Tim Goddard Criticizes Harper at Funeral

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

Either way, if Harper wants to fight the media, he should do it in public, like a man. If he thinks the media's coverage of something is inappropriate, then he should criticize it publicly, not attempt to exert control over it. That's not the place of government in a democracy.

I don't think Harper wants to fight the media. Thats why he is starting to take control of his own press conferances. Remember, the House of Commons debates are usually on TV, and Harper is going to have his share of those.

The media can still have the freedom they want, and freedom of the press still does exist in Canada. But Stephan Harper does not have time to stand around and answer stupid questions. That is his right as PM.

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by Azure

I don't think Harper wants to fight the media. Thats why he is starting to take control of his own press conferances. Remember, the House of Commons debates are usually on TV, and Harper is going to have his share of those.

The media can still have the freedom they want, and freedom of the press still does exist in Canada. But Stephan Harper does not have time to stand around and answer stupid questions. That is his right as PM.

Well, we may have to agree to disagree on this one, Azure--but to me, you don't control your own press conferences. That's why they're called "press conferences."

If you could control them, they'd be called "briefings."

To be honest, I'm not even sure what it is that Harper's doing, specifically--you've alluded to it, but I don't get much Canadian news down here. I should know the specifics before I decide whether he's overstepping his authority.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by Azure

Not the point. Harper is allowing the families some time alone, when the body first comes off the plane. Wouldn't you call that being civil?

Its exactly the point. Harper is playing 'Big Brother'. Can you point out examples where the press hasn't been civil at a Repatriation ceremony?
Maybe people shouldn't be allowed to drive bacause there might be an accident.

I can understand trying to shield families in their time of grief, but I believe there is an added political agenda behind this - an attempt to curtail pictures of fallen soldiers coming home.

Personally, I support our mission in Afghanistan.

But I do not want to see politics being played at the expense of the rights of the press. These are the types of rights I think that should be re-established in Afghanistan; as Tim Goddard says it is rights like these his daughter was trying to protect.

[FireFly]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

Its exactly the point. Harper is playing 'Big Brother'. Can you point out examples where the press hasn't been civil at a Repatriation ceremony?
Maybe people shouldn't be allowed to drive bacause there might be an accident.

I can understand trying to shield families in their time of grief, but I believe there is an added political agenda behind this - an attempt to curtail pictures of fallen soldiers coming home.

Personally, I support our mission in Afghanistan.

But I do not want to see politics being played at the expense of the rights of the press. These are the types of rights I think that should be re-established in Afghanistan; as Tim Goddard says it is rights like these his daughter was trying to protect.

I think Harper is trying to say that a family's grief is more important than the media and if the family decides that they want the nation to share in the grief, that's their right. Pardon him for protecting their rights first, and then the rights of the press.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by FireFly

I think Harper is trying to say that a family's grief is more important than the media and if the family decides that they want the nation to share in the grief, that's their right. Pardon him for protecting their rights first, and then the rights of the press.

OK, then how about the families who have already come forward and said that they weren't given a choice, and weren't happy with the exclusion?

That quote which was posted in the OP is from the father of the most recently slain soldier. Here are some more:

Dr. Tim Goddard, the father of Nichola Goddard, the first Canadian female fighting soldier to die in combat, delivered a stirring eulogy Friday that criticized the Conservative government for its refusal to allow the media to be present at CFB Trenton when the body of his daughter was returned home.

Or how about Lincoln Dinning?

At Cpl. Matthew Dinning's funeral in Wingham, Ont., last month, Lincoln Dinning criticized Harper on two fronts: for the government's banning of the media at repatriation ceremonies, and for its decision to stop lowering flags on Parliament Hill to half-mast upon the death of a soldier. "Now I'd like to show you some of the video that Mr. Harper wouldn't let you see close up of Matthew's arrival home," Dinning said as he played a video of his son's remains arriving at CFB Trenton.

link

If Harper decides to honour the wishes of families from this point, then that is good. He says he will ("...if all families were agreed on making that particular ceremony public, that our government should have no difficulty with that. I'm not sure what happened in this case"), but so far his office has not followed through.

[FireFly]

Were they really not given a choice, or did they not know they could ask? Perhaps it's for security purposes, I don't know.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

Well, we may have to agree to disagree on this one, Azure--but to me, you don't control your own press conferences. That's why they're called "press conferences."

If you could control them, they'd be called "briefings."

To be honest, I'm not even sure what it is that Harper's doing, specifically--you've alluded to it, but I don't get much Canadian news down here. I should know the specifics before I decide whether he's overstepping his authority.

I'm sure you've heard about Harper banning media from when the body is first carried off the plane.

Here is a link to the other stuff we're talking about.

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/na...f848b7&k=84417

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

Its exactly the point. Harper is playing 'Big Brother'. Can you point out examples where the press hasn't been civil at a Repatriation ceremony?
Maybe people shouldn't be allowed to drive bacause there might be an accident.

I can understand trying to shield families in their time of grief, but I believe there is an added political agenda behind this - an attempt to curtail pictures of fallen soldiers coming home.

Personally, I support our mission in Afghanistan.

But I do not want to see politics being played at the expense of the rights of the press. These are the types of rights I think that should be re-established in Afghanistan; as Tim Goddard says it is rights like these his daughter was trying to protect.

Remember, the media is not being completely shut off from the process. The only time they cannot have open access to report, is when the body comes off the plane.

If the parents, or family members of the fallen soldier want the media to be there, then their wish will be granted. As far as I know, Harper has put the decision into the hands of the family.

IMO, the media has a habit of turning emotional events into just another news piece. Sure, the country needs to know about the daily sacrifice of the military, but I would rather they cover the funeral, then the coming home.

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by calculoso

There was a sound byte from Harper earlier with him sounding confused.

Apparently there was miscommunication. If the parents wanted the Media involved, they could have been. "He's going to look into it"

I don't agree with the wishy-washy policy. If most parents allow the media and a few don't, these few look like the bad guys... anti-media, etc.

Not a good situation all the way around.

Sadly, that is the way it should be. The Family needs to have the ultimate say of whether or not they want their son/daughter on TV and if they want the media covering it.

I really don't think making the "parents" look like the bad guys is really an issue, I mean you'd have to have some real stones as a broadcaster if you wanted to go after a parent who didn't want their child's funeral on TV shortly after they died.

If the parents want it broadcast on TV, Harper shouldn't stop them.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by Azure

IMO, the media has a habit of turning emotional events into just another news piece. Sure, the country needs to know about the daily sacrifice of the military, but I would rather they cover the funeral, then the coming home.

Show me some examples of where a repatriation ceremony was turned into a media event?


I don't think anyone is suggesting that this ceremony should become a media scrum. Cameras and media should be cordoned in an area close enough to cover the ceremony, but not invloved in the ceremony.

Personally, I have the exact opposite opinion to you. I believe the return of fallen soldiers to their home and native land must be covered, but the funeral should be a private family affair (if so desired).

[octothorp]

It doesn't really matter whether the government has a "no media access unless requested otherwise" or "media access unless requested otherwise". In the days leading up to the return of a body, I'm sure that petitioning the government in regards to media control is the last thing that grieving families want to go through. Wouldn't it be better to have the soldier file a release before going off to serve, regarding his or her return in the unfortunate event of a death? Hopefully, it's a decision that each soldier can make with his/her family. Then, should that happen, the government and the military can simply follow the wishes of the soldier without needing to raise the ire of either the family or the media.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

Show me some examples of where a repatriation ceremony was turned into a media event?


I don't think anyone is suggesting that this ceremony should become a media scrum. Cameras and media should be cordoned in an area close enough to cover the ceremony, but not invloved in the ceremony.

Personally, I have the exact opposite opinion to you. I believe the return of fallen soldiers to their home and native land must be covered, but the funeral should be a private family affair (if so desired).

I think that since the family will first see the body when it comes off the plane, that should be kept private. Otherwise I have no problem with what you say. IMO, it should be up to the family of whether or not the media should cover it.

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by Azure

I'm sure you've heard about Harper banning media from when the body is first carried off the plane.

Here is a link to the other stuff we're talking about.

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/na...f848b7&k=84417

I think I understand a little better now. Harper is of course, within his rights to not answer questions if he chooses not to. Good on the press for refusing to give him a list of names, though. It's not about what the questions are, it's a matter of principle. He doesn't get to decide who asks him what at a press conference. He's free to not answer questions he doesn't like. They're free to ask them. Otherwise, press conferences in Canada could become the kind of farce that the White House press corps is--which is I suspect where Harper got the idea that he could somehow stage manage press conferences more closely. I think the article you linked says it best:

Several said there was no point sticking around if the event could be covered off a television set from any newsroom in the country.

If Harper chooses the questions and the answers, then it's not a press conference: it's just propaganda. It moreover defeats the purpose of being a journalist at that press conference--since the job of journalists should never be to merely report what the government wants them to.

Harper needs to be prepared to answer questions he doesn't like: it's part of being Prime Minister. If he didn't want to be hassled by the media, he shouldn't have gone into politics. The media is just doing their job.

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

Well, we may have to agree to disagree on this one, Azure--but to me, you don't control your own press conferences. That's why they're called "press conferences."

If you could control them, they'd be called "briefings."

To be honest, I'm not even sure what it is that Harper's doing, specifically--you've alluded to it, but I don't get much Canadian news down here. I should know the specifics before I decide whether he's overstepping his authority.

I am not sure about the media ban on the soldiars returning home. I think that is going a little to far. I do however fully agree with Harper controling the reporters on parliment hill. This small group of reporters have for to long considered themselves the elite in the media and have always expected that briefings go their way.

Harper is always traveling around the country and at any time any reporter can just aska question. It is the reporters on the hill that he has a problem with.