Harper vs the youth

[Topaz]

Harper appeared in Winnpeg before 100 youths to answer questions but the answers were only to the questions Harper wanted to answer and his side-kick senator Duffy was present to moderator. http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/breakingnews/youths-participating-in-forum-with-harper-say-pmo-rewrote-their-questions-93976829.html

[Alta4ever]

Harper appeared in Winnpeg before 100 youths to answer questions but the answers were only to the questions Harper wanted to answer and his side-kick senator Duffy was present to moderator. http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/breakingnews/youths-participating-in-forum-with-harper-say-pmo-rewrote-their-questions-93976829.html

Your post is 1/7 the length of the story. No information no sources nothing to back up what they insinuate.

[Oleg Bach]

YOUTHful questions unless controlled and edited are very dangerous to a politician - YOUTH will ask honest questions and expect real answers - Like "why has opium production gone up instead of down since our envolvement in Afganistan? Or why do we have a public policy of enhancing female rights in Afghanistan and at the same time remove all rights from young males? Let Harper answer that?

[Topaz]

Yeah, I should check on YouTube and Facebook for THEIR views on the PM.

[Oleg Bach]

Yeah, I should check on YouTube and Facebook for THEIR views on the PM.

YOUTH can not be as easily coerced as adults who have property and infant children at risk - Youth believe they have nothing to lose in asking any question - and for the most part they do not. Adults are cautious and secruity orientated..they do not want to rock the boat.

Check it out - as they say "truth from the mouths of babes"

[Alta4ever]

Yeah, I should check on YouTube and Facebook for THEIR views on the PM.

Maybe you should check out youtube and facebook to be instructed in your opinion from layton, and the tinfoil hat brigade.

Edited May 18, 2010 by Alta4ever

[Moonbox]

Yeah, I should check on YouTube and Facebook for THEIR views on the PM.

Topaz man...you don't normally write stuff THIS dumb.

[Oleg Bach]

Topaz man...you don't normally write stuff THIS dumb.

Wasn't going to say anything - I thought that he might just be acting in a sarcastic manner.

[wyly]

Harper appeared in Winnpeg before 100 youths to answer questions but the answers were only to the questions Harper wanted to answer and his side-kick senator Duffy was present to moderator. http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/breakingnews/youths-participating-in-forum-with-harper-say-pmo-rewrote-their-questions-93976829.html

saw it on CBC last night...a reporter wanted to speak to one young person whose question on climate change was refused and a Harper storm trooper interferred and shut down the attempted interview...watching it was like those attempted interviews you see in China where police step in and stop the interview and filming...

[ToadBrother]

saw it on CBC last night...a reporter wanted to speak to one young person whose question on climate change was refused and a Harper storm trooper interferred and shut down the attempted interview...watching it was like those attempted interviews you see in China where police step in and stop the interview and filming...

It must be so hard living in a free society and yet so fearful and hateful of freedom.

[PIK]

And I wonder how many of these ''youths'' were lefty plants sent there to try and embarress harper? We all know harpers stance on CC, ask something we don't know.

[Remiel]

And I wonder how many of these ''youths'' were lefty plants sent there to try and embarress harper? We all know harpers stance on CC, ask something we don't know.

Last time I checked there are plenty of young leftists; in fact, they are over-represented in the young among age groups. If a young leftist goes to ask Harper a tough question, that is their right. They are no less citizens of Canada than young rightists, and though they may despise him Harper is the Prime Minister of their country, thus making him as responsible to them as to any other citizen. No planting necessary.

[wyly]

And I wonder how many of these ''youths'' were lefty plants sent there to try and embarress harper? We all know harpers stance on CC, ask something we don't know.

how pathetic...these "youths" were selected by the government, the questions and those asking them were planted/hand picked by Harpers propaganda department, a move right of the North Korean or Chinese political playbook..."shut up kid, this is the question you'll ask Glorious Leader and applaud enthusiastically when he gives you the scripted answer"...

how sad Harper is afraid to answer a legitimate question from the public, what's happened to our democracy...

[Cameron]

Something is amiss here. From the article.

The youths, who did not want to be named, said the questions were selected by Global Vision and sent on to the Prime Minister's Office.

The way I read it is that Global Vision selected the questions and sent them on to the PMO.

A Harper spokesman said late Monday, "The Prime Minister's Office did not rewrite anybody's questions."

Ok.

....

The youths said that most of the questions Harper answered were on the economy and none addressed any subjects that could prove awkward for the government, like abortion and environment.

Wouldn't they youths take that up with Global Vision then, since they chose the questions and sent them into the PMO?

[Keepitsimple]

Let me get this straight....the article says two youths - out of 100 - complained.....but they didn't want to be named. Two. And why wouldn't they want to be named? If these two teenagers represent anywhere near the general feeling of the overall group, why could the reporter only find two people - who wanted to remain anonymous? I mean c'mon....what a flimsy story. Does anyone know if the Winnipeg "Free Press" has any particular political leaning?

Edited May 19, 2010 by Keepitsimple

[Topaz]

Here's an update to what on is being said happened,but since a lot of us know how this government works and how Harper doesn't like being center out like with questions on Guergis, its believable that the PMO would do such a thing or have Visons do for for them. http://www.cbc.ca/politics/insidepolitics/2010/05/pmospinwatch-cancel-that-conspiracy-theory.html

[Keepitsimple]

Here's an update to what on is being said happened,but since a lot of us know how this government works and how Harper doesn't like being center out like with questions on Guergis, its believable that the PMO would do such a thing or have Visons do for for them. http://www.cbc.ca/politics/insidepolitics/2010/05/pmospinwatch-cancel-that-conspiracy-theory.html

Couldn't you have just said "I guess I jumped the gun"? And of course, the media were trying to grill the poor girl who was just trying to honestly answer questions - trying to somehow squeeze the abortion issue out of something that clearly didn't occur:

So what about Cynthia Myrers and the maternal health question? Giroux suggested that she may not have understood the context of the question. "She's young," she pointed out. "They just went right at her, and not in a very professional matter."

[waldo]

yabut, Kady's updates typically bring much more forward... and, of course, comments can be gold, real gold!

A PSEUDONYMOUS FORMER GV PARTICIPANT SPEAKS - In the comments, Po_Girl recalls her experience at a previous Global Voice workshop:

[...] I found myself the only non-commerce student in a room of 50; Global Vision speakers taught us how to 'exploit' (seriously, that is a quote) others in order to 'achieve'. Everything was tinged as a commerce training session. Who says the most deserving youth leaders are studying commerce? From my experience, I would beg to differ!

In the presence of Amy Giroux, a presenter asked youth to name an influential person who inspired them. I said Nelson Mandela. The presenter was taken aback; this didn't fit with his plan. He said, yeah, that's good, but what about Steve Jobs. GIVE ME A BREAK!

Anyways, what is relevant to those reading is that Global Vision is biased. It is unabashedly conservative, it does a laughable job of 'selecting' students, one that leaves no doubt in my mind that it would not support any student who pointedly questioned the Prime Minister on issues dear to them that didn't make him look good. Leaving their workshop at the end of the day, I wanted to jump for joy. No more narrow-minded commerce conservatism. Screw application for their 'next step'. All I can do is applaud one girl who seemed to wade through their decidedly unintelligent selection process with her morals still intact. Hell, hopefully next time she has the opportunity she will actually use the word abortion. I know I would have. Probably why the 'experience' that global vision offers just wasn't up my alley in the first place. [...]

Meanwhile, Winnipeg student Raimey Gallant, who took part in yesterday's event, tells the Globe's Jane Taber that she tried to put "an economic slant" on her question about the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, but still failed to make the cut.

"For her part," the Globe notes, "Ms. Raimey doesn't believe questions were rewritten by PMO officials, but she does believe the Mr. Harper's officials had the final word over which questions were asked. As a result, she says she doesn't want to continue her involvement in the youth forum."

the Duffster moderated! Oh ya, baby... nothing to see here - move along now!

[madmax]

And I wonder how many of these ''youths'' were lefty plants sent there to try and embarress harper? We all know harpers stance on CC, ask something we don't know.

LOL, just take a crap on young Conservatives and demonstrate the real values of the party.

Brilliant!!!

Edited May 20, 2010 by madmax

[Argus]

Harper appeared in Winnpeg before 100 youths to answer questions but the answers were only to the questions Harper wanted to answer and his side-kick senator Duffy was present to moderator. http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/breakingnews/youths-participating-in-forum-with-harper-say-pmo-rewrote-their-questions-93976829.html

So let me see if I have this right. A politician didn't want to answer a difficult question? Wow. I mean - wow! Why wasn't this on the front page of every newspaper!? A politician dodging hard questions!? I don't think that's ever happened before! Damn those Conservatives! They're always coming up with something new! Next thing you know politicians from other parties will be dissembling and dodging questions too! Then what kind of a democracy will we have!? What can we do about this stunning breech of historical openness and honesty by politicians!? Should we call the RCMP or something!?

[madmax]

So let me see if I have this right. A politician didn't want to answer a difficult question? Wow. I mean - wow! Why wasn't this on the front page of every newspaper!? A politician dodging hard questions!? I don't think that's ever happened before! Damn those Conservatives! They're always coming up with something new! Next thing you know politicians from other parties will be dissembling and dodging questions too! Then what kind of a democracy will we have!? What can we do about this stunning breech of historical openness and honesty by politicians!? Should we call the RCMP or something!?

Politicians not answering questions isn't front page news.

But blowing a photo op and PR exercise is. And this one went south

The Lob balls turned into walks and balks. The intent of one pitcher to throw a pitch, not a fastball,curveball, screwball, spitball, or hardball, was called off by the coach.

Ball 4

Edited May 20, 2010 by madmax