Somewheerre Over the Rainbow....

Matt Galloway is at it again, back in the saddle. Matt (host of Radio-1's morning show from Toronto) sounded a bit defensive, back in March, when this blogsite started critiquing him. Now and then his voice would tremble as he picked his way through that platter of Radio-left platitudes. Was this a result of Rescumi's attentions? Scarcely imaginable! Who knows. We are here to comment and to enjoy the new freedoms of the Internet and let the world be as it may.
   Today on his post-elections show, Matt called in support for an analysis of the federal elections of May 2. Predictably, that support came from the organized Left in journalism. Or, to be more specific, from an organization called "Samara."
   Samara calls itself NGO and claims charitable status. In other words, they're funded by taxpayers, just like Matt. Yet Samara is not entirely non-partisan; it appears to be an anti-capitalist think-tank. Since its focus is on journalism, you can fairly suspect that its goal is to promote long-standing left bias in the media.
   For example, Samara recently held what it termed the "Best Moment in Canadian Democracy" contest. This is the way Samara described it on its website: "We kick-offed [sic] the new year with a contest, where we asked you to identify the best moment in our democracy last year. We whiddled down [sic] your ideas to a five [sic] that we put to a vote."
   What were these great ideas whiddled down to a five? Well, they were all about mobilizing citizens to oppose the government. Four of the five ideas opposed the Harper government, one opposed the Liberal  government (Mr. Campbell's) in BC.

   Matt's Samara honcho this day was Alison Loat. Ms Loat is described on her website as "Co-founder & Executive Director," which suggests she helped found this tax-shelter and has got herself employed as its leader.
    Matt asked Ms Loat to comment on the NDP victory in Quebec, and the arrival in Ottawa of an NDP youth brigade that is manifestly unprepared for the job (annual salary: $150,000).
   Ms Loat did sort of gloat. She brushed away Matt's nervous questions (do we need experience? competence?). It was a good day for democracy, she blared. Parliament had been in the hands of middle-aged males for far too long.
   On the question of competence, Ms Loat did not know what all the fuss was about. After all, her group had held "exit interviews" with outgoing parliamentarians. When asked what their duties were, she said, "all 65 Members gave 65 different answers." This, she concluded, meant that doing a Parliamentarian's job was anything you wanted to it to be, notwithstanding the need for an "orientation" session.
   Orientation sessions are scheduled for all new employees in professions. An orientation session aims at introducing the mechanics of the job, which may not have been learned at previous employment, or which may be different from previous experience. So, for example, a university professor will be given an orientation that describes his school's regulations; the protocols for resolving difficulties; the ways in which he has to report to authority, etc.
    Prior to Orientation Day, though, a professional will have learned the substance and expertise of his job. An electrician will have had a two-year diploma and job training; a financial advisor will have had formal education and practice.
   But here was Ms Loat, suggesting that, for the 19-year-old students and bartenders of the NDP, you could be a Lawmaker in Parliament with the help of Orientation Day.
  View Ms Loat's report on her appearance on Matt's show if you wish.
   Matt concluded with a burst of enthusiasm. All those new and fresh faces in Ottawa, he exuded. All this, with the approval of a Left-journalism think-tank. Thank heavens we have it all whiddled down at the CBC.