Inside Stephen Harper’s ‘secret ethnic media’ session: Tim Harper | Toronto Star

In the vein of “Shopping for Votes,” this piece on the Conservative strategy with ethnic media is revealing but not terribly surprising. Previous governments also cultivated ethnic media to reach the diverse communities that comprise Canada, but generally did so in conjunction with a more open attitude to the national media.

His reluctance to sit down and talk about issues with the national media may not be puzzling but his view on the role of the ethnic media is troubling.

It is not our role, whether we represent The Toronto Star or Asian Star Weekly, to play a “vital” role in getting the government’s message out.

Both Liberals and Progressive Conservatives once played a variation of this game, giving priority to local reporters on trips outside Ottawa, in the belief they would toss softer questions to their leader.

That blew up when the local reporters decided they didn’t want to play that role and asked tougher questions than the Ottawa gang.

If Harper really thinks the ethnic media are there to help him deliver an unfiltered message, one of them is going to rise up and bite him before anyone poses for any pictures.

Inside Stephen Harper’s ‘secret ethnic media’ session: Tim Harper | Toronto Star.