CORBELLA
Yesterday on June 1 Licia Corbella, editorial page editor of the Calgary Herald, wrote a column about Premier Ed Stelmach’s new communications strategy of hiding from Alberta voters letting his ministers assume the task of getting out into the hinterland to talk to them. See: http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/topic.html?t=Keyword&q=class+act+2010
In her column Corbella ridiculed Stelmach’s invisibility even when his government was able to wallow in the success of having finally come up with a satisfactory royalty program. Naturally, being the spear carrier for the extreme right that she is, Corbella attributed the new royalty program exclusively to the wisdom of the new darling of the lunatic fringe of the fractured Tory Party - Danielle Smith, the leader of the Palinesque Wildrose Alliance.
In the course of her nonsense, Corbella naturally takes a shot at the Alberta Liberal Party. I doubt that she could write a column about the bathroom habits of bumble bees without her obligatory false malignments against Liberals. She writes that Liberal leader David Swann and some of his caucus attended a Herald editorial board session a week or so ago, and that given Swann’s performance there she predicts “Liberals will remain largely irrelevant.”
She bases her conclusion on 18 simple handouts containing 72 Alberta Liberal Party policy points that the Grit contingent gave to the editorial board during the course of the meeting. Handing out condensed material on policy is standard practice for all political parties who visit editorial boards. As you might expect, this type of simplification is especially important when visiting the Herald editorial board who understand only the simplest of one syllable words.
One of the 72 points contained a reference to a name the significance of which none of the assembled Liberal visitors could remember. I repeat, 1 out of 72! That was enough for Corbella. As a result, her column accuses Swann of putting out policies that he does not know anything about, and that the party was suffering from a lack of professionalism. I repeat - one small mistake out of 72 points. A serious leader, she says, would know them all - 72 out of 72!
When one thinks of the bullshit and factual errors one reads in the Calgary Herald on a daily basis – particularly on the editorial pages over which Corbella presides – her condemnation of the Liberals is – to say the least - galling.
David Swann is a medical doctor, who has practiced family medicine, taught at universities for which he received teaching awards, worked in the public health system, consulted internationally, and has made major contributions towards the betterment of his community. His stature makes Corbella and her ink-stained right-wing pals look like pipsqueaks! For those interested in Dr. Swann’s impressive career see: http://www.albertaliberal.com/index.php/alp/caucus_member/swann_david/
Corbella concludes by writing that the Tories aren’t worried about the Liberals because, “They view the Liberals, under Swann, as irrelevant.” I have two observations about that statement. First of all, Corbella fails to remember the results of the by-election in Calgary Glenmore in September - which for an editorial page editor is far worse than missing one out of 72 points. The Tories came third - behind the Wild Rose and the Liberals.
Secondly, in referring to the Liberals under Swann as irrelevant twice in the same flimsy column she repeats a big lie - expressed recently by a publicity seeking, malcontented former Liberal. I am sure Corbella knows from her prior reading - meager as it may be - that if you repeat the ‘big lie’ often enough, people will believe it. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Lie
How indeed can the Alberta Liberals under Swann be ‘irrelevant?’ He is a qualified leader of competence, experience and courage who leads the strongest party in Alberta by far, that advances progressive policies and ideas. For a better look at some of the policies he is promoting see: http://alp.whitematter.ca/index.php/alp/policies_index.
In fact, the Alberta Liberal Party is arguably the most relevant party in the province because it is the only party which is not a conservative party of the right or far right that can come within striking distance of victory.
Is Corbella only interested in right wing parties being on the Alberta ballot, and if so, what does that say about her?
10 comments:
Right again, Darryl.
Thanks Justin. The Calgary Herald's editorial page is abominable. Hopefully the new ownership under Paul Godfrey will change it, and soon!
Great post, Darryl.
How can he be irrelevant?
If the vote splits three ways, swann could be Premier.
That's hardly irrelevant.
Will try a repost Darryl--hope it comes out in English!
I’m so glad you took the time to reply to Corbella’s column! I have a special message for her that I hope you won't mind posting.
Dear Ms. Corbella:
Like Darryl Raymaker, I too thought you more than over-stepped the boundaries of good journalism in your recent political editorial-—you went beyond journalistic decency. I’m trying to be as objective as possible here—am even willing to cut you a little slack in the objectivity call because none of us is totally impartial, even journalists who have specialized training in this regard. But Licia, your icy blue right-wing colours are now glowing in the dark. You need a warm bath, with soft candlelight. Try soaking in a couple of these thoughts...
How about covering a story or two right out there on the front lines of the poor, the starving, and the dying in Africa? Or, maybe you could do something to improve public health conditions in the Phillipines, or pen a few thoughts on the plight of babies who’ve been made pawns in a war game somewhere. You could visit our own native people whose pleas with big oil and the government to clean the tailing ponds have largely been ignored. I've got it Licia--a hunger strike! Please make it for something that matters more than a politician’s one mistake out of 72 speaking points. Maybe you’d like to objectively cover two sides of a controversial story—one that could get you fired because it jangles a conscientious nerve or two (for pointers, see Swann and Kyoto story, 2002).
As Darryl Raymaker notes, David Swann has the “competence, experience, and courage” to lead the way on many fronts, including those just mentioned. He has worked the front lines in Africa, the Philippines, Iraq, Fort Chipewyan, in southern Alberta as the Public Health Officer for Palliser (the Conservatives fired Swann from this position for his public support of Kyoto—he hopes to return the favour). Dr. Swann also went to Ottawa to pressure the feds to intervene in the genocide in Darfur.
David Swann is now working hard for the public's interest—today and well beyond tomorrow. We need to give him all the support we can because with media coverage like yours Licia, with an electorate that’s too complacent or jaded to vote, and with corporate interests that cozy up to government officials, David Swann and the Liberal caucus are up against it.
Our democracy (that’d be yours too Ms. Corbella) is imperilled. And democracy and good journalism matter.
Keep writing Darryl! Onwards David!
Judy J. Johnson
Hello from the Middle East. While I can sympathize with wanting all that is good and right for the ALP and I do not agree in principle with a majority of Licia's comments. We still have not addressed the simple fact that as a political Party, we do not speak to Albertans about issues that Albertans want to speak about and as long as that is the choice of the ALP you may run into Moses wandering in the desert.
http://alp.whitematter.ca/index.php/alp/policies_index
LOVETT -
1. Click on the above.
2. Read it
3. Take your time because it may be a little heavy for you and then,
4. Go and blather on somebody else's blog.
5. I will not engage in a debate with a nuisance.
Thank you, always interested in an intelligent discussion, good to see that democracy is alive and well in Darryl's world.
Excellent post. Good job Darryl (you too Judy). And btw, I love your style...
"What's the point of havin' a rapier wit if I can't use it to stab people?"
:-)
You got that right, John!
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