Roundup: That Video and worst instincts

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For well over the past two days, the news cycle has been consumed with That Video, and the interpretations of what was said on it. And because so many members of our media act feel the need to be tattletales, narcs, and scolds, what was an interesting tableau turned into an international attempt to get someone – particularly Justin Trudeau – in trouble.

First, despite the fact that the scene was spotted by a CBC producer from the NATO pool feed, people started circulating that this was some kind of illegally obtained footage from Russian spies and circulated as disinformation on their Sputnik network. (Nope). Then came everyone interpreting it as some kind of mockery or high school gossip, when it turned out to simply be an animated recounting of the unscheduled press conference, and the surprise announcement that the G7 meeting was to be held at Camp David. And because everyone is a tattletale and a narc, they brought it up at Trump’s press conference with Angela Merkel, he responded by calling Trudeau “two-faced” and that he was just sore because he got called out for not spending enough on defence (that’s not how NATO works), and then he cancelled his closing press conference and went home – but not before remarking before reporters that the whole “two-faced” thing was a big joke to him. Meanwhile, all of the Canadian commentariat is having a meltdown, and all of them went on the air with fantasy versions of just what the conversation was in That Video, and everyone describing it as “disparaging” or “gossip,” when they simply didn’t have the context that Trudeau provided to them the next day when he was pressed about it in his own media availability. So, any serious conversation about the future of NATO was basically overshadowed because a bunch of excitable journalists watched a video, jumped to conclusions, and let their narc instincts get the better of them – and then wouldn’t shut up about it.

And then come the scolding pundits, as night follows day. Like Matt Gurney, who characterized Trudeau as “mocking” and “gossip” and who said that Trump was right about our not spending enough. (Reminder: DND can’t actually get all of the current spending out the door because they don’t have the capacity or manpower, and it will take years to get enough people trained up). Or Heather Scoffield, who is concerned that this could mean Trump will tear up the New NAFTA or start imposing new tariffs – as though he needed excuses anytime in the past. Much more sensible was Susan Delacourt who said that it was about time that world leaders didn’t walk on eggshells around Trump, and that world leaders should stop simply looking on silently as his constant rule-breaking goes on around them.

On top of this incident was the complete mischaracterization of a video of Princess Anne, the Queen, and the Trumps. While there was a longer video where Anne escorts the Trumps to the Queen’s receiving line, and at one point the Queen looks over to her and she shrugs – no one left in the line but me – and everyone carries on. But a shortened clip started circulating and certain journalists falsely characterised it as the Queen chastising Anne for not greeting the Trumps and Anne didn’t care. And yet the false version went viral.

We don’t need Russian disinformation bots. We’re perfectly capable of distributing all manner of breathless disinformation without them. Cripes.

Good reads:

  • It’s the Speaker Election in advance of the Speech from the Throne, and there are five MPs vying for the job, including incumbent Geoff Regan.
  • The main RCAF VIP plane was damaged, and now the back-up has also been damaged, leaving the military scrambling to get a third plane to London for Trudeau.
  • Marc Miller says talks for Indigenous child welfare compensation is about to start, and Carolyn Bennett says UNDRIP legislation is also on the way.
  • Miller also promised more funds to deal with Indigenous youth suicides.
  • AFN National Chief Perry Bellegarde says the government hasn’t been working with Indigenous leaders on their taking over child welfare. (There was an election).
  • The Organization of American States is concerned that it’s taking too long to implement recommendations from the MMIW Inquiry. (There was an election).
  • The former Syrian refugee who started Peace By Chocolate says he will hire and train 50 refugees by 2022, and help mentor 10 refugee start-up businesses.
  • It looks like the RCMP have not fully reimbursed the Aga Khan’s private island for expenses they incurred when the prime minister vacationed there.
  • The Navy is investigating after it was revealed that one of their reservists used to run a Neo-Nazi website, even though he claims he’s reformed.
  • Maclean’s awarded Ethel Blondin-Andrew, the first Indigenous woman MP, as their parliamentary Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.
  • The opposition parties had caucus meetings yesterday, and their leaders were talking tough afterward (as though they would actually vote down the government).
  • Elizabeth May says the Greens will vote down the Speech from the Throne unless the abortion clinic in Fredericton gets its funding restored.
  • Ontario’s Auditor General has panned the province’s climate plan, saying it won’t meet their targets, which undermines the Ford’s argument at the Supreme Court.
  • The Alberta “Fair Deal” panel held their first meeting, and it was far more balanced an less an angry separatist roadshow than may have been intended.
  • Kevin Carmichael parses the Bank of Canada’s statement when they declined to cut interest rates, and what signals they are reading about the economy.
  • Colby Cosh delves into the issue of New Brunswick’s contemplation of the Notwithstanding Clause within their mandatory vaccination legislation.

Odds and ends:

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9 thoughts on “Roundup: That Video and worst instincts”

  1. “when they simply didn’t have the context that Trudeau provided to them the next day…”

    No context was required: Trudeau was talking about Trump behind his back, an elementary breach of manners and discretion.

    • Stephen Harper wasn’t secretly recorded doing it, but he bad talk Barack Obama and reporting mocked him after his 2009 Ottawa visit which was super rude and on-brand for the “I’m the smartest man in any room” snobbery of his so let’s calm down.
      “Talking behind his back” as if we all live in Stalinist regime where he must never even mention our fearless leader.
      Also ask Nancy O’Dell among the zillion and one other examples about manners and discretion with regards to Donald Trump?

    • And so were Macron, Rutte, Johnson and the Princess Royal. None of the other countries’ media made this into a scandal of apocalyptic proportions. Defending Trump ahead of your own country’s head of government is not a good look. Appeasement didn’t go so well in the 1930s either.

      • And only a besotted Trudeau groupie would defend him ahead of her own country’s head of government.

        • My country isn’t Russia but thanks for asking. I don’t defend Moscow’s stooges.

      • Much like you’re talking about Trudeau behind his, now?

        So really, you’re commenting about your own behaviour, aren’t you?

        VERY telling.

  2. About the only thing I could ever agree with the orange menace about is that the fake news lying media is the enemy of the people. Sad, dopey, loser clowns, making a volcano out of a molehill. CBC = Click Bait Crap. But then, Trudeau derangement syndrome is a helluva drug, and the Ottawa bubble has themselves an overdose crisis. The man could find a cure for cancer and he’d be scolded for putting oncologists out of work. Way to sock some dingers.

  3. Trump is so thick skinned and socially inept, In short, he is a boor. In reality, he would not really be upset. It was on a par with what Republicans call “locker room talk.” Every leader there with Trudeau were having a high old time discussing the orange menace. They think and know that he is unfit to lead, he is a liar, he is a briber, a thief and a misogynist. So having a few laughs about him, I believe happens often. Let’s just get over it!

  4. Actually, Dale, when Justin excitedly says “oh ya, ya, ya” and acts out his observations about Trump, it *IS* “high school gossip” time, and the usual spin-cycle from Routine Proceedings can’t wash that away. It’s time for Justin to grow up.

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