On Tuesday Rosemary Barton was on our publicly funded broadcaster discussing the riots in London, speculating that "government austerity measures" can lead to public violence. Did you hear that Canadian government? Consider yourself warned! Try to roll back the CBC's cost expenditures, and it could lead to hooligans out in the streets of Ottawa throwing Molotov cocktails at police cars. Rolling back the number of climate change jobs at Environment Canada could lead to looting and widespread civil unrest. Sure, CBC employees might have a conflict of interest when discussing government spending, but there are many historical examples where spending cuts have led to public employees gathering in large numbers to protest (with some of those deteriorating into violence).
Does this mean that we should avoid doing the right thing because a small number of hooligans might become upset? Something feels inherently wrong about appeasement made under the threat of violence. If you believe that reducing government spending is a noble and necessary cause, then you should not compromise those values because a small number people are violently opposed to the measures. I'm not suggesting that Rosemary Barton or any of her CBC colleagues are threatening violence if their budgets are reduced. For all the things I've had to say about Milewski, Soloman, or O'Malley, I would not expect to see any of them on TV setting fire to coffee shops or smashing windows (though I wouldn't be shocked to see Terry throw a garbage can at the Prime Minister's limo). Typically when public union protests deteriorate into violence, it is the result of a small criminal element taking advantage of the public gathering and intense emotions.
We should figure out the best way to isolate and separate criminals from innocents when people gather publicly, but we should not avoid "government austerity measures" because the CBC says it could lead to violence. A lack of government austerity in the United States and Europe is why our global economy is teetering on the edge of catastrophic collapse. Two words, "sovereign debt".
2 words Global Warming...Check out any country in the world that believes in this BS and you see a bankrupt country.Look what is happening in Ontario,big giant windmills killing thousands of our feathered friends and not producing a GD bit of energy,but doubling and tripling our energy bills.If McGuinty and his band of have not a brain Liberals are elected again in this Province you will see your energy bills more than triple and you will be wanting the good old Bob Rae days back.
ReplyDelete"Notice to rioters... 10% of riot police will carry live ammunition. All riot police will be ordered to fire put in danger. Conduct yourselves accordingly. That is all."
ReplyDeleteSo according to this logic there are no criminals, since it is always someone else forcing them to rape, murder, steal or riot. What rubbish, but the state broadcaster can never pass up an opportunity to smear the present government.
ReplyDeleteI dunno about the others here, but I quake in fear of Barton,Milewski,Mansbridge,Stromboulopolus,etc., raging through the streets,burning,raping,and pillaging.
ReplyDeleteThese people have always struck me as physically dangerous,like besuited Hell's Angels,only tougher,and that's why I always vote for the Party that will increase their funding.
In the 2011 election,I voted Conservative,and James Moore didn't let me down.
Whew.
Someone should warn Ms. Barton that if the government doesn't cut funding (Drastically cut) their may be rioting in the streets by people who are tired of being fed a steady diet of left-wing propaganda by "the people's network."
ReplyDeleteWell CBC, if they do riot ,then itll be water cannons and tear gas.Curiously its always the little guy's business who gets robbed by looters, or the innocent who gets beaten and robbed like in the UK.
ReplyDeleteAnd before you gripe about rights being violated ,the "protestor" lost that right when they threw that brick in the window.Or torched a police cruiser.Shall we go on CBC?
Joshua
It will be the upper level managers that are rioting if their salaries are threatened.
ReplyDeleteCBC has more clout than most people realize. Look how they delayed going digital, or answering the CRTC request Etc. Don't you dare try and take back 5% of their funding like all the other government organizations are giving back!
Is there not a law about inciting a riot, her comments should be treated as an attempt to incite civil disobedience.
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