How news breaks and why...

Plus old politicians speaking and no end to the media bias.

Today is an example of why it is so hard for me to keep to a rigid schedule on posting. This isn’t a complaint, in fact today, I’ll have a bit of fun and pull back the curtain to show you how the news sausage is made.

For the past few days I’ve been posting a quick video chat in the morning where I talk about the stories and columns I’ve published, look at some top headlines and look ahead to what is coming up that day. I like doing them, it’s an extension of me organizing my thoughts for the day and people seem to like watching them based on the numbers.

This morning I didn’t do one of those videos because work, breaking news, got in the way.

Unlike most columnists, who mostly just do opinion, which is fine, I still break news on a regular basis. This morning, as I was getting ready to record the daily video, I got new information on a story I was working on and the entire day went sideways.

Today was going to be a busy day no matter what, breaking a pretty big story by 10 am shifted the entire calendar.

How stories break…

When you are covering politics and government and you break a story there are generally two ways that happens.

The first way, and the easiest, is that the government leaks something to you. This happens every day and sometimes the general public can tell, sometimes they can’t. There’s nothing wrong with running a story based on a leak as long as it would still be a story even if the government didn’t hand you all the info.

It’s going to come out eventually, why not be first?

That said, if you are being used, it’s not a good look and the public will notice.

The other main way that stories break is that you find out something the government doesn’t want you to know, or doesn’t want you to know just yet. This morning’s story was something the government didn’t want out just yet because it didn’t fit their schedule.

They had a plan, I got in the way, but I doubt they were upset the story was out.

So tell us what the story is already…

The president of Conestoga College, a man named John Tibbits, retired earlier this year after 38 years in the job. He was the highest paid president of any post-secondary institution in the province even though his school was far from the biggest or most prestigious.

When he abruptly resigned earlier this year, the board - though not the whole board - voted to give him an exit package worth $3.8 million.

You can read my column on the issue here and the government response here.

The entire board has been fired, and rightly so. Those that voted for this exit package, which far exceeds any acceptable and legislated severance, failed in their fiduciary duty to the college.

As board members, they have a responsibility to look after the interests of the community and the taxpayers that fund the institution. Instead, too many members it seems, were rubber stamping decisions taken by the president or board chair.

Canada Strong and Free…

I’m not at the Canada Strong and Free Conference this weekend in Ottawa. I hosted a fireside chat with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith at last year’s event - I’m quite good at those reach out to book me - but this year I couldn’t make it.

It’s also Mother’s Day weekend and I haven’t seen my mother in about a month - she was travelling - so I’ll head to Hamilton to see her.

Pierre Poilievre is among those speaking with a keynote addresses this year. I’ve caught snippets of his speech so far and will watch the whole thing and have more to say later on the contents.

Meanwhile, Canada’s left turns to America…

As the Canada Strong and Free event is happening in Ottawa, the Canada 2020 event is taking place in Toronto. For those that don’t know, Canada 2020 is an organization started by a bunch of Trudeau Liberals and it’s an organization that Mark Carney was Chair of their Advisory Board before becoming PM.

Who is the big guest for Canada 2020?

None other than Barack Obama.

Who will be in attendance?

None other than Prime Minister Mark Carney.

There are a few Americans like Mike Pompeo, the former Secretary of State in Trump’s first term and Pete Hoekstra, Trump’s current ambassador to Canada attending Canada Strong and Free.

The difference is, when Conservatives in Canada speak to Republicans in the United States it’s always importing “American-style” politics. When Liberals in Canada bring in Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton or Bill Clinton then it is just so darn awesome, isn’t this great, look at the Americans showering us with their attention.

The media bias between the two is fascinating.

I’d go to listen to any past president of the U.S. speak, but do you think George W. Bush is getting invited here anytime soon? Any Conservative group that tried would be pilloried.

BTW, I’ve been in the room - albeit a large room - with Bush and Obama and they are both incredibly charming men. That’s what it takes to succeed in politics though isn’t it.

If you really want to enjoy hearing a former politician speak, go listen to Stephen Harper speak or if you can wing it, Harper on the same stage with Jean Chretien. It’s like a comedy act watching the two of them chat.

Before he passed, I had the good fortune to run into Brian Mulroney at an event. I introduced myself and he said it was a pleasure to meet me and that he liked my work.

I assumed he was just being kind and then he started to cite pieces that I had written and lo and behold he actually did read them. Unlike Stephen Harper who would always tell me he didn’t read or watch Canadian media and then quote me back to me.

That’s while he was in office, he’s much more gracious now that I and others aren’t harassing him daily.

I have no issue with people going to events with former politicians, just be consistent in your outrage about who is speaking.

Speaking of past politicians…

A long time ago, when the earth was green, I hosted a TV show. Looking back at it, I’m not sure who dressed me but whoever was in charge of that should have been fired.

Back in September of 2011, I interview Dick Cheney in Vancouver.

I love when newsrooms had money and budgets!

They flew me from Ottawa to Vancouver, we had a camera crew brought in from our Calgary office and David Moretta, also known as Danielle Smith’s husband, produced the segment. I don’t make that comment lightly or as an insult, but once Smith became leader of the opposition, he left Sun News Network saying he couldn’t do the job.

Dave was likely the best field producer I ever worked with. The other also has Calgary connections.

I found Cheney to be interesting, intriguing, quite aware of Canada and he likely knew more about fishing in this country than most people I’d ever meet in this country and I know some avid fishermen.

Enjoy this throwback.