News media have come under increasing criticism from right-wing politicians as a truck convoy rolls into Ottawa, but one former Conservative strategist says it is an example of a long-standing tactic.
Tim Powers, chairman of Summa Strategies, told Global News that criticism of the media is “part of normal strategic practice” for conservative politicians, especially when they feel they are in trouble.
Powers said the practice in Canada dates back to the Brian Mulroney era and was a successful tool for Stephen Harper.
Read more:
‘Border minority’ in truck convoy with ‘unacceptable views’ does not represent Canadian: Trudeau
“It’s effective as a hold action, so what you want to do when you go after the mainstream media is to take the focus off of your own challenges,” Powers said.
The current challenge for the Conservative Party of Canada, according to Powers, is the investigation facing leader Erin O’Toole. A post-election survey identifies “dozens and dozens and dozens” of recommendations the party should undertake, according to sources.
Asked where there is a legitimate grievance with media that should be raised by conservatives, Powers said “there should always be a core of truth in it,” and he could refer to media organizations with political prejudice.
“The media is no different from any other organization in Canadian society. “There is not one homogeneous view that is held by every employee, every editorial writer,” said Power.
Read more:
Regina police unveil traffic plan ahead of truck convoy planned by Legislature
Right-wing political leaders have voiced Canada-wide support for the convoy that arrived in Ottawa on Friday. Former Conservative leader Andrew Scheer tweeted: “Corporate media are working overtime to discredit the protests.”
In a video posted by CPAC on Thursday, conservative financial critic Pierre Poilievre accused the “liberal media” of conducting greater investigations into the participants of the truck convoy than at members of left-wing protests.
In Saskatchewan, Prime Minister Scott Moe criticized the media this week, claiming that it was “irresponsible” to cover peer-reviewed research, suggesting that the provincial government had underreported COVID-19 deaths.
“The CBC, the CTV, the Global, Postmedia must … now bring in retreats to correct the misinformation they reported to Saskatchewan people,” Moe said during an interview with the Saskatoon conservative talk radio host John Gormley.
Global News has reviewed the story and stands by it.
The widespread political criticism of Canadian media amounts to toxic rhetoric, according to Mitch Diamantopoulos, associate professor of journalism at the University of Regina.
Diamantopoulos was adamant that there is no inherent liberal prejudice in the media.
Read more:
COMMENT: Plans to regulate user-generated Internet content are worrying and useless
“As long as politicians complain about press coverage, it is a healthy sign. “When they stop complaining, it means the press is not doing its job,” he said.
Despite contempt expressed to the media, Canada’s political climate has not shifted to the level of the United States, according to Mount Royal University political scientist Duane Bratt.
“We are not in that situation in Canada yet, there are fringe groups. But Maxime Bernier received 5 percent of the vote. “
However, U.S. political trends could spill over to Canada, Bratt said, such as the rise of political action committees, toxic social media activity and the failed rise of the Sun News Network.
He also noted that there are fringe groups in Canada, indicating that the level of confidence in Canada is eroding.
“It’s a danger we can go into.”
– with files from Global News’ Alex Boutilier
© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Reference-globalnews.ca