In Harper's Regime, Big Daddy Knows Best

Consider the evidence: Last month, to avoid bad press on an issue he has tied firmly to the Conservative brand, Mr. Harper banned the media from filming the return of the bodies of four Canadian soldiers who died last month in Afghanistan. Instead of decentralizing power as promised, Mr. Harper has funnelled more and more control straight into the Prime Minister's Office. The PMO now pre-approves everything Tory ministers and MPs do in their political lives. They've been ordered to speak less to the media, and banned from gassing about the government's plans. When they do speak (to order lunch, maybe) they have to stick to the government's five priorities — the federal accountability act, GST cuts, child care, crime and medical waiting lists — virtually idiot-proof subjects. Big Daddy's boys aren't just on message; they're all message, all the time. Paul Martin and Jean Chrétien approved big speeches and major pronouncements. But Mr. Harper and his team vet even MPs' letters to small-town newspapers. “Paul Martin was accused of micro-managing,” a government insider says. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060513.wxcover13/BNStory/National/home [Proofreader's note: this article was edited for spelling and typos on May 15, 2006]

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