Roundup: Not calling out conspiracy theories

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Conservative MP Cheryl Gallant has been spreading conspiracy theories about the Liberals on her YouTube channel, and in conversations with campus conservative clubs, and how does The Canadian Press frame it? “Tory MP Cheryl Gallant accused of peddling ‘deranged conspiracy theories’ by Liberals.”

No.

Gallant outright peddled batshit lunacy, and CP went and both-sided the it rather than point out what Gallant was up to. “The Liberals say this. The Conservatives say this. Who’s right? You decide!” No, that’s not good enough. This is exactly the reason why political leaders realised that they could get away with outright lying to people – because they’re not being called out on it, since these outlets feel the need to be performatively “objective” and “fair,” and both-sides rather than be objective in pointing out that the kinds of things Gallant is saying are outrageous falsehoods in the headline and lead paragraphs. And speaking of leaders who lie, what was Erin O’Toole’s response when this was brought up? That this was just the Liberals trying to create a distraction. Seriously, that’s what he said. So, he’s tacitly endorsing that this is the kind of thing that’s okay in his party. Then again, he’s been fine with the outrageous lies being told by his MPs in Question Period and on social media, and has contributed more than a few of them himself, so I’m not sure why I’m surprised that he hasn’t drawn the line at behaviour like Gallant’s.

Another case in point of how media is doing active harm has been the way the COVAX Facility has been framed, as every single outlet calls it a way to give vaccines to poor countries as though it’s some kind of charity. It’s not, and that framing is wrong, and actually undermines the programme. (Case in point here). The whole gods damned point of COVAX is for wealthy countries like Canada to sign up and get doses from them so that it encourages them to invest and use their capital to leverage vaccine manufacturers to scale up production, and gives heft to the bulk purchases so that low-income countries can get equitable access. Yes, it has a separate arm that is solely about donations, but the main programme relies on countries like Canada to buy doses from there, not just donate money. And yet you wouldn’t know it ready or listening to any media outlet in this country. (And seriously – the reason other G7 countries have not taken their doses is because the only vaccine available through COVAX at this point is the AstraZeneca vaccine, which those countries are apparently producing for themselves so they don’t need that vaccine.) But hey, there is an established narrative that the media consensus has decided to feed into rather than taking ten minutes to read the gods damned GAVI website to understand how it works so that they can describe it properly, and we must service the narrative, right?

Good reads:

  • Dr. Theresa Tam warned that the new variants will cause a massive increase in new infections if provinces continue to lift restrictions. Get ready for another lockdown!
  • Here is a look at what members of the vaccine task force actually told the Commons health committee, which has been torqued and twisted by the opposition.
  • Justin Trudeau pledged more money to COVAX as part of the virtual G7 meeting.
  • The government extended the pandemic benefits for further, as well as EI to as much as 50 weeks, given the COVID situation.
  • More information has been released on the hotels who will host mandatory quarantine for returning international travellers.
  • The government has to go back to the Quebec courts for a fourth extension on the assisted dying law deadline, and I just can’t even anymore.
  • Mélanie Joly tabled a document that outlines 50 proposals to modernise the official languages framework (some of them constitutionally dubious).
  • Appearing before committee, Harjit Sajjan wouldn’t discuss the allegations around General Vance, citing confidentiality and the ongoing investigation.
  • The search has begun for the next Supreme Court of Canada justice, who will replace Justice Abella when she retires in July.
  • The Conservatives claim the Liberals are using a lack of interpreters as an excuse to shut down committees. Don’t like it? Set up a parliamentary bubble. It’s not hard.
  • The opposition MPs in the health committee forced a vote on releasing the vaccine contracts, but it remains to be seen in what form they will be released.
  • Conservatives are signalling that they won’t oppose parts of the new justice bill around diverting simple possession charges out of the criminal justice system.
  • Susan Delacourt remarks on the different tone emerging from the post-Trump (virtual) G7 meetings that took place this week.
  • Kevin Carmichael makes note of the IMF’s concerns about Canada’s planned post-pandemic stimulus, as there are few details, and quality of spending matters.
  • Jen Gerson makes some very salient points about Canada’s hypocrisy in agreeing with the term “genocide” in the MMIW report, but not saying it around China.
  • My weekend column points out that an empty declaration of genocide in China by Canada without international force to back it up is essentially global slacktivism.

Odds and ends:

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3 thoughts on “Roundup: Not calling out conspiracy theories”

  1. Jen Gerson’s dubious column carrying water for the CPC isn’t exactly a shocker.

  2. Canadians must really start calling out these Con neo nazis when they do this kind of stuff in harsh ways. The problem with news organizations is their editorial policy of fairness to “the good people on both sides” they forget the difference between right and wrong in their zeal for editorial fairness.

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