The PMO is everywhere

Now  we understand why the PMO needs all those communications people -- they're also doing the talking for organizations such as the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.  Have a look at the contact info at the bottom of this news release we just received here. (h/t to Laura Payton at Embassy for spotting first.)

** Update. A distinctly unamused PMO says the contact info was tagged on to the end of the press release by mistake, when they forwarded to the press gallery. So for heaven's sake don't call the PMO asking about Canadian municipalities. They've got enough to do, monitoring the web and looking for reasons to be aggrieved. **

Buy American Deal Gives Hope to Communities, says FCM

 

Ottawa, February 5, 2010 – The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) today applauded the Government of Canada for reaching an agreement in principle to exempt Canadian companies from “Buy American” trade restrictions.

 

“Canadian are fighting hard to recover from the recession, but they need to be on a level playing field with their neighbours south of the border,” said FCM President Basil Stewart, mayor of Summerside, P.E.I. “Today’s announcement gives them hope.”

 

“This deal is a powerful reminder that all three orders of government must work together for Canada to meet its economic challenges,” added Stewart. “This issue – and Canada’s own economic stimulus plan – show there is no substitute for federal, provincial/territorial and municipal collaboration. We must keep this partnership strong.”

 

Buy American became a national political priority when the Town of Halton Hills, Ont., grabbed international headlines with a resolution on the issue that it brought to FCM’s annual conference in Whistler, B.C., in June 2009. The resolution, supported by mayors and councils from across the country, called for action on both sides of the border. It exposed a policy that was hurting communities – and the economy – reeling from the global recession, and set the stage for a negotiated solution.

 

“Today isn’t just about a trade deal, it’s about people. It’s about protecting Canadian workers, families, businesses and communities,” said Halton Hills mayor Rick Bonnette. “Those folks are hurting from the downturn and they need to know that all governments are working together to create jobs and give their communities a fair chance to compete. The progress we’re seeing today is a product of that kind of cooperation.”

 

“As we move ahead, Canadians will need to know more about how exactly the agreement will impact cities and communities and how quickly it can be implemented,” said Stewart. “But as long as governments continue working together, in collaboration with businesses and communities, we’re hopeful this agreement-in-principle can lead to a concrete solution.”

 

 

 

Andrew MacDougall

Deputy Press Secretary / Attaché de presse adjoint
Office of the Prime Minister / Cabinet du Premier ministre

 

Comments

[wascally wabbit]

Well - when you want to obsessively control the information flow - I suppose this is the natural extension....

What I am really looking forward to though is when the likes of Dimitri Soudas are issuing pressers from the Office of the Loyal Opposition...

[Ted]

It's not enough for them to blur the line between party and government.

Now they are trying to blur the lines and run things for the BC legislature and the municipalities!

[Gabby in QC]

Excuse me, but how does this differ from journalists quoting sources?
I may not have attended whatever journalism courses you have, but this blog post verges on lying, I’m sorry to say.
If I understand the press release correctly, it simply quotes the FCM’s satisfaction with the tentative agreement reached to exempt Canadian companies from “Buy American” trade restrictions.
When journalists quote sources, including anonymous ones, are THEY “doing the talking for organizations such as …” as you state?
What about when you quoted Paul Martin in your column “Paul Martin laments loss of child-care program he built”? Were you also “doing the talking” for him?
Or when you quote another article in another thread, “Harper's Plan for Women's Health in Developing Countries is good - abortion is not health care” are YOU “doing the talking” for that organization? I very much doubt it.
So why are you saying the PMO is now doing the talking for the FCM?

[Gabby in QC]

Once again ... if I understand the purpose of this press release, which indeed does come from the PMO as evidenced by the name of the sender at the bottom and which I saw when I first read this post ...
1. The US & Canadian governments have reached a tentative agreement on exempting Canadian companies from the "Buy American" trade restrictions.
2. The FCM reacted favourably, as evidenced by several quotes in the press release quoted here.
3. The PMO has issued the press release underlining - some might say trumpeting - the FCM's favourable reaction.
Pray tell, how does that translate into the PMO "doing the talking for organizations"?
No, I don't get talking points from the PMO.
Where PMO Deputy Press Secretary MacDougall can be faulted, if at all, is in not providing the source (such as a link) for the quotes used in the press release. It might have been helpful if Mr. MacDougall had mentioned time and place.
However, anyone reading that press release without the prefacing comment by Ms. Delacourt would correctly assume, like I did, that FCM President Basil Stewart and Halton Hills mayor Rick Bonnette must have said publicly what is quoted here, and the PMO is quoting those reactions.
So, IMO, this does NOT constitute the PMO "doing the talking for organizations" as advanced here, either seriously or humorously.

[wascally wabbit]

I just love it when Gabby attempts to defend the indefensible.
"However, anyone reading that press release without the prefacing comment by Ms. Delacourt would correctly assume, like I did, that FCM President Basil Stewart and Halton Hills mayor Rick Bonnette must have said publicly what is quoted here, and the PMO is quoting those reactions.
So, IMO, this does NOT constitute the PMO "doing the talking for organizations" as advanced here, either seriously or humorously."

Dear Gabby - when an organization wishes to make a statement - it formally makes it itself - not via some proxy i.e. the PMO - which has been caught time and time again with its Soudas pants on the floor when it issues misquotes!
Like to argue now that Mr. Soudas and the PMO haven't been caught time and time again misquoting sources? Last time - I think Dimitri had to take himself off on vacation so he could recover his chutzpah!

[chris]

Lot of "progress" in there and I suppose it is progress if your goal is to sell Canada to the US. Funny how there's no mention of quid pro quo in the whole thing.
Here's a good place to start, James Laxer:
http://www.jameslaxer.com/2010/02/urgent-national-debate-needed-on-harper.html

[Jim M]

The monumentally stupid trade deal that Harper swung with Obama, or Obama swung with Harper, (see post link) looks almost dumb enough to call treason. When will it be 'high' time for opposition parties to say "Let's Roll" on this whole box-cutter wielding minority government that Canada is obviously being hijacked by? Or is this the Great Train Robbery of the 'Great White North'?