Harper government upstaged Parks Canada at presser: documents

[CHIMO]

Internal documents show the prime minister's department micro-managed a media event staged by Parks Canada, trying to erase the venerable agency from a public announcement while promoting the Harper government.

The incident is a case study in communications control from the Privy Council Office (PCO) — which is under the control of Prime Minister Stephen Harper — a feature of the governing Conservatives since they first came to power in 2006.

The event was an Oct. 17, 2011, news conference in Halifax to announce an agreement to transform Sable Island, a storied sand crescent 290 kilometres off Nova Scotia, into a national park reserve.

The deal had been meticulously negotiated by Parks Canada with the Nova Scotia government over the course of a year, and proud officials wanted a splashy announcement as a way to celebrate Parks Canada's 100th birthday in 2011.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2013/03/17/ns-cp-environment-canada-news-conference.html

Dean Beeby The Canadian Press Posted: Mar 17, 2013 6:24 PM AT Last Updated: Mar 17, 2013 7:06 PM AT Read 83 comments

[CanSocDem]

1. The dismantling of public services...

...is well on its way. National parks are apparently standing in the way of 'for profit' industry. Shit like this makes me think that our 'tea-party' equivalent has actually become the government.

.

[arikara]

3. Think?

The so-called "Harper government" consists of nothing but tea baggers held in check by a neo con.

[Posteritatis]

2. I seriously expect him to try to eliminate Parks entirely in the next couple of budgets. (nt)