Time to "Olbermann" a few Canadian Reporters

Hi.  My name is Susan Delacourt.  And I am a Liberalaholic.

"The Fourth Estate"

Generally considered to be the news media - an unofficial arm of the state who's job is to act as the eyes, ears, and voice of the  people to assure that the people have access to "truth" respecting the society around them.

The importance of a free press to a democracy cannot be over-stated, and this is affirmed by the fact that in May of 2010 our Supreme Court of Canada expressly affirmed that there are cases where the right of "journalist-confidential source" privilege will be recognized, such that even a Court will not be permitted to force a journalist to disclose the source of their information.

Pretty important stuff.

In many respects, this "Fourth Estate" is a referee of sorts in the game of politics.  Watching the game as a neutral observer, and, when necessary, calling out the participants when they appear to have breached the rules.

So then.

Would it bother you if the referee was choosing sides ahead of the game?

It should.

And it is happening in Canada all the time.  And we sorta take it for granted - but we shouldn't.

Yesterday I commented on Susan Delacourt of the Toronto Star getting all bent out of shape because the Conservatives dared to call Michael Ignatieff on his seeking to trade on his so-called "humble beginnings".

Good journalist that she is, she immediately jumped to Ignatieff's aid, suggesting how the Conservative questions respecting Ignatieff's allegation that his family came to Canada "with nothing" were:

a) An attack on the Ignatieff Family; and
b) An attack on immigrants.

Completely absent from her little screed is ANY question of whether or not Ignatieff has, in fact, lied about his beginnings. Not a word. 

And we accept this.

We have been conditioned to just consider this sort of drivel as "normal".

Now - it is noted that this detritus is not a formal news article, and is part of her "blog".

But just wait a moment.

Susan Delacourt and the Toronto Star pass her off thusly: 

Susan Delacourt, the Star's Senior Writer in Ottawa, has covered federal politics for more than two decades as a reporter and bureau chief.

While most conservatives have come to know Delacourt as a lacky of the big red Liberal machine, not everyone in the reading public is aware of her clear Liberal leanings.

And so, they come to her blog, and they read her rants and rambles and then see, just to the right of it, that she is the "Senior Writer in Ottawa".

Really?

A clear neutral member of the "Fourth Estate"?

Hardly.

And this, sadly, isn't unusual at all.

Go read Jane Taber, or Don Martin, or the past writings of James Travers.

The richest irony, is the response to the media over SunTV.  How many times do I have to hear abou "Fox North" in the MSM? 

The referee is in the pocket of one party in this country, by and large, and that shouldn't be accepted as "business as usual".  It's damaging to our democracy and they should be called on it.

A la Keith Olbermann.