Does Premier Campbell pay attention to the news and what actually happens in our province?
Covenant Zone is considering joining the growing boycott of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, to be lifted only when Canada does away with Section 13 of the Canadian Human Rights Act, and its equivalent in the provincial "human rights" codes. Dear Readers, do you think that a good idea?
Premier Gordon Campbell stopped by Beijing's Main Press Centre Tuesday to sell his message about the state-of-the-art media centre the province is building in Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Games.Campbell fires back at Chinese critics
Instead, he found himself in a political discussion with reporters from some of China's government-run media who wanted to use his press conference to focus on problems affecting the Vancouver Olympics.
But the questions seemed to have more to do with political positioning than with eliciting information.
When one reporter from the China Daily, considered by Westerners to be a government mouthpiece, zeroed in how Campbell will handle "anti-Olympic groups such as the Anti-Poverty Coalition," Campbell gave a political lesson of his own.
"In Canada we will be open to opportunities for people to express whatever views they have," he said. "There will not be opportunities to break the law, [but] we will make sure there will be full and equal expression throughout the 2010 Olympics."
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It clearly wasn't what he was expecting when he announced that the new media centre, which will be built at a cost of $2.5 million, will serve upwards of 3,000 reporters and editors who can't get International Olympic Committee accreditation to the 2010 Winter Games.
In fact, none of the questions he received dealt with the 2,600 square-metre facility, which will be built at Robson Square.
He gave a terse "no" when asked if he was surprised that government-run media would zero in on the issues of poverty and free speech in Canada.
But the premier also didn't shirk from answering the questions, even though he knew that these issues would overtake his good-news message.
Covenant Zone is considering joining the growing boycott of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, to be lifted only when Canada does away with Section 13 of the Canadian Human Rights Act, and its equivalent in the provincial "human rights" codes. Dear Readers, do you think that a good idea?
3 comments:
Perhaps even so many as the majority of those who make up the intelligentsia are no more intelligent nor better trained in intellectual pursuits than is the average street-sweeper these miserable days in the West. Monkeys with diplomas. Monkeys nonetheless.
Who then does one appeal to as ones audience in the hope of a social revolution? the very fools who currently comprise our disgusting intelligentsia? or the populist base lead by a vanguard of very pissed-off people at the middle level of the societies we inhabit? Who cares about freedom here? Who dares confront the Stalinist careerists with subpoena power? Who dares offend against pubic conceits? Who will willingly suffer the opprobrium of the neighbours when the police show up at the doorstep at 2:00 a.m. with accusations from anonymous sources that one is -- well, pick something smearful.
If anyone is willing to stand against the tide of sewage that passes for cultural insight and "progress," who will it be? the elite? or the masses? Or anyone at all?
Well, count me in regardless.
Count me in too, dag, and guys.
I think it's an excellent idea. With two years to lay the groundwork, it can become a real groundSWELL, especially in the blogosphere.
Just keep me posted, and I'll do my best to get you all the attention possible. As, I'm sure, will other bloggers, especially influential Canadian ones.
I feel reasonably sure Glenn Reynolds at Instapundit will jump on it, for one. There's millions of Americans right there.
Heck. I might even bestir myself to travel to Vancouver and carry a sign. A wonderful excuse to meet the dynamic trio :o)
Please keep us all posted.
Will do, Eowyn,
First we have to make sure we want to use the Olympics to this end....
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