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Maxime Bernier's taken on a national securities reguator; a Nunavut hunter's 'drama in real life' and Remembrance Day features: Listen to my five-minute audio summary of these leading front page headlines plus highlights from Tuesday''s Parliamentary daybook by clicking on the link below. You can also get these audio summaries via podcast from iTunes or via an RSS feed by subscribing to my AudioBoo stream. Both the iTunes link and the RSS link are at my profile at AudioBoo.fm. Look under my picture on the left hand side of the page.

Libel laws in the UK, much like libel laws in Canada, are widely seen by the publisher/writer/free speech community as favouring those who would seek to shut down commentary and discussion. There's no such thing, for example, as “fair comment” as a defence in a Canadian or British libel suit. You must be telling the truth to avoid libel and slander liabilities. U.S. laws, on the other hand, try to balance an individual's right not be libelled or slandered with the public's right to free speech and a democracy's need to have a full and robust discussion of the issues and personalities of the day.

Now, the Guardian reports that some U.S. newspapers, including the New York Times, the L.A. Times, and others may cease distributing the few hundred copies a day there for fear that such distribution exposes them to millions of dollars in libel liability. Simlarly, those papers may block Web site access to those trying to dial in with a British I.P. address.

Britain's reputation for “libel tourism” is driving American and foreign publishers to consider abandoning the sale of newspaper and magazines in Britain and may lead to them blocking access to websites, MPs have been warned. [Read the rest]

The gun registry, H1N1, and 'Dalton Days': Listen to my three-minute audio summary of leading front page headlines plus highlights from Thursday''s Parliamentary daybook by clicking on the link below. You can also get these audio summaries via podcast from iTunes or via an RSS feed by subscribing to my AudioBoo stream. Both the iTunes link and the RSS link are at my profile at AudioBoo.fm. Look under my picture on the left hand side of the page.

General Motors, H1N1, and the Auditor General: Listen to my three-minute audio summary of leading front page headlines plus highlights from Wednesday's Parliamentary daybook by clicking on the link below. You can also get these audio summaries via podcast from iTunes or via an RSS feed by subscribing to my AudioBoo stream. Both the iTunes link and the RSS link are at my profile at AudioBoo.fm. Look under my picture on the left hand side of the page.

H1N1, Montreal politics, and a goat story: Listen to my four-minute audio roundup of what's on the front pages of the country's newspapers plus highlights from Tuesday's Parliamentary daybook by clicking on the link below

. You can also get these audio summaries via podcast from iTunes or via an RSS feed by subscribing to my AudioBoo stream. Both the iTunes link and the RSS link are at my profile at AudioBoo.fm. Look under my picture on the left hand side of the page.

Some notes re this: Liberal Party Prez says H1N1 is Harper's “Hurricane Katrina“

There is this story: Liberal launches political storm by compariing H1N1 response to Katrina

And we have the following:

• Alf Apps himself called me to say that, despite what a network broadcaster reported upon reading the letter posted here, this was most definitely not a fundraising letter. Apps, in fact, was incensed that his letter was misreported that way. We suggested no such thing here but I'm happy to help set straight whatever record needs to be set straight.
• Liberal spokesman Daniel Lauzon reinforces the “not a fundraiser” angle in an e-maile statement to me: “The email message was sent to a group of Liberals by Mr. Apps and was intended to spark a discussion on the matter. It was not an official party communication, but rather a discussion among engaged Libs. It was definitely not a fundraising letter.”
• Dimitri Soudas, Associate Director of Communications and Press Secretary to Prime Minister Stephen Harper: “It is very sad and unfortunate that Ignatieff Liberals are desperately attempting to politicise the H1N1 preparedness efforts of the federal and provincial governments.”
• Another PMO official, but not Soudas: “Apps writes: 'GSK, a UK-based maker of the H1N1 vaccine, is the one and ONLY supplier for Canada. Why? Who made that decision? ” The Liberals.”
• For your additional reading: Michael Ignatieff “The Broken Contract”, The New York Times, Sept. 25, 2005

This morning, Liberal Party President Alfred Apps circulated the following letter, saying Prime Minister Stephen Harper has “spun the roulette wheel” in relation to public health and then aks “Is the H1N1 pandemic the “Hurricane Katrina” of our own laissez-faire, fend for yourself government??

Here is the letter:

Liberal Friends:

I am deeply troubled by the ever-growing chaos and public concern that is unfolding over swine flu. As the Official Opposition, we can certainly take no joy in the abject failure of government that we are now witnessing. Nor can we responsibly contribute to any of the public panic related to the events of the past few days.

But we would be remiss in our duty to Canadians if we did not shine a bright and unrelenting light on the root causes of the unfortunate and regrettable situation which is now upon us – a situation that could have been prevented and avoided entirely by the government taking iot seriously in the first place.   

It is hard to imagine a more stark contrast between the values of Stephen Harper's Conservatives and those of Michael Ignatieff's Liberals on the question of the role of government in protecting the public than that presented by the current swine flu pandemic.

It is not merely a question of competence, although it is most certainly that. The unfolding confusion reflects a complete and utter dereliction of this government's public duty, the responsibility for which goes straight to the top where the culture is established, the priorities are set and the focus is defined.

One would have thought that even the most libertarian and conservative of governments believes it has a duty to discharge in relation to public defence, public security and public health – that swine flu would have been treated as a top priority file rather than an inconvenient afterthought.

But this Prime Minister – the one who really does not believe in government at all, much less its potential both to do good and prevent harm – has foresworn his duty and spun the roulette wheel with the health of Canadians.

I would like to share some thoughts that have been forwarded to me by other concerned Liberals.

Much like the “buying opportunity” he promoted last fall in the midst of the greatest financial meltdown in 60 years, Mr. Harper said that he didn't know if he and his family will be inoculated against the H1N1 virus.

That single, irresponsible abdication of leadership triggered mass confusion. Now that Canadians are unnecessarily dying, we are all entitled to ask why this government thought it necessary or appropriate to spend tens of millions of taxpayer dollars on slick partisan advertising promoting its pork-barrell infrastructure plan as some sort of credible economic strategy – its so-called “economic action plan” – while at the same time completely ignoring the need to educate the general public about the importance of infection protection and immunization, securing adequate supplies of vaccine and working with the provinces more closely to ensure an efficient and effective delivery system.

Its as though this Prime Minister, despite all the evidence that indicated that a hurricane was bearing down on us, was only reluctantly willing to marshal the resources required mobilize public awareness and respond with a credible plan. Reluctance compounded by half-heartedness. It's as though his strategy, if not to turn a blind eye to the threat altogether, was simply to do the bare minimum and hope the problem would go away. There was no “swine flu action plan” worthy of the name.

The values of this government are unmistakable. In the face of a clear and unequivocal public duty, its approach is to allow Canadians to fend for themselves. Canadians are entitled to wonder if they are being victimized by some clinical cost-benefit analysis premised on the theory that expense could be avoided if demand for the vaccine were suppressed and access to immunization for most was made well nigh impossible.

Health Canada has known about the likely outbreak of H1N1 since May and have been planning for a global spread and even anticipating this to be a pandemic. Incredibly, the Minister of Health, and the Chief Public Health Officer have said that the government's lack of preparedness stems from the fact that, having downplayed the importance of getting vaccinated, it wasn't forecasting the heavy demand we have seen since the death of the 13 year old boy from Brampton. What kind of bizarre ex post fact rationale for negligence is that?

If Health Canada knew that Canadians should get vaccinated, and if they knew that there was confusion, why wasn't there an effort and the resources made much earlier to communicate with Canadians about the importance of getting their flu shots and having the supply in place to deal with whatever demand required?

GSK, a UK-based maker of the H1N1 vaccine, is the one and ONLY supplier for Canada. Why? Who made that decision? On what basis? In the US, there are five different suppliers. Shouldn't we have understood that we are putting the health and safety of Canadians at risk by putting all our eggs in one basket?

Who made the late decision to change the vaccine for pregnant women, and therefore disrupt the production schedule, which inevitably impacted the availability for ALL Canadians?

The minister of health is blaming the provinces for the situation. But the responsibility of the provinces is the roll out and delivery of the vaccine. That's not the problem. They problem has been a- developing the plan; b- approving the vaccine on a timely basis well before flu season; c- getting the supply for all Canadians; and d- communicating the facts clearly to all Canadians. Those are ALL federal responsibilities. In those critical areas the Mr. Harper and his government have failed miserably.

We are told that ample vaccine is available for those people of high risk. Yet, those who are getting seriously ill and dying are not high risk cases, but perfectly healthy people. That's what's caused the surge in demand. They are hearing one thing from the feds, but seeing quite another on the ground. That is what is scaring people and fueling a great deal of distrust of the government.

The attached article “The Broken Contract” was written by our leader Michael Ignatieff in response to the Bush government's utter failure to rise to the obvious challenge to public security, order and health presented by Hurricane Katrina. Is the H1N1 pandemic the “Hurricane Katrina” of our own laissez-faire, fend for yourself government? Read the attached. Reflect on the analogous situation we face. Consider the priorities and values that underlie our own government's response to the threat to public health that this pandemic represents. Recognize that Mr. Harper's government has utterly failed to stand with Canadians and for Canadians in a matter of clear and unequivocal public duty.

Whatever happens, let us fervently hope and pray that the threat to general health and the risk of loss of life flowing from this government's incredible irresponsibility is contained to the absolute minimum.   

Sincerely,

Alfred Apps

President, Liberal Party of Canada

Afghanistan, car insurance, and H1N1: Listen to my four-minute audio summary of leading front page headlines plus highlights from Friday's Parliamentary daybook by clicking on the link below. You can also get these audio summaries via podcast from iTunes or via an RSS feed by subscribing to my AudioBoo stream. Both the iTunes link and the RSS link are at my profile at AudioBoo.fm. Look under my picture on the left hand side of the page.

Progressive (i.e. liberal) online-only outlets Talking Points Memo, Salon and Ebony are joining the White House Press Pool. The Huffington Post will soon join as well. It wasn't the Obama administration that approved their application to join this group; it was other reporters, through the White House Correspondents Association.

Canada has something like this known as the Parliamentary Press Gallery. The Press Gallery is made up of about 300 or so journalists who work regularly on Parliament Hill. We have a constitution, our own staff, and each year we hold elections for president, an executive, and a board of directors. I've been an elected director for two years. One of the issues I and other Gallery executive are grappling with is trying to decide who's a journalist and who's not in this age of blogs and online-only media. We've been looking around the world at other organizations, like the White House Correspondents Association, to see how they're dealing with this issue.

One of the big sticking points seems to be the political slant of some Web sites applying for accreditation. This issue cropped up when Talking Points Memo applied and received a pool spot:

“If liberals are upset that Fox News is being treated as a legitimate news organization instead of a GOP talking-points channel, then it's mystifying that the [White House Correspondents' Association] is broadening ‘news’ media to encompass blogs and websites that raged against the Bush White House,” said Tim Graham, director of media analysis for the Media Research Center, a conservative watchdog group.

“Would anyone seriously suggest that TPM, the Huffington Post and Salon are more objective than Fox News?” Graham asked.

Personally, I think it's dangerous if journalists groups start deciding who's a journalist based on perceived editorial angles. Journalists' groups should stand for free speech and for as big a tent as possible. Canada's press gallery is still working towards some new definitions and here's some of the things I've been suggesting we consider:
1. Are you a professional? The Gallery or the Corros' Association is for people who earn their paycheque reporting from Parliament Hill or the White House.2. Are you a member of a political party or a group working for political goals? Then you're not for us.3. Do you need full-time access to the Hill or the White House? We hand out day passes to those who want to report on the budget and other one-off events, but voting rights only goes to those who are around the Hill everyday.

H1N1, the Olympic Torch, and 58-year-old politician who fights off carjackers: Listen to my three-minute audio summary of leading front page headlines plus highlights from Friday's Parliamentary daybook by clicking on the link below. You can also get these audio summaries via podcast from iTunes or via an RSS feed by subscribing to my AudioBoo stream. Both the iTunes link and the RSS link are at my profile at AudioBoo.fm. Look under my picture on the left hand side of the page.