We wind down the summer here on Open Sources Guelph with more of our patented political discussion about hot button issues of the day. For instance, is Donald Trump now actually *trying* to run for president? He hasn’t said anything grotesque this week, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to talk about. And just because the House is in recess, it doesn’t mean that Canada’s federal politicians aren’t making news, even if they wish they weren’t. In media matters, we’ll look at the never-ending newspaper strike on the east coast, and wonder where all the reporters are in the deep south.
This Thursday, August 25, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:
1) Don’t Call It a Pivot. After weeks and months of waiting it seems as though Donald Trump finally pulled himself together to become something resembling a mainstream candidate; he’s even softened his stance on immigration and conceded that the situation at the Mexican border is not a Mad Max-like wonderland. But is it too little too late? Has Trump changed enough to make this a race again, and how long can he hold on to the facade that he’s just another Republican politician? Especially since a) he still won’t release his tax returns, b) he seems to be using his campaign to line his own pockets, and c) no one’s now entirely sure that the heck his campaign is supposed to stand for.
2) Still On Strike. In a couple of weeks it will be Labour Day, that one time of year we salute the working people and give them a much need break from their labours. In Halifax though, there are some people that would love to get back to work right now, and they’re the members of the Halifax Typographical Union at the Chronicle-Herald, who have now been on strike for almost eight months. Negotiations seem to be going nowhere, and the administration seems more than happy to keep the paper going with a temp staff, but the question must be asked: How long can both sides keep this up? How long can Halifax’s largest paper operate in neutral? In the midst of concerns over media job losses, why aren’t we hearing more about journalists fighting the good fight?
3) Business as Usual. After a brief cabinet shake-up, it was back to business as usual for the Federal Liberals as they prepare for the fall session of the House of Commons. Jobs, the economy, and First Nations relations are all top of mind, but something much worse has enraptured national attention: a spending scandal. Oh yeah! So Jane Philpott likes taking limos and chilling executive lounges while Catherine McKenna likes getting her picture taken to the tune of $17,000 worth of photos (good thing we don’t develop anymore). Conservative lips were chapping at the taste of a Liberal spending scandal, while Justin Trudeau tries to make sure that he and the fans are still cool, but can the government overcome demons external and internal to get back on message?
4) Flood-gate. A Baton Rogue attorney posted an open letter to America’s news organizations and it went viral. In short, it accused them of ignoring the recent flooding that’s happened across Louisiana and it’s hard to say that the letter’s accusation is wrong. The writer explained that in their opinion the media is being biased against the poor, an accusation not unfamiliar as it’s the same one that was levelled against the government in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. On top of that, there’s the broader issue of how the media covers these disasters. Are they ignoring the possibility that these incidents are the result of climate change? Is the media equipped to talk about these stories when there’s no partisan angle?
Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.
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