(The federal politics of) Canada wins!

[Kitchener]

World Junior Gold again! They did it the hard way, but they did it!

The boy and I have lost our voices from running around the living room and yelling, our flag streaming out behind us. It's official: my role as an evil foot soldier in the War on Christmas is to treat the holiday season as being fundamentally about World Junior hockey.

[sharkman]

They announce that Harper had sent a message to the boys. It's kind of neat to have a PM who is a big fan, it kind of shows his Joe sixpack side.

[Kitchener]

They announce that Harper had sent a message to the boys. It's kind of neat to have a PM who is a big fan, it kind of shows his Joe sixpack side.

Certainly it's neat for the PM to have a sports network devoted to reporting his every appearance, announcement, and message about hockey. Excellent PR, and a good way to sidestep the standards of neutrality that a news or broadcast channel might have.

[sharkman]

Oh really, I should tune into the Toronto Sports Network more often, when did they cover his last appearance at a game? Might add balance to the Canadian network scene where the CBC uses every excuse to display their disdain for anything center right of the spectrum.

[Kitchener]

Oh really, I should tune into the Toronto Sports Network more often, when did they cover his last appearance at a game? Might add balance to the Canadian network scene where the CBC uses every excuse to display their disdain for anything center right of the spectrum.

Sorry, I'm talking about things that actually happen. The CBC's using every excuse to display their disdain for anything center right of the spectrum would fall into some other discussion: oft-repeated but rarely defended myths, say.

[sharkman]

Like TSN reports Harper's every appearance, announcement and message? I was using sarcasm to make a point, but I've been known to be difficult to understand.

Anyway, you've got me on the CBC, they've reined in their disdain, and only show it occasionally, except for when reporting on Bush.

[BubberMiley]

Anyway, you've got me on the CBC, they've reined in their disdain, and only show it occasionally, except for when reporting on Bush.

There aren't very many people left who don't have disdain for Bush.

[Kitchener]

Like TSN reports Harper's every appearance, announcement and message?

Nah, probably they don't. But they do get an awful, awful lot of it.

And it seems to be conscious political strategy. The Georgia Straight reports:

Last year, Harper met privately with Frank Luntz, a notorious Republican strategist and the author of the recent bestseller Words That Work. Luntz has earned a reputation as a masterful spin-doctor who once told George W. Bush to "keep the public confused" about global warming. In the meeting with Harper–and in a speech he later made to the Civitas Society, an influential Conservative group with close ties to Harper–Luntz gave some suggestions on how a Conservative government can connect with voters. One of his ideas had to do with Canada's favourite pastime. "If there is some way to link hockey to what you all do, I would try to do it," said Luntz, according to the Montreal Gazette.

[geoffrey]

If Dion understood hockey, I'm sure he would have made a statement on the issue.

If he chooses not to get the free publicity, then don't blame the network, just blame foolish Liberal strategists. Or the fact that everyone would view Dion saying the same as hugely insincere and a mockery...

[Shakeyhands]

If Dion understood hockey, I'm sure he would have made a statement on the issue.

If he chooses not to get the free publicity, then don't blame the network, just blame foolish Liberal strategists. Or the fact that everyone would view Dion saying the same as hugely insincere and a mockery...

Geez, you guys will argue about anything and everything.

How is it Dion's place to make a call like this? Sure its the PM's...

[Michael Bluth]

Nah, probably they don't. But they do get an awful, awful lot of it.

Harper is truly a very big hockey fan. He is working on a history of the game as his hobby.

TSN is appealing to its audience in an attempt to boost its ratings.

If the PM of the day were an avid outdoorsman I would expect the OLN to show him more than usual in order to boost their ratings.

If the PM of the day were a sci-fi geek I would expect Space to show him more than usual in order to boost their ratings.

TSN is in place to make money. If they make more money by showing Harper on TV power to them.

Nice quote from the Georgia Straight argument. In the interest of fairness, from the same article:

By all accounts, Harper is a genuine hockey fan and a student of the game. Growing up in Ontario, Harper became obsessed with the sport. Today he is a member of the Society for International Hockey Research.

[capricorn]

Harper is truly a very big hockey fan. He is working on a history of the game as his hobby.

The Legion Magazine ran a story about James Creighton, a relatively unknown Canadian hockey pioneer. Creighton is buried in an unmarked grave in Beechwood Cemetery in Ottawa.

"There's nothing there, just empty space," says the 84-year-old Fitsell who visited the grave late last summer. "It gave me an empty feeling to think that this man was a pioneer of our national sport and yet has been overlooked. It was a real disappointment."

---

His appeal has struck a responsive chord with one prominent member of the SIHR--Prime Minister Stephen Harper. "It seems astonishing that a man who helped create our national sport and served the country with distinction for nearly half a century should be buried in an unmarked grave," the prime minister told Legion Magazine. "I think SIHR should be applauded for raising our awareness of Creighton's importance and for launching a fundraiser for a marker. I wish them well."

http://legionmagazine.ca/features/canadian...tions/08-01.asp

It's great that these bits of our history come to light.

[jefferiah]

Geez, you guys will argue about anything and everything.

How is it Dion's place to make a call like this? Sure its the PM's...

Dion and Layton and others had no problem making their hockey opinions known when it was Shane Doan captaining the team and criticzing the Tories for their lack of concern over the issue .

[jbg]

Certainly it's neat for the PM to have a sports network devoted to reporting his every appearance, announcement, and message about hockey. Excellent PR, and a good way to sidestep the standards of neutrality that a news or broadcast channel might have.

And what was the "political content" of his message to the boys? Are you saying that a PM shouldn't cut a ribbon on a new highway, visit troops, etc. because someone might look on it favorably?

[Kitchener]

And what was the "political content" of his message to the boys?

Sorry, the quotation marks in there: who are you quoting? Certainly not me.

Are you saying that a PM shouldn't cut a ribbon on a new highway, visit troops, etc. because someone might look on it favorably?

No. I'm not saying that. Though I do think that too much of that stuff, or in the wrong context, becomes cynical, manipulative, and debases the office of PM. (E.g., suddenly popping up with the troops for a photo op whenever the popularity dips... that would be bad.) I'm saying that TSN reliably reports Harper's appearances at games, interviews him about hockey, incorporates him into their publicity about hockey... it's invaluable PR for him, and a politicization of their coverage. (Notice: not because he's reading political tracts on the air. It's because he's being picked because he's a politician. But other politicians, from other parties, are not singled out for such close reporting and positive publicity.)

[Kitchener]

Dion and Layton and others had no problem making their hockey opinions known when it was Shane Doan captaining the team and criticzing the Tories for their lack of concern over the issue .

Yep, and that was stupid -- and cynical and manipulative -- of them. If TSN had slathered positive publicity on them at the time, and ever since, I suspect the politicization of that situation might have made more of an impression on you.

[Michael Bluth]

I'm saying that TSN reliably reports Harper's appearances at games, interviews him about hockey, incorporates him into their publicity about hockey... it's invaluable PR for him, and a politicization of their coverage. (Notice: not because he's reading political tracts on the air. It's because he's being picked because he's a politician. But other politicians, from other parties, are not singled out for such close reporting and positive publicity.)

Are other politicians, from other parties as involved with hockey as Harper is?

Harper has been this involved with hockey for a long time. As OLO the parents of other kids on Ben's teams were amazed at how often he made it to games.

It is a point of pride for many Canadians that they can share their passion for our national winter sport with our Prime Minister. Why is that a bad thing?

[jbg]

Sorry, the quotation marks in there: who are you quoting? Certainly not me.

Paraphrasing (see quote immediately below). Look familiar?

Certainly it's neat for the PM to have a sports network devoted to reporting his every appearance, announcement, and message about hockey. Excellent PR, and a good way to sidestep the standards of neutrality that a news or broadcast channel might have.

It's because he's being picked because he's a politician. But other politicians, from other parties, are not singled out for such close reporting and positive publicity.)

There's always some incumbent, and if the incumbent doesn't reach Mulroney circa 1992 levels of popularity, any appearance of a PM has those charactericstics. Edited January 8, 2008 by jbg

[Kitchener]

It is a point of pride for many Canadians that they can share their passion for our national winter sport with our Prime Minister.

Really? I haven't seen evidence for this in any news stories.

Stuff you make up, or that sounds good to you, or that you wish were true, is not evidence.

[Kitchener]

Paraphrasing (see quote immediately below). Look familiar?

So, you got the concept of "political content" out of my perfectly clear and explicit statement that they were reporting his statements "about hockey"?

You might try reading in a way that pays more attention to the letters, words, sentences, and paragraphs. Rather than the... whatever else you're looking at instead.

[jbg]

So, you got the concept of "political content" out of my perfectly clear and explicit statement that they were reporting his statements "about hockey"?

You might try reading in a way that pays more attention to the letters, words, sentences, and paragraphs. Rather than the... whatever else you're looking at instead.

Your post is so complex and intelligent I don't understand it.