2002 book

Sun columnist and CTS TV host Michael Coren doesn’t like something in former MP Garth Turner’s new book: Sheeple: Caucus Confidential in Stephen Harper’s Ottawa.

One particular issue Coren takes issue with was beaten to death at the time and was recently resurrected by Coren as fodder for two columns.

On May 2nd Coren wrote his Sun column; Bleat the clock on Sheeple, GarthTurner and Charles McVety, with a practised eye on the guest calendar of his TV show.
Since the original comment by Charles McVety to Garth Turner was supposedly made on the set or the general vicinity of The Michael Coren show made it into Sheeple; Coren used his May 2nd column to again say he and his staff heard no such thing. Since Charles McVety is also a media pro, I have to ask: Charles McVety denies he said what he said – would he have said it around potentially open mikes? Anyone who has worked broadcasting would know better.

Since Coren didn’t hear it, it didn’t happen.

I suppose the conclusion is obvious — me, my director, my producer and my crew are all either dim or deaf and a major Christian leader is a liar. We sheeple had, well, the wool pulled over our eyes.

2009

Turner is plugging his new book, and was pre-scheduled for a Coren show taping on May 5th. Coren has a point, after all, no major Christian leader would lie. In major Christian leader world, honourary doctorates are real, push polls brought before a senate committee are true, cyber-squatting isn’t unethical, you’re loved and hated by political leaders depending on how the cause de jour wind is blowing…

However Garth Turner didn’t show up to tape the show and Michael Coren is miffed. Coren has published 10 books, been on TV over 10 years, does radio, he knows all the drills. He does conservative social outrage for a living, miffed is easy.

Coren devoted his next column to Turner being his first TV guest ever to be a no-show and how traumatizing and rude it all was to Coren’s TV staff. Being a media pro, he ratcheted up his rhetoric.

I have to say, however, that with former MP Garth Turner I’m not particularly surprised. Turner has been on my show several times over the years, sometimes requesting the opportunity, and now that he has a book out, Sheeple, we were willing to give him a full hour of interview. Rather generous of us, actually.

It’s all about Micheal. Not about the book. Not about content.

Both Coren and Turner are pros and it doesn’t matter who says what and who get’s the last word. Turner’s publisher, Key Porter can sell more books with Turner not being a CTS/Coren Show sheeple than if he’d showed up.

It’s far more entertaining to dish perceived political opponents and question an unprovable than deal with the ideas in the book isn’t it?

I have no idea who scheduled Turner for The Michael Coren Show, it would be interesting to know if it was a Key Porter publicist who mapped out the stump weeks ago when it might have seemed like a good idea. For the record, I’ve written the parties in question, and they can tell us what was said if they are so inclined.

Coren can pick and chose his guests, he choses how he is going to plug them. I believe him on a curious point. Being on a religious cable show he is probably quite unfamilar with guests not choosing him.

I find myself wondering if an employee of Key Porter was “mortified.”
All we have is Coren’s word for that.

“I was on my way, until I read his Sun column. Have a nice day. Garth.” So contemptuous, so little regard for the men and women who work so hard to do their jobs.

Imagine that. All those traumatized hard working broadcasting professionals.

The Blog: Why Garth Turner’s Sheeple matters.
CAITI online: Excerpt from Garth Turner’s book Sheeple
Creeple – a Conservative blog devoted to Sheeple
Russ Campbell: Garth Turner a no-show on Michael Coren Show
Angry in the Great White North: The inside story on Garth Turner’s non-appearance on The Michael Coren Show.

The original show in question was taped September 12, 2006 and does not appear to be online.

Update:  Rob Sheppard, the CTS Program Manager (CTS produces The Michael Coren Show) had no comment about the show, or the questions posed about CTS staff being part of Coren’s Sun column.  Key Porter books send an out of office automated response, Garth Turner was asked if he had any response and apparently doesn’t.

Voice of the Martyrs Canada weblog expresses disappointment at Alberta Culture Minister Lindsay Blackett toes the party line when it comes to changes he proposed to powers of Alberta Human Rights to adjudicate cases of free speech Commission.

A Canadian will be taking over the top spot for one of the best known International religious aid agencies in the world. Calgarian Kevin Jenkins will become president and CEO of World Vision which operates in 96 countries. World Vision has a staff of 40 thousand people around the world and a budget of 2.6 billion dollars a year.

How do churches cope with flu outbreaks and potential pandemics? Carefully and the same as the rest of us. Canadian Mennonites have an up to date resource and practical website for congregations, parishes and church staff from across Canada. There has also been a Canadian website and discussion forum put up by and Canadian doctor and to educate and inform churches how to be intentional.

A few days ago Pope Benedict XVI apologized to Canada’s First Nations people for the appaulling treatment they were subject to at residental schools. From the late 1800′s until the 1970′s, 150 thousand ofCanada’s indigenous children were stripped from their communities and sent to one of the 132 church run schools across the country. Better late than never from the Vatican, other churches have apologized, worked toward restitution and the federal government issued a formal apology a year ago.
The Assembly of First Nations response. Vatican Radio

We haven’t advertised or pushed religious right alert and it’s enouraging to read posts like this from Canuck Attitude:

One of the great gems I see arriving on the Canadian Blogging scene is Religious Right Alert. A well thought out consortium of intelligent people who really know what they are talking about, what a concept. This is a site I really want to see fly.

And from Dammit Janet

Religious Right Alert. It seems to be newish, this-monthish…I hope they keep up the good work.

Thanks, I hope we do to. This are about using the vast knowledge and original content Canadian bloggers post and this site welcomes your voice, your tips and your input.

• The government of Alberta is refusing to permit employees to list their same-sex spouses as, well, spouses – they must be registered in the more limited category of “benefit partner.” Treasury Board president Lloyd Snelgrove says his government has “no intention of changing the definition of spouse to include people in same-sex marriages.” (h/t Slap Upside the Head)
  

• Pundit Michael Coren has attracted justifiable attacks from the likes of Dammit Janet! and the Galloping Beaver for a recent column suggesting that women should not be permitted to enlist in the army – they’re too small, too weak, and in general should be “laughing with college friends rather than fighting theocratic madmen.” Not finished with that, he goes on to add that women couldn’t possibly fend off the “Taliban tribesmen” and the “thrust of their long knives.”

• Brampton religious groups are tentatively declaring victory in a campaign to overturn proposed new bylaws that might, they say, threaten the tax-exempt status of large churches

In the (Think) Tanks

• The Focus on the Family-funded Institute of Marriage and Family Canada’s weekly family issues report, prepared by in-house researcher and former Conservative Party official Derek Miedema, says that the growing number of senior citizens will overwhelm Canada’s healthcare and social safety nets unless we shift more responsibility for their welfare away from government and onto their families. (Presumably this is more “sustainable” because it would involve more unpaid work by relatives, especially women.

• Equipping Christians for the Public Square will be holding an Ignite Our Culture convention at Trinity Western University in Vancouver on May 8-9. The theme, and subject of the keynote by anti-Muslim “scholar” Sam Solomon, will be: “A Veiled Threat? Islam in the West: Polygamy and Jihad.” ECP will also soon be holding several fundraising dinners in Alberta, featuring Ezra Levant.

• The Manning Centre for Building Democracy has created a “municipal campaign school” for Saskatchewan electoral candidates. Looks like it’s being run by Richard Ciano, the Conservative Party official previously implicated in previous attempts to boost right-wing voices in student politics

We’re looking for a name for this feature of links and we’re stuck.
A name themed around rocks, stones…any ideas?