Harper's approach different in every way

[CHIMO]

Canada may be about to get its second minority government in as many years but if Stephen Harper has his way, the similarities between his regime and that of Paul Martin will apparently stop there, and not just because their policies are different.

If there was one element missing from the prime minister-designate's first news conference yesterday, it was an air of dŽjˆ vu. Instead, everything from format to pace spoke of a desire to approach the business of steering a minority government differently.

Start with format: Martin used to run his Parliament Hill news conferences like class reunions. They tended to be sit-down events that featured the occasional prime ministerial joke and an ultra-light news menu.

It is too early to know whether Harper's take-charge approach will work in the context of a fragile minority government. In time, he will have to do a lot of give and take if he is to survive and achieve some goals along the way. But what is certain is that Martin's approach failed to earn him a passing grade from voters.

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[glarius]

1. What became clear to me yesterday was that Harper is a control freak!

Every aspect of the news conference was his way....from where he chose to stage it: similar to the look of the White House news briefings I thought, to only answering what he wanted to....I have always thought he was a control freak and yesterday only confirmed it for me....This may be his undoing in a minority government.

[Spazito]

2. Yep, very reminiscent of how the bush cabal controls his

appearances. I suspect it will backfire for Harper with the exception of Puffy Duffy's coverage which will be swooning about Harper's take charge attitude.

[AX10]

3. are you hopeful that the media as whole will not take kindly...

to his dictitorial control?

[Spazito]

4. Yes, the media likes their adversarial role and will fight to keep it

They hyped the faux Cons to get their readership/listenership up for ratings during the election cycle and they were bored with the Liberals, not a lot of headlines out of them. Now they have a whole new bunch to create headlines about and if Harper goes all 'controlled' on them, they will serve up payback, I have little doubt.

CTV newsnet being the exception because both their commentators Puffy Duffy and Craig Skeletor Oliver are true blue faux Cons cheerleaders. There will be columnists and editorialist's, as well, that will cheer lead for the faux Cons but, overall, I think the media will not behave like sheep for long.

[AX10]

5. Good to hear. I already discredited CTV and the National Post.

They are like the Fox "News" and the Washington Times (respectively) of Canada.

[Spazito]

6. You've got that right! The National Post was started by Conrad

Black and that says it all.

[Telly Savalas]

7. Although Conrad Black wrote a rather flattering bio of FDR

That's not to dismiss the obvious far right bias of the Post.