CHEK Television Didn’t Have Enough Time

Let me be clear, I am NOT affiliated with ANY political Party. I hold no membership to any political party, and I have voted for all of the major parties. I have voted NDP, Liberal, Green, & Conservative.

I VOTE FOR THE PARTY WHO IS IN TUNE WITH MY VALUES.

Now, that is out of the way, let me say that this morning I called our local television station, regarding the exclusion of the Green Party Candidate, from their news coverage about last night’s candidate debate.

The response, was that they RAN OUT OF TIME to air any snippet about the Green Party Candidate.  I mean like really, they didn’t have a way to spare 5 or 6 seconds to include him?

My arguement is simple. The RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MEDIA is to INFORM the public of events happening.  Pure & Simple, yet why has the Media consistently ignored the presence of the Green Party? It is not their right to decide who I can hear or not.

The job of REPORTING is to be ACCURATE.

To show only the Big Three, implies there isn’t a fourth choice. By not showing his presence, they FAIL to tell me what choices I do have in my own riding.

I went to that debate, and found out that the Green Party candidate was Jarrod. I had no idea until then, who he was, what his name was. I also was impressed by his answers.   IF I relied on CHEK 6 for that info, I’d still not know his name, nor would I even know there was a Green party candidate.

HOW IS THAT FAIR & UNBIASED NEWS REPORTING?

RESULT: After refusing to accept the ‘ran out of time’ excuse, I was informed that on the noon newscast today, and the 5pm newscast, they would include showing the Green Party candidate.

Now, that is a good result, right?  HOWEVER, what it does underline, is that THEY DID HAVE TIME to air that last night.  IT DOES show that they did knowingly exclude the Green Party.

HOW IS THAT RESPONSIBLE JOURNALISM?

Why is the Media Afraid of the Green Party

What is it, about the Green Party, that has the Media shaking in their boots?

Last night, David & I, attended an all party candidates debate. Our local News station, CHEK 6 covered the event, they even helped sponsor it.  ( Nice right? )

It was a good debate too, lively, lots of questions, lots of answers, so we watched the News after, to well, see if we made it on camera. ( I know, vain, but hell, we were in the second row. lol )

Tony Parsons, the Anchor, read the story, showed a clip of the moderator, then snippets from the opening remarks.  There was the Liberal Causton, NDP Savoie, and then Conservative Hunt.     END OF NEWS REPORT.

Like  HUH?

I was at that debate. The two candidates that drew the most applause, were Liberal Causton, Green Party Jarrod.    Yet CHEK 6 didn’t show his opening remarks, and if one hadn’t been at that debate, no one would have known they were even represented there.  No one would have given them another thought.

Now, How is that Journalistic Integrity?

The entire news report, was to say the least, BORING, MUNDANE, and yet, IF you had been at that debate, you wouldn’t think it was boring, or think it was dull, uninformative, or anything like that.  You WOULD have come away thinking, about realizing that you have more than one choice in this election.

YET the television station that sponsored the event, made it sound like only three parties existed, and that it was a total snooze fest.

HOW IS THAT FAIR & UNBIASED NEWS REPORTING?

This is what happens, when you let the Market Place decide the issues.  The Airwaves belong to the people, we merely rent it to the Media, and frankly, I find their pandering to the wishes of their advertisers to NOT BE in the Public’s best interest.

One more  reason to:

VOTE FOR ANYONE BUT HARPER CONSERVATIVES

The Leaders Debate Should Have Been Like This One

We got front row seats this time around. Arrived early and am glad we did. It was actually, a super terrific experience.   To begin with, WE got to ask the questions. No pre-screened questions for everyone to bone up on. It was all off the cuff, and what amazed me the most, was that out of the four Candidates, the one who handled it the worst, was the Conservative Candidate, Patrick Hunt.

He stood out like a sore thumb, when called on the statements made by his Party, and himself.

The funny thing is, that when he was introduced, he perhaps tied with the NDP candidate for the most applause. It wasn’t that way at the end of the debate. He got the least applause, while the Liberal got the most, though it was close between him and the Green Party candidate.

Basically, when he had to deviate from a scripted answer, the Conservative fumbled a great deal. He didn’t know how to handle it when the crowd actually jeered him, either. He was confused, as if stunned by the crowd reaction to his canned answers.   Now I know why Stephen Harper screens his audiences.

I was rather impressed too, by both the Liberal Causton and Green Party Jarrod.  They were crisp, in their responses, knew their party platforms as well.  Our MP (NDP) seemed a bit rattled, but held her own too.

If I was to rank them, I would give the nod this way.

1. Liberal Causton
2. Green Party Jarod
3. NDP Savoie
4. Conservative Hunt

I would say too, that fourth place Hunt was way behind third place Savoie.  He just didn’t connect with the crowd, and it was a crowd.  I mean there was a few hundred people there, which also surprised me. Heck, there was people standing against both walls as well.  Now that was amazing, as was the quality of questions asked of the Candidates.

I am undecided, but you know, my choice is even harder now. I know I won’t Vote Conservative, had that totally re-enforced tonight.  However, my other choices showed me that it really is a toss up. They were all that good.  The answers were very good, very sensible, and actual answers. That part really got me excited.

Imagine that, Real Answers to Real Questions.

Anyone But Scripted Harper Conservatives

What do the Candidates Say

Tonight, in our riding, the candidates from all parties are having a debate.  David & I, are going to go listen to the 90 minute extravaganza.

Going to be interesting, because I know who our MP is, know who is running for the Harper Conservativs, and sort of know who is running for the Green Party.  Not sure who is running for the Liberals, but I guess I’ll find out tonight.

With all that is happening, I wonder just how much of a difference it does make? I mean are we truly voting for that individual, or are we saying we are voting for them, but in reality are voting for the Party?

What I am curious about, interested in, is seeing if the Candidates deviate from the Party Line, or will they just regurgitate it?   I kind of like to have someone, who isn’t afraid to speak their mind, to break with the Party if need be.

I don’t think that is possible under the Harper Conservatives, but what about the other three parties?   Guess that is what I am hoping to find out, but perhaps more than that, I am hoping that someone can simply CONVINCE ME.

In all honesty, the one with the second biggest task is going to be the Green party candidate. I am loathe to vote for someone who may not have a chance in hell of winning, thus opening the door for the Conservative candidate.  ( yes, they are the party who has the biggest task, to convince me ).

Our MP is NDP, and she has done an okay job. Not bad in all honesty, so taking my possible vote away from her, could allow the Conservative to sneak in.   An issue I would rather not be faced with, but the Harper Conservatives are so Anti Canadian, that it is a reality.

Conservative Candidates Shun School Debates

I guess that seeing as how many High School students aren’t of voting age, why should a Candidate participate in a debate?   It is a fair questions actually.

What is interesting in this so-called non story ( by supporters of Harper Conservatives ) is that every single Party Leader cries about how the Youth are not getting out and Voting.  That our new generation is so apathetic, that it is worrisome.    So why aren’t all leaders supporting their candidates in attending debates for High School students?

Could be that they are afraid they might actually get them to get out and vote, and that perhaps those votes won’t be for them?

Story in a nutshell :  Conservative candidate refused to show up to a debate, claimng the Party thought he could do better going door to door.  There is some confusion of who told who what, but bottom line is, this unknown Conservative Candidate ( Pickering-Scarborough East ) didn’t show up. Neither did his adjacent Conservative Candidate attend.

So does it even matter?

I believe it does, for the following reasons:

• Students who get excited about something, share that excitement like no one else can, and that does include with adults, who do vote ( or should ).
• Not all High School students are unable to vote. Many will be first time voters this time around, so you want to have them engaged.
• Excited Students are an untapped resource for envelope stuffing, for making calls, and just well, being good Volunteers.  Like being drivers come Election day?

When everything costs money, just think of all those young people you might engage, who might become volunteers for your campaign?  The kind who will go out door to door, giving out pamphlets for you.  How’s that for getting your name out there?

What campaign doesn’t need volunteer drivers to get us old folks to the polling station on Election Day?  Most High School students have a driver’s license.  Kind of a no brainer, isn’t it?

Course the biggest plus, is how today’s students use Social Media.  Like how many High School kids do you know, that don’t have their own Facebook page, or Twitter?   How many aren’t already uploading videos to YouTube?

Think of the massive amount of free advertising a candidate can get, just from those three social media programs?  All you need is to have a number of students, excited about you and your party, to have them posting all over Facebook about you, about your party, your policies.

Think you can reach as many voters, going door to door, as they can reach with Facebook & Twitter?

And lets face it too, those kids who are engaged into the political process, are also kids who will discuss those issues at home.  Maybe their parents aren’t from your party, but maybe, just maybe, the constant pressure of their child discussing the issues with them, may change their minds. They may suddenly become actual supporters.  ( that is two votes you didn’t have before )

Maybe they are parents who don’t vote, who are disillusioned with it, but because of their child, of how engaged their kid is, suddenly do get out and vote. ( WOW another possible two votes for ya  ) Think they’ll just pick a candidate to support, or will they check the ballot next to the one who got their son/daughter so excited?

So are the Conservative Candidates and the Tory War Room correct?

Is it more valuable for a Candidate to canvass door to door, instead of spending a few hours in a debate for High School Students?

Anyone but Dis-Engaging Harper Conservatives