Look who's talking

Maxime Bernier's time in the political wilderness may be over. Three events with the PM tomorrow. Can it be long before he's back in cabinet?(By the way, if you want to see a clip of Bernier's press-gallery dinner performance last weekend, another potential milepost on his road to redemption, click here.)

OTTAWA – Public events for Prime Minister Stephen Harper for Friday, October 23^rd are:

 

Saint-Georges, Québec

11:45 a.m. & 12:00 p.m. – Prime Minister Stephen Harper will hold a photo opportunity.  He will be joined by Conservative Member of Parliament Maxime Bernier.

Cégep Beauce-Appalaches

1055, 116th Street

Saint-Georges, Québec

G5Y 3G1

 

*Cameras and photographers only.

NOTES:

 

·         Media are required to present proper identification for accreditation.

·         Media are to park in the main parking lot and use the main entrance where they will be guided to the Socio Room for accreditation.

 

Saint-Georges, Québec

12:15 p.m. – Prime Minister Stephen Harper will make an announcement.  He will be joined by Conservative Member of Parliament Maxime Bernier.

 

Socio Room

Cégep Beauce-Appalaches

1055, 116th Street

Saint-Georges, Québec

G5Y 3G1

*Open to media.

NOTES:

 

• Media are required to present proper identification for accreditation.
• Media are to park in the main parking lot and use the main entrance where they will be guided to Socio Room for accreditation.

 

Saint-Georges, Québec

2:15 p.m. – Prime Minister Stephen Harper will host a roundtable.  He will be joined by Conservative Member of Parliament Maxime Bernier.

 

Boa-Franc

1255, 98th Street

Saint-Georges, Québec

G5Y 8J5

 

*Photo opportunity only (cameras and photographers only).

NOTES:

 

·         Media are required to present proper identification for accreditation.

·         Media to use the entrance to the left of the main doors (Door 26-B) and proceed to the cafeteria to hold.

 

- 30 -

 

Comments

[geo]

So with Ignatieff's erroneous slap at Canada for sending Arar to Syria,and this newspaper making it impossible to find this story(should be on the front page) this reporter wants us to believe the talk in Ottawa is about Bernier?

Somehow I think this newspaper's insider in Ottawa is definitely showing her bias towards the Liberals.

Where are the priorities for a newstory?

When the floor crossover rumours are, and when Mr.Iggyrogers with the red sweater is worthy for a piece at a photo op at a daycare, but an important misstep,like saying that Canadians sent Arar to Syria isn't.

Ignatieff must be the only one in Canada who doesn't know that it was the Americans who sent Arar......but hey,Ignatieff's an expert at foreign affairs..Right?

Now lets get to more important stuff,like what Bernier is having for lunch.

[Pundits' Guide]

Beauce is two ridings over from Montmagny--L'Islet--Kamouraska--Rivière-du-Loup, allowing the Prime Minister to get some regional coverage in the south part of that riding without needing to step into it to campaign.

See:

http://www.punditsguide.ca/2009/10/by-election-google-map-now-ready-for.php

[Jeremy]

Geo - At the time of Arar's rendition to Syria, Iggy hadn't thought about Canada in over 20 years. You don't really expect that he was following Canadian news at the time, do you - not while he was providing intellectual cover for torture for his boy GW.

[Susan]

Iggy gets his photo-op at a daycare in this space (for a thinkers conference?) and then the next day announces Liberal plans for a National Daycare program. But why is the front page of the paper not carrying the news that Ignatieff who prides himself a worldly scribe on human rights and torture, having made a major major gaffe about the Mahar Arar case. Contrary to his interview with the UK´s Observer last month, Canada did not send Arar to Syria and Canadian courts have never ever heard the case let alone ruled on it. Ignatieff certainly needs to be called on this staggeringly wrong statement. Someone vying to be our Prime Minister might just a have a better grasp of significant events that have affected Canadians.

[Gabe]

Why do journalists continue to go along with Harper's 'no questions' gag rule?

[Gabby in QC]

Gabe, it may have escaped your notice that this event
"Saint-Georges, Québec
12:15 p.m. – Prime Minister Stephen Harper will make an announcement. He will be joined by Conservative Member of Parliament Maxime Bernier. ..."

is announced as "*Open to media."

That means that after the announcement, the PM usually takes questions from the media on any topic, not just the subject of the announcement. If the CBC or CPAC are feeling generous - that is, if there isn't a much more important and relevant story like the one about the "balloon boy" - the general public, you and I may even be lucky enough to see it being broadcast live.

[Cam]

for the most part polls show that the only seat the Conservatives have a strong chance of keeping is Max's in Beauce so it makes sense that Harper embrace him; after all, any port in a storm.