Canadians are supposed to have a reputation for being polite. But, Robin Sears writes, that stereotype doesn't apply to the Canadian press corps. They are pretty good at stoking class envy:
Rarely a month goes by without some lazy reporter, certain of a front-page story, digging up the shocking total of hotel costs of some well-travelled trade minister, or the abomination of the two bottles of Ontario wine consumed at a “working dinner” with a visiting dignitary. (the quotes conveying always the ‘some work, some dinner!’ sneer).
Lately, Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau has been the target of their barbs:
One wonders if the mostly male editorial writers at Canada’s two national newspapers could plausibly claim to be such staunch guardians of the public purse, if they were attacking a First Man and his choice of tailor.
The same gang tried it on Mila Mulroney and Laureen Harper, from time to time. But now they have doubled down.
It's time, Sears writes, to give Sophie her due:
Sophie GrĂ©goire Trudeau happens to be an accomplished, popular and valuable champion of Canada and of several charities, and reportedly, a devoted mother. Are we really going to whinge about the domestic support we provide her in those roles, or the costs of the Canadian designed gowns she wears, or what the cost of the orange juice she consumes might be? It is demeaning, but not of her or her husband.Come on, let’s drop this veiled sexism and embarrassing class-envy. Let’s be proud of a committed young family, raising their children in the public eye, while attempting to lead the country, and to be exemplars of Canadian values to the world.
Envy is a very unattractive quality.
Image: mtlblog
12 comments:
Very true Owen. They seem to be writing about gossip, rather then real news.
It's tabloid journalism, Pam. And, God knows, we have more important things which must be dealt with.
The demise of Postmedia can't occur soon enough as far as I'm concerned. Here in Vancouver we're saddled with 2 dailies - one of which is dreadful and one of which is pointless - and both are Postmedia rags of less value than the paper and pixels they waste.
The G&M (BellGlobeMedia) is the only newspaper I'm aware of that knowingly and enthusiastically continues to employ an acknowledged serial plagiarizer, thereby tainting the work and words of every other scribe employed there.
Both of these media behemoths are trash marketers and any Canadian who works for them should be ashamed of themselves for whoring out to these pimps.
Enormous size doesn't mean quality, Dana. It's a rule that applies in publishing, as it does in most other enterprizes.
Once again into the breech. Let us finally break up this corporate media cartel. It promotes this genre of dime store drivel.
We were warned about the dangers of media concentration forty years ago, Mound. We didn't listen.
If you and I and a few dozen friends had 10 or 12 billion dollars to spend on buying governmental and bureaucratic compliance with our wishes we'd be able to get what we want too.
Then again, collectively, the citizens of Canada have a few hundred billion worth of leverage if they could be mobilized to exercise that leverage.
Of course telling a pollster something and actually doing anything are two different things.
It wouldn't even take all that many people refusing to pay income tax for a specifically stated reason for the government to get the message.
As they say, Dana, talk is cheap. Commitment isn't.
"Class envy" is a term that rich and privileged people use to defend the unjustly hierarchical status quo and to dismiss the legitimate grievances of working class people. It's unfortunate that Sears seems to have sold out his NDP roots to embrace the Conservative/Liberal "let them eat cake" mentality of kissing up and kicking down, and of comforting the comfortable while afflicting the afflicted.
I understand you're argument, Anon. But let's use language carefully. Income and social inequality are real issues. The cost of the Trudeau nannies shouldn't be an issue.
The cost of nannies was never an issue in my life during the raising of my two daughters (25 and 28). We just couldn't afford it, hence, no issue.
It was never an issue in my life, either, zoombats. But, then, I wasn't prime minister -- and I had no desire to be prime minister.
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