Sunday I listened to an hour of Cross Country Check-up on the radio with Ann Medina guest hosting for Rex Murphy. CBC radio is generally low quality entertainment, but Rex is among the best in the business. I thought Ann Medina did a fantastic job as guest host moderating a national conversation on the Conrad Black appeal. I know her best from Fact and Film on the History Channel, and this was the first time that I listened to her in this kind of format. As a journalist perhaps the best compliment I can give her is that she was fair to both sides and did not display any discernible political bias. She was very good at political commentary and I would encourage her to engage in it at every opportunity.
Even Dr. Roy called in and made some excellent points. My summary of the whole Conrad Black discussion, some people really love him and some people really hate him. I think most people are in the middle. He's served time and helped tutor inmates acquiring an education, and he may yet be acquitted. The Conrad detractors mainly focused on the relinquishing of the citizenship, that he should have no more rights than your average tourist.
Ann Medina is a "keeper" - I cannot assess the Conrad Black thing as I am very "for" him. Period. A handicap I know.
ReplyDeleteA big A+ on the Funky Cold Medina as well. ( i thought i was the only one to come up with that tag..) Was introduced to her as well on the History channel and always appreciated her evenhandedness.
ReplyDeleteAgent Smith
If Mr. Harper ever manages to privatize/sell off the CBC, I hope Rex and Ann are regulars on the new SUN TV.
ReplyDeleteAlberta Bob
I missed the show -- too bad. With regard to Black deserving no more consideration than the average tourist, the average tourist is not blackmailed into giving up citizenship by a petty, vindictive and autocratic prime minister. I think that was utterly shameful of Chretien. I would like to see him get his comeuppance one day, but I doubt he will.
ReplyDeleteHow about that distinction he got from the Queen not so long ago. He did not seem to have any qualms about accepting a British honour for himself. Of the various Liberal sleezebags around, Chretien takes the cake.
I am a conditional Black supporter.
ReplyDeleteLet us compare Lord Black with Frank Stronach. It seems that Magna shareholders will pay Stronach highly inflated share value just to get rid of Frank Stronach's influence on the board. Some see that as malfeasance but that is not how the majority of shareholders feel. They think that this route will be a positive, despite the cost. That is democracy within private ownership in action.
Lord Black was divesting his interest in various companies and demanded a fee for his divestiture. I see no problem, and it was approved by the board that later was trying to get rid of him. After that, when the new management drove the company into the ground they blamed Black. He was railroaded on this one.
Now comes the conditional part. I wish I could hear how he explains why he thought it proper to steal the pensions from the Dominion Store employees thirty or forty years ago. I will accept an apology or a bonafide explanation. Whichever is appropriate to me.
You can listen here.
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