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11/27/2003 Archived Entry: "Covering Parliament"

SIR, I DEMAND SATISFACTION! I CHALLENGE YOU TO A DUEL!: Looks like there's a bit of a dust-up between blogger Colby Cosh and Maclean's columnist Paul Wells.

In a recent speech Wells blasted the state of Parliamentary journalism in Canada. He argues that instead of being focused on issues, Canada's newspapers instead played guessing games concerning the real departure date of the Beloved Leader Jean Chretien. In particular, Wells takes aim at his old home The National Post where, you guessed it!, Colby Cosh now regularly writes for.

Well Cosh of course answered yesterday and states that contrary to what Wells believes, Canada's newspapers are doing a damned fine job of reporting the issues and accuses Wells of "a self-conscious attempt to clamber up to a moral summit of media criticism."

I have to admit that Wells' response was a little heavy-handed, referring to two of Cosh's points as "worth particular scorn."

I'm so excited! We haven't had in Canada a war between two columnists in years! I wonder who will win.

So where do I stand? In the middle. I think Canada's media is doing a decent job but they could be doing so much better. Here's a note I sent to Wells:

I don't think Colby was entirely on the mark with his statement that Parliament is less important but given that the last decade has seen a complete emasculation of the institution thanks to the centralizing of power in the PMO, I think the average Canadian could be forgiven if they don't give a darn what happens in Parliament. If the real action is in the PMO -- which I would submit -- than what is the point of caring about what goes on in Parliament. They merely rubberstamped Chretien's policies. Why bother cover it as indepth as the past?

I know, I know, you're thinking with weighty thoughts like these I should be writing for the NP or Maclean's right? Yeah, same here.

Replies: 1 Comment

Steve: My response to Colby was indeed a mite snippy, but I wouldn't have responded at all if I didn't think so highly of his writing. I hope nobody will see this as the beginning of any sort of long-running feud... Especially Colby! pw

Posted by Paul Wells @ 11/30/2003 10:51 PM EST