March 27, 2006
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL MEMBERS
FROM: The Press Gallery Executive
SUBJECT: Press Gallery Executive Meeting with PMO
As you are aware members of the Executive met with representatives from the PMO on Friday, March 24, 2006.
Accompanying me on behalf of the Gallery were Stephanie Rubec (our candidate for the Presidency next year), Treasurer Isabelle Rodrigue, Terry Guillon Chief of the Press Gallery and John Waterfield Manager of the Press Gallery.
The PM's Director of Communications Sandra Buckler was accompanied by Stéphane Rondeau, Geneviève Desjardins, as well as Christine Csversko.
The Gallery insisted for the meeting to be on the record in order to dispel any misunderstanding about the issues addressed.
As you all know the list of concerns on the part of our members is long and wide ranging: from the way Prime Minister's availabilities are handled by his staff, to substantive issues of access for our members on Parliament Hill, and most importantly a general tendency for this government to restrict access to its Cabinet Ministers.
The Executive was hoping to set up a dialogue with the PMO, which over time would help us resolve the issues that divide us.
In the course of our short meeting, the PMO indicated that:
* They are considering no longer announcing Cabinet meetings to Canadians ahead of time in order to circumvent the Gallery's right to post cameras and reporters on the third floor of the Parliament's Centre Block (as per our understanding with the House);
* They reserve the right not to inform Canadians of the visit of foreign heads of state;
* They will no longer systematically grant access to a pool reporter at photo opportunities between the Prime Ministers and his guests.
The Executive came out of this meeting greatly concerned by the tone on the part of the PM's staff which left no room for negotiations on these issues. Therefore we put an end to the meeting after approximately 20 minutes as we felt no progress was being achieved. Many issues were left unresolved, many more were not even addressed.
For the sake of transparency, and to dispel any misinterpretation, the Executive has decided to release a full transcript of this meeting. An audio tape is also available at the Gallery Offices on the 6th floor of the National Press Building and in the Hot Room, located in the Centre Block in Room 350-North.
We invite you to submit your comments and concern in preparation to our Annual General Meeting on April 7th, 2006.
Thank You
Emmanuelle Latraverse
President
Monday, March 27, 2006
Open Government...and the Parliamentary Press Gallery
Stephen Harper spent literally years babbling on about open government. Last Friday the Parliamentary Press Gallery folks had a meeting with staff from Bizarro's PMO in an attempt to open already-strained lines of communication. I could give you the rundown...but the memo below is making the rounds in Ottawa today and it really says it all...(Ed Note: Since Bizarro was full of bullroar on open government, maybe he does have a secret agenda after all!)
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5 comments:
I think what is really ticking you off is that Stephen Harper is busy preparing for the sitting of the house and he's not saying anything that you guys can twist around to make it sound like he eats children. Wait until parliament is in session then you can construe his comments anyway you want.
Relax, members of the press. Think about the capital beautification program which Prime Minister Harper has just announced, and consider yourselves lucky that you live in a country with such a caring Uberleader. Give him the benefit of the doubt, and you will find that you just gotta love Harper's latest fashion edict for Ottawa (those cute little colour-coordinated "HarperMuzzles" so many Tories will be wearing for next few months).
There is absolutely no truth to the rumour that the only permissible colour for the HarperMuzzles is blue. I have it on good authority that any primary colour will do, in fact, some expect Tory ministers to have a different colour for each day of the week! Now, that's being cutting edge!
And, of course, the HarperMuzzles are also available for purchase by the members of the press. Just think, you can buy one which matches your paper's colours! Or your smart business suit. They come in male and female varieties (the female ones have frilly things to soften their edges a bit).
And fear not, in time political discourse inside and outside the House will still find a way to bypass the HarperMuzzles and wander over the rest of the Harper New Tories agenda.
Then the true discussions and commentary will start on exactly what sort of Canada Harper wants to have.
All I could offer the press gallery (and most if the MSM in this country) is 'payback's a bitch!'.
cuiositykilledthecat . . . Do you sit around all week and come up with 1 thing to say and then post the same friggin' thing on every post? Are you not intelligent enough to at least change the post a bit to fit the content or are you just a happy "cut and paster"? There are other keys on your computer I'm sure . . . use them.
Muzzling and rigidly controlling every single word only a few people in your party are allowed to say is "open government"??
These guys are giving the Bushies lessons in secretiveness and hiddenness!
It's because they know if most of them are actually allowed to SPEAK, they'll start spewing and won't be able to hide their actual nature any longer.
Fortunately, we know they can't hold it in, and eventually it's going to explode out, no matter how many shackles The Great And Glorious Leader loads them down with.
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