General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums"Fox News' Lies Keep Them Out of Canada"
by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
http://mwcnews.net/focus/politics/9037-fox-news-lies-keep-them-out-of-canada.html
As America's middle class battles for its survival on the Wisconsin barricades - against various Koch Oil surrogates and the corporate toadies at Fox News - fans of enlightenment, democracy and justice can take comfort from a significant victory north of the Wisconsin border. Fox News will not be moving into Canada after all! The reason: Canadian regulators announced last week they would reject efforts by Canada's right-wing Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, to repeal a law that forbids lying on broadcast news.
Canada's Radio Act requires that "a licenser may not broadcast ... any false or misleading news." The provision has kept Fox News and right-wing talk radio out of Canada and helped make Canada a model for liberal democracy and freedom. As a result of that law, Canadians enjoy high quality news coverage, including the kind of foreign affairs and investigative journalism that flourished in this country before Ronald Reagan abolished the "Fairness Doctrine" in 1987.
Political dialogue in Canada is marked by civility, modesty, honesty, collegiality, and idealism that have pretty much disappeared on the US airwaves. When Stephen Harper moved to abolish the anti-lying provision of the Radio Act, Canadians rose up to oppose him fearing that their tradition of honest non-partisan news would be replaced by the toxic, overtly partisan, biased and dishonest news coverage familiar to American citizens who listen to Fox News and talk radio. Harper's proposal was timed to facilitate the launch of a new right-wing network, "Sun TV News" which Canadians call "Fox News North."
Harper, often referred to as "George W. Bush's Mini Me," is known for having mounted a Bush-like war on government scientists, data collectors, transparency, and enlightenment in general. He is a wizard of all the familiar tools of demagoguery; false patriotism, bigotry, fear, selfishness and belligerent religiosity. Harper's attempts to make lying legal on Canadian television are a stark admission that right-wing political ideology can only dominate national debate through dishonest propaganda. Since corporate profit-taking is not an attractive vessel for populism, a political party or broadcast network that makes itself the tool of corporate and financial elites must lie to make its agenda popular with the public.
In the Unites States, Fox News and talk radio, the sock puppets of billionaires and corporate robber barons, have become the masters of propaganda and distortion on the public airwaves. Fox News' notoriously biased and dishonest coverage of the Wisconsin's protests is a prime example of the brand of news coverage Canada has smartly avoided.
edited to add the date of Wednesday, 02 March 2011 09:42 , but it is news to me!
NightHawk63
(473 posts)Thats the biggest benefit to moving up here from the States!
mahina
(17,652 posts)He and his wife moved to Canada this year. He's very very happy there. I'm sure I would be too but wouldn't meet the money requirement I don't think.
I posted a query in the Canada group here but got no response...as I suppose people asking about moving to Hawaii might not get a response either, having heard the question a million times, and answered it.
OTOH, we prob. would answer...anyhow, good on you, Canada!
ps I have been to Newfoundland, biked to Quebec, been to Vancouver a few times...your country is wonderful, aloha!
Spazito
(50,332 posts)It's from Immigration Canada and lists all the different categories and the requirements for each:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/index.asp
I hope this is what you were looking for.
mahina
(17,652 posts)that was very helpful!
mahina
(17,652 posts)Now if they came along...
riverbendviewgal
(4,252 posts)I moved up in 69 and never thought of leaving...I am a citizen now and I am a proud Canadian...
The article say it all with this line.
Political dialogue in Canada is marked by civility, modesty, honesty, collegiality, and idealism that have pretty much disappeared on the US airwaves.
and PS.. I actually met Robert Kennedy Jr. Nice man.
mahina
(17,652 posts)do you have Fox news where you live? If you read down thread, I see that this article is not correct. What is the word in your area?
Thank you!
applegrove
(118,642 posts)DeathToTheOil
(1,124 posts)mahigan
(85 posts)but Fox News is available in Canada (along with its Canadian clone Sun News) and has been for some years. I have satellite TV from a Canadian provider that carries both of them and have seen Fox in Canada years ago. My understanding is that Fox was licensed in Canada years back but it took about 3 years after that before any of the cable companies would touch them because they felt that anything they bundled Fox with would be devalued.
opihimoimoi
(52,426 posts)Wavey Gravy
mahina
(17,652 posts)I guess this story is not right, according to DUers down thread. I will double check with my buddy in Ca and ask again. Maybe this article is wrong, or new info changed the situation.
Hope all is well w you and the fam, and the fish farm!
onenote
(42,700 posts)Sorry folks.