canadian freedom of press has a noose imposed by harper

Harper tightens secrecy, limits access
March 28, 2006, CP

OTTAWA -- Security on Parliament Hill barred reporters from attending a pair of Stephen Harper photo opportunities yesterday as the Prime Minister's Office flexed its media messaging muscles.

The made-for-TV confrontation between security and reporters outside Harper's office door graphically illustrated the deteriorating relations between a PMO seeking total message control and news media defending their hard-won access.

It's a battle that's beginning to resonate beyond the precincts of the Peace Tower as the Conservatives threaten to hold secret cabinet meetings and withhold information about visiting heads of state.

"Harper ran on a campaign of open and accountable government," New Democrat MP Charlie Angus said yesterday.

"And the first thing we see him doing is putting plywood up over all his windows and barring access to the doors. My question is, why? What is Harper afraid of?"

Harper's director of communications, Sandra Buckler, begs to differ.

"I think this prime minister has been more accessible, gives greater media scrums and provides deeper content than any prime minister has in the last 10 to 12 years," she responded.

As for a series of complaints by the parliamentary press gallery about access, she said: "I don't think the average Canadian cares as long as they know their government is being well-run."

Her comments came a few hours before it was revealed Harper and U.S. President George W. Bush had a 20-minute telephone call yesterday about their upcoming meeting in Mexico and the recent rescue of three hostages, two of them Canadian, in Iraq. The PMO issued no statement about the call.

The personal disdain of Harper and his closest advisers for the national media is well-known from a variety of past and present party sources.

The Conservatives' success during the election campaign was premised in large part on steely control of the party message.

Among a series of media access restrictions already imposed or being contemplated, the most inflammatory is a plan to bar reporters from staking out cabinet meetings, where they can ask departing ministers about their portfolios.

In order to stop the practice, the PMO is suggesting it will keep the weekly meetings secret. At a minimum, it hopes to force reporters to wait a floor below the cabinet room, so that only ministers who want to speak -- or have permission -- will face the media.

Other planned access changes include:

- Withholding basic announcements of visits by heads of state and premiers.

- Issuing in-house photos of closed meetings between public officials, such as visiting premiers and heads of state, rather than allowing news photographers access.

- Refusing to use the national press theatre, where simultaneous translation is provided, in favour of a more prime ministerial podium in the House of Commons foyer.

- Making lists of media wishing to ask questions during availabilities, then picking and choosing which reporters get to ask those questions.

The battle of wills came to a head yesterday morning over -- of all things -- a photo-op of cancer stricken youngsters with the Canadian Cancer Society giving daffodils to Harper in his office.

Twelve Parliament Hill security officers, triple the usual contingent, lined the short hallway to Harper's office door to make sure no reporters entered. Sure enough, four reporters attempted to force the issue before an unusually large phalanx of news cameras.

None of the prime minister's staff emerged to explain the situation or deal with the media, despite repeated requests to do so. The beleaguered security officials -- who enjoy collegial relations with the media they see every day -- were left to play the heavies for the news cameras.