REPORT Magazine is proud to bill itself as “Western Canada's Conservative Voice” and today, Canada's government, on behalf of all taxpayers, were pleased to give “Canada's Conservative Voice” a grant of $27,124.
This, of course, was the day after CBC announced about 800 layoffs. Some employees – but, notably, not management — said the layoffs were because of a budget shortfall it hoped Canada's government, on behalf of all taxpayers, might cover. For better or worse, CBC is not “Western Canada's Conservative Voice.”
“The Government of Canada is proud to support editorial content that promotes Canadian ideas, history, and culture,” said Edmonton MP Rona Ambrose. “We are committed to the preservation of our heritage and the promotion of our values to keep our identity strong now and in the future.”
“We are very much appreciative to the federal government for helping promote Canadian culture,” said Curtis Stewart, President of CanMedia Inc., publisher of REPORT Magazine. “If it was not for assistance like this, many publications would not be able to exist. Not only does this help promote Canadian heritage, it also helps keep employment in Canada.”
REPORT Magazine's cover story this month is about Western Canadian separatism and Western Canadian anger at the rest of Canada for letting all that coalition nonsense happen.
“”If …the Conservatives bend over to win central Canadian support, then the only option Westerners have, given that all other options have been tried and failed, [would be] independence,” a Lethbridge College political scientists tells REPORT.
Now, ahem, given my professional occupation, I'm all for any government helping out journalism endeavours, but I can't recall the last time any federal government gave a grant to a Quebec magazine that published sympathetic separatist articles.
In other media news this week: Sun Media closed two weeklies in Alberta.
Those evil conservatives. They should be ashamed of themselves. Supporting a western magazine.
We all know that only left leaning media deserve grants.
Thanks Mr. Akin, for this great “gotcha” story. Comparing $27,124 to what the CBC is getting is a fair comparison. I guess??
http://thesilentplatform.blogspot.com/2009/03/conservatives-give-grant-to.html
Canadian taxpayers pay the salaries, benifits and pensions, staffing and office space of 49 Quebec separatist MPs.
Every day in Question Period the seppies are giving a national platform.
The Bloc seppies get national coverage when ever they want it, they just pull a few Liberal stings, and presto,
all of Canada is treated to days of 'Quebec demands, Quebec is insulted…etc.'
Funny how there are never more than 35 'federal' Quebec seats up for grabs (Bloc majority for years), but there are 93 'federal' Western seats in play every election,
yet the media do all the hand wringing over Quebec.
Well, we knuckledraggers in the West have our own culture and spirit, very different from Quebec/Ontario….
I know, hard to believe that a bunch of rednecks have culture. And no, Tim Horton's is not a culture.
Sad day when the West lost the Western Standard.
No: they should be ashamed of themselves for selecting this month as the one in which to give out the grant to the magazine because of the content of the magazine as it relates to promotion of the idea of separatism. I don't know why there are a few loud mouths in the west that feel it's reasonable for them to promote the idea of separation while detrimental for Quebec to promote the same.
It's not about left or right leaning magazines either: it's about supporting a magazine that identifies itself specifically as a voice of the left or right at the expense of all other voices using federal funding.
In spite of all this I don't mind that they got some funding because they do represent a voice of dissent and believe we should be promoting the inclusion and expression of all reasoned voices – that's freedom of speech and I hold the freedom to dismiss it.
Rosa and gang should just be honest about why the magazine got the funding and stop the lies to her constituents and the Canadian people she is supposed to represent as a minister: we're not that gullible.
There is no need to demeen anyone by name calling; I don't really understand people like you who feel compelled to belittle rather then address then idea/problems behind the quebec separatist movement and then of course lay blame on a political party you clearly don't associate with. Might I remind you that the Conservatives are in power right now and the prime minister and leader of that party has a strong preferences to giving interviews with the US Media (Fox/CNN) at the expense of being accessible to our own Canadian media? What has your party leader done to positively resolve the separatist issue and reduce their number of seats since he came to power? (No answer required: the answer is not black and white and that's honestly what I would expect to see written back.)
Lot of people oppose public schooling in Canada due to the radical curriculum, including many immigrants. If they send their kids to public school it hardly is hypocritical since they already were subject to taxation for it, same with health care and same this with this story, and that should be intuitive to you David. This is only a story to those with a warped sense of right and wrong.
It also appears that you are “responding” to the CBC cuts, sort of like an opposition leader rather than a journalist who wants to be seen as objective. Not the first time either you are running interference on a hot news item; the “fire bombing” post comes to mind, that was blatant to me.
Are you proud to be part of a profession which believes “Are Conservatives barbaric?” and “Mr. Morgan, are you a bigot?” are fair and honest questions to pose on live TV to conservatives? You shouldn't be. It shames me somewhat to live in such a country. Oh well, keep raging with the corporate machine, dude, nothing more righteous than spreading corporate propaganda on the corporate media payroll to benefit the party favoured by Bay Street, I always say.
What's more ridiculous, a “conservative” government giving a magazine bailout money, or a “conservative” magazine accepting it?
It is not a western magazine, it is a neoconservative magazine
Lately there's an overabundance of commenters calling themselves “Anonymous” in these here parts, folks.
For clarity's sake, may I suggest you use a little imagination and christen yourselves more distinctly? Thank you.
Yes, I know, I'm not the blog administrator, but a loyal reader can express an opinion on this, n'est-ce pas?
Hmmm…..Harper seems a little confused. You can't have it both ways. For a man that's tooting a unified Canada (how's that working so far?) you'd think he'd be more careful. You can't support separtists in the west and demean separatists in Quebec.
What a hypocrite.
The Government of Canada has provided $27,124 in funding under the Support for Editorial Content component of the Canada Magazine Fund.
Perhaps Mr Aiken should have provided a list of recipients, rather than singling out one magazine:
Canada Magazine Fund
Support for Editorial Content component
List of recipients
2007-2008
Magazine Name Contribution Amount
4WD $10,168
7 JOURS $193,966
ACTIVE LIVING MAGAZINE $24,762
AFFAIRES PLUS $45,746
AIRFORCE MAGAZINE $24,369
ALBERTA GARDENER LIVING $21,538
ALIVE $57,301
ALTERNATIVES JOURNAL $22,637
ANNA MAGAZINE $24,219
ANTIQUE & COLLECTIBLES SHOWCASE $15,046
APPLIED ARTS MAGAZINE $28,998
ASHIAN $18,731
ATLANTIC HORSE & PONY $19,278
ATV TRAIL RIDER CANADA $17,269
AUTOMAG $23,417
AVENTURE CHASSE ET PÊCHE $33,634
BC BUSINESS $78,968
BC OUTDOORS SPORT FISHING $27,626
BEBE $20,956
BEL ÂGE $48,227
BIO-BULLE $21,056
BOBBi $23,469
BRAZILIAN WAVE $3,073
CAMPING CARAVANING $32,802
CANADIAN AVIATOR MAGAZINE $22,743
CANADIAN BIKER $26,139
CANADIAN BUSINESS $176,281
CANADIAN CATTLEMEN $31,740
CANADIAN COIN NEWS $21,345
CANADIAN COWBOY COUNTRY MAGAZINE $26,338
CANADIAN FAMILY $58,422
CANADIAN GARDENING $59,939
CANADIAN GEOGRAPHIC $96,165
CANADIAN HOME & COUNTRY $63,439
CANADIAN HOME WORKSHOP $51,255
CANADIAN HOUSE & HOME $168,022
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF DENTAL HYGIENE $23,792
CANADIAN LIVING $205,308
CANADIAN POULTRY $26,511
CANADIAN STAMP NEWS $21,251
CANADIAN YACHTING $26,285
CARP $67,830
CHART $32,145
CHÂTELAINE $125,004
CHATELAINE (ENG) $228,769
CHICKADEE $38,741
CHIRP $31,988
CLIN D'OEIL $99,366
CMAJ – Canadian Medical Association Journal $148,394
COMMERCE $50,567
COOL $36,930
CÔTÉ JARDINS $30,018
COTTAGE LIFE $85,070
COTTAGE MAGAZINE $23,644
COUNTRY GUIDE $41,807
COUP DE PINCEAU $27,418
COUP DE POUCE $105,385
COURRIER HIPPIQUE $27,048
CRÉATIONS & DÉCO $20,791
CRIME WATCH CANADA MAGAZINE $25,225
CYCLE CANADA $33,788
DÉCOR IDÉES $19,325
DÉCORATION CHEZ-SOI $54,785
DÉCORMAG $50,596
DÉCOUVRIR, la revue de la recherche $23,417
DÉLIRE $21,988
DERNIÈRE HEURE $105,040
DOGS IN CANADA $51,555
DOWNHOME $35,256
ÉCHOS VEDETTES $121,921
ELLE CANADA $89,315
ELLE QUÉBEC $118,710
EXPLORE $43,103
FAB MAGAZINE $31,746
FASHION $133,881
FEMME PLUS $44,716
FILLES CLIN D'OEIL $44,112
FIRE FIGHTING IN CANADA $22,275
FLARE $156,560
FLEURS, PLANTES ET JARDINS $41,939
FUGUES $32,319
FULL FILLE $23,448
GARDENING LIFE $60,180
GARDENS WEST $33,171
GARDENWISE $44,901
GÉO PLEIN AIR $32,322
GOOD TIMES $53,751
GRAFIKA $27,629
GROSSESSE $11,209
HARROWSMITH COUNTRY LIFE $33,631
HERIZONS $20,815
HOMEMAKERS $64,177
HORS SÉRIE DÉCORATION $18,996
HORSE SPORT $26,892
HORSE-CANADA.COM $21,309
IMX – INSIDE MOTOCROSS $22,786
INFOPRESSE $42,836
INSIDE MOTORCYCLES $31,510
INSIDE TRACK MOTORSPORT NEWS $35,976
INSPIRATION $52,619
INVESTOR'S DIGEST OF CANADA $36,407
JUNIOR $14,981
LA VOIX DU SUCCÈS $28,828
LA VOIX SÉPHARADE $20,859
L'ACTUALITÉ $158,541
LE BULLETIN DES AGRICULTEURS $38,386
LE COOPÉRATEUR AGRICOLE $42,579
LE GUIDE CUISINE $30,028
LE LUNDI $88,813
LE MAGAZINE ENFANTS QUÉBEC $44,840
LE MÉDECIN DU QUÉBEC $61,630
LE MONDE DE L'AUTO $23,954
LE MONDE DU VTT $22,341
LEGION MAGAZINE $73,087
LES DÉBROUILLARDS $35,763
LES IDÉES DE MA MAISON $58,694
L'ESCALE NAUTIQUE $21,166
L'ITINÉRAIRE $25,168
LOULOU (Eng. & Fr) $150,749
MACLEAN'S $396,389
MADAME $32,420
MAGAZINE ADORABLE $31,149
MANITOBA GARDENER LIVING $20,880
MARITIME MAGAZINE $24,062
MARKETING MAGAZINE $77,310
MODERN DOG $26,686
MOI & CIE $93,353
MONEYSENSE $52,128
MOTO JOURNAL $29,094
MOTOMAG $22,145
NATION $25,187
OHS CANADA $27,123
ON NATURE $26,878
ONTARIO GARDENER LIVING $22,429
ONTARIO GOLF $36,092
ONTARIO HOME BUILDER $24,064
ONTARIO OUT OF DOORS $41,137
ONTARIO SNOWMOBILER $29,332
OPERA CANADA $22,314
OUTDOOR CANADA $48,751
OUTLOOKS $21,403
OUTPOST MAGAZINE $26,918
OWL $46,436
PACIFIC YACHTING $41,084
PARENTSADOS $22,163
PARTNERS $30,900
PEDAL MAGAZINE $24,653
PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND $61,348
PERFORMANCE RACING NEWS $31,155
PETS MAGAZINE $10,940
PHOTO LIFE $25,763
PHOTO SÉLECTION $23,747
POLE-POSITION $21,873
PROTÉGEZ-VOUS $110,252
QUATRE-TEMPS $20,656
QUÉBEC OISEAUX $19,796
QUÉBEC SCIENCE $44,204
QUÉBEC TUNING $24,982
QUÉBEC YACHTING $23,105
REFLET DE SOCIÉTÉ $28,625
RÉNOVATION BRICOLAGE $46,577
REPORT MAGAZINE $26,156
RICARDO $57,843
RUE MORGUE MAGAZINE $33,931
RURAL DELIVERY $24,033
SALTSCAPES $50,255
SAY MAGAZINE $21,606
SBC SKATEBOARD $37,608
SBC SKIER $34,144
SCOREGOLF $49,541
SENTIER CHASSE-PÊCHE $43,322
SKI CANADA MAGAZINE $33,562
SKI RACING CANADA (SRC) $23,559
SKITRAX MAGAZINE $21,331
SKYNEWS $23,882
SNOWBOARD CANADA $42,041
STYLE AT HOME $105,035
THE BEAVER $40,069
THE CANADIAN HORSE JOURNAL $21,547
THE CANADIAN LEADER MAGAZINE $22,358
THE NEWFOUNDLAND HERALD $37,186
THE PRESBYTERIAN RECORD $38,583
THE UNITED CHURCH OBSERVER $52,759
THE WALRUS $110,522
TIDINGS $27,523
TODAY'S PARENT $125,374
TORONTO LIFE $144,613
TOUT SIMPLEMENT CLODINE $39,765
TUSAAYAKSAT – SOMETHING NEW TO HEAR ABOUT $22,217
UP HERE $42,941
URBAN MALE MAGAZINE $27,445
URBANIA $22,997
VÉLO MAG $32,283
VINES $22,147
VINS & VIGNOBLES $22,009
VISTA $31,129
VOTRE MAISON $29,256
WESTERN HORSE REVIEW $36,124
WESTERN SPORTSMAN $22,532
WINE ACCESS $30,875
WISH $100,413
http://www.pch.gc.ca/pgm/fcm-cmf/list0708-eng.cfm
And now for the topic of this thread … I find the inclusion of the phrase “on behalf of all taxpayers” completely irrelevant.
Governments, whatever their political affiliation and at whatever level, do all sorts of things “on behalf of all taxpayers” – yet not all taxpayers may agree with whatever measures a government brings in, nor what funding a government doles out.
Healthy people pay for sufferers of chronic illnesses, childless people pay for children's education, people whose religion opposes abortion pay for its use as a “medical procedure,” people who don't own cars pay for road construction and repairs, people who've never been unemployed pay for those who are, etc.
In other words, if we accept we live in a society, we should be able to accept that not everything a government does will be to our specifications and expectations.
Perhaps we should stop with the petty accounting worthy of 10-year-olds measuring the size of cake portions given to them.
Or perhaps, if one wishes to continue in that vein, one should ask for a list of all the magazines that received government funding.
My apologies – while I was “composing” my comment a list magically appeared!
mm. And I'm wondering where a cutting edge report like this was back when the Liberals were giving funding to rabble.ca and other left-leaning groups on behalf of all Canadians? Or is it only newsworthy if it indicts the Conservatives somehow?
Wow! Wilson, worthy research!
Mr Akin ,
I left the field open for you to post the 2008-2009 list of recipients,
being an excellent reporter and a non-partisan balanced voice for Canadians,
I'm sure you'll get right on that!
p.s. sorry for spelling your name wrong on an earlier comment.
Not very professional of me, eh.
p.s.
…but I can't recall the last time any federal government gave a grant to a Quebec magazine that published sympathetic separatist articles
Mr Akin,
from the list of recipients above, can you state positively that none of these magazines contained an article sympathetic to Quebec separation?
You have read them all, I assume by your comment.
Wilson — terrific research. Well done. But here's the point:
Here are all the press releases issued by the Minister of Heritage.
The release yesterday about REPORT was the first I can find in more than a year. In other words, by dint of issuing a press release, Minister Moore and Minister Ambrose were quite keen to draw this particular funding announcement to our attention.
No one — recently, in any event –has apparently stood up to take credit for any of these other funding announcements.
Thanks for replying Mr Akin,
I was worried there for a moment that it was your turn to babysit Ignatieffs new cat Mimi!
( that's a joke, we were just having some fun on BTs naming Iffy's new cat.
My favs are Mimi-me, Igg Roll and Aristocat)
'…draw this particular funding announcement to our attention'
Sounds like a channel changing strategy. We know, they know, things like this get us partisan HarperLuvinDonators going.
The Government website is really pretty easy to navigate. A quick google took me right square where I wanted to go.
ps. thx
Wilson, great job on the list. It's amazing how you find out more about the story in the comments section than you do in the journalists story.
Anything to bash a tory.
As for the Canadian MSM getting all cranky because our PM is giving more time to the American media, you just have to laugh. With non- news stories like this one, do we blame him.
Can someone tell me why the MSM is in love with IGGY?
Duh – Rabble and that bunch aren't threatening to separate – huge difference. They have a different point of view, none of it pertains to separating from Canada – duh!
Still – this group wants to separate the west from Canada. Your list mean nadda.
google is a game changing tool,
use it, use it often everyone!
PMSH is a hot catch for the US media,
he doesn't need a telepromter
and always gives them a great headliner.
'PM Harper says: We can't win in Afghanistan'
was a news mover, the US media love our PM because he is not afraid to make waves.
If our Canadian media would question PMSH on the issues,
instead of questioning his motives,
they could regain their lost relevence.
Well the French CBC is widely said by many to have employees sympathetic to separatism, and have for years; perhaps Mr. Akin would like to see cuts to them too, for expressing separatist sentiment, when Quebec has been sending 50+ separatist MPs to Parliament for over a decade? No? OK, how about cutting public funding to separatist political parties? Have we tried that yet?
Self-determination is recognized by the UN, it is in fact the human right of separatist organizations and individuals to talk about separatism. Political belief was read into the Charter as grounds you cannot discriminate upon, Mr. Akin, your suggestion that Harper might withhold funding for separatist groups and individuals violates both the charter and international law. I think you were a little too eager to go after Harper on this one and didn't think this post through entirely.
Nice little attempt at “gotcha” journalism that has been effectively fisked in the comments elsewhere.
This is so typical of what passes for modern journalism . . . a cheap drive by smear story that doesn't convey anything close to a complete story, just a nugget of truth surrounded by innuendo in a cheap attempt to create controversy.
David . . . wanna know why you and the rest of the “professional” MSM are dying off ? Because you are committing suicide.
Your point is irrelevant. The magazine is not agitating for separatism, but rather discussing western sentiments concerning it. The real issue here, distractors aside, is 'conservatives give grant to conservative magazine'. Akin titled his post as such, and his intent is therefore quite clear.
“Duh”.
Amen Haletown, amen. Can't miss what isn't worth missing.
BS Mr. Akin.
The title of your post says “Conservatives give grant to conservative magazine“, not 'Conservatives single out a conservative magazine in press release“.
You have been caught trying to slag a federal party from the position of being a professional fair-minded journalist. That is an unethical act. To then try and obfuscate it adds to the decrepitude of your ethics.
“Okay Wilson”
“Enough is enough.”
“Back into your corner”
“Medic!! , and bring a handful of smelling salts”
“Wake up Akin, wake up!”
“Forget the salts, we need a stretcher in here, now!”
“and someone call for a air ambulance, this is serious!”
“Hang in there Akin, help is on the way”
“I hope” gulp.
It is pretty sad when the best thing the Liberal media has to report on are stories about an inept Liberal party leader, and his cat, and drive by baseless smears, such as this one of Akins. You have been exposed in a most direct and revealing manner here Mr. Akins, one would think that the proper thing to do would be to simply admit your true motive for writing the so called “news article”.
Your move sir.
==
This is how liberals function, though: they selectively decide what information to give out, in order to make it seem as though the Conservative government is cherry-picking only right-wing publications to give money to. It's the oldest, lamest trick in the book — one you clearly caught on to, and shattered into a thousand pieces. Bravo and kudos!
Of course, we know it won't make any difference, as is obvious from the “Your list means nothing” comment posted here. This post was written to promote the idea that the Conservatives only support their own, with the hopes that someone like you would not show up and ruin the illusion 😉 This has nothing to do with legitimate, reasonable gripes against the Conservative government and *everything* to do with speaking in the echo chamber, where only other CPC-haters are permitted.
Don't try to drag logic, facts or reason to the party. This isn't about fairness or reason. This is about hating the Conservative government for everything and anything, even if it's nothing at all.