gallery that they pick who is on a list to ask questions. The press maintain that it keeps hack reporters from asking stupid questions - all it does is keep small papers and radio stations from being able to report the news because this 'union' decides which reporters asks the questions.
Harper doesn't like that and basically is playing THEIR game by saying that he's not going to let the press decide who can ask the questions.

[manofire2]

The fact is that most Canadian media persons are liberal hacks. It has been said that either the liberals control the media or the media controls the liberals.

Good move by Harper.

[GeorgeWendtCFI]

I didn't catch all of the issues on this either but caught part of a story on the radio. The press have their own gallery that they pick who is on a list to ask questions. The press maintain that it keeps hack reporters from asking stupid questions - all it does is keep small papers and radio stations from being able to report the news because this 'union' decides which reporters asks the questions.
Harper doesn't like that and basically is playing THEIR game by saying that he's not going to let the press decide who can ask the questions.

That is the difference between the US and Canada. In Canada, they want to stop stupid questions. In the US, the White House Press Corps wants a monopoly on asking stupid questions.