Closing Dwight's Mouth

I would hope that after reading this BLOG, the Dwightbulb will go on in your mind! You know, the energy efficient, compact, fluorescent one that is being circulated. As our Minister of Energy, Dwight Duncan, said:

"Windsor is the perfect place to launch this campaign."

He's right since he has the support of our Mayor to do so. And right before the Provincial election too. What co-incidental, and perfect, timing as well.

Accordingly, Dwight Duncan did not need the letter of support from Mayor Eddie Francis at his nomination meeting the way that Sandra Pupatello did. His seat was safe! No one was going after him. He had his support already.

Sandra as everyone knows, had been bruised and battered by the Windsor Star on the arena file. She had to be taught a lesson that, in Windsor, as I have written before, "The Media is the Government." You must kowtow to the Windsor Star and its editorial opinion if you intend to be successful in this City as a politician.

Clearly there are a number of politicians in the City who understand the facts of life and do what they're told. Oh don't be silly, no one from the Star contacts anyone and says do this or do that. They don't have to. All the politician needs to do is look at the news stories, read the editorials, observe what Gord writes and see what Letters to the Editor are published. The message comes through loud and clear!

Think I am kidding.....did Bill Marra run for mayor last time around when in my opinion he was a sure and easy winner, especially after the Project Ice Track Tecumseh move. How many other people did NOT run for Mayor fearing that they would be hammered if they did?

Is this unique to Windsor? Hardly. The situation however is worse in a one newspaper town where the newspaper is the dominant media outlet. That is not unique to Windsor either.

What is troublesome in this City is the attitude of the newspaper where its Editor comes out and says:

• "We did things that newspapers can do to bring about change, positive change. I think we got a lot of results this year and this now validates the results we got."

So the Star is on a mission, whatever it might be at that particular time, and we poor paying subscribers have to try and figure it out so that we might filter what the Star publishes. Thank goodness for the Internet so that we can see what other media outlets have to say and not be stuck just looking at the Windsor Star.

What's interesting to me is that we get some insight into some of the Star reporters and columnists because of their BLOGs. We even learn what makes some of them tick. It certainly allowed me to read their articles in a different light.

Let me give an example, as I have done before, of how the Star does things. You can form your own opinion for the reason for them doing so. Here is mine.

If one compares the online story originally written by Chris Thompson about W.ACT starting a Legal Fund "Legal fund to fight WUC established by angry group" with the story that was published "Legal fund planned to challenge WUC" not only is the headline changed but a key part of the online story has been removed:

• "MPP Dwight Duncan (L. -- Windsor -St. Clair), who is Ontario's Energy Minister, said the citizens of Windsor should be satisfied that any provincial audit will be thorough.
  
  "This will be in my view the kind of audit people in Windsor can be confident in," said Duncan.
  
  "I'm satisfied the people will get the answers they are looking for."
  
  He said Schnurr should think twice before claiming to represent the citizens of Windsor because he has unsuccessfully ran for council.
  
  "I think Mr. Schnurr is just trying to make some news for himself rather than representing the people of Windsor," Duncan said."

I believe that this is a significant omission designed to help out Dwight. It was a very cheap-shot by the Minister and unworthy of him. It is "schmear" mongering by a politician who is running scared. He will win and big-time I am sure since his opponents seem incapable of capitalizing on the silver platter handed to them. But he still feels the need to lash out. He must still must feel the need to compensate for the "meltdown in a failed party leadership bid that made him a laughingstock" as described by Gord Henderson:

• "To understand where Duncan is now, presiding over a financial juggernaut and just a heartbeat removed from the premier's office, it helps to look back to the night of Dec. 1, 1996, at Maple Leaf Gardens where Duncan, to the horror and rage of his supporters, crossed the floor to support an unpopular frontrunner for the leadership. He was eventually reduced to a puddle of pleading and whimpering "Where's Laura?" as he sought out his now ex-wife Laura Joy. It was a scene of despair captured for eternity by merciless cameras and mikes.

In effect, the Star is saving Dwight from himself.

But a comment like this is not untypical of Dwight. He made another unfortunate comment the other day when discussing privatization of Hydro. Dwight shot off his mouth by calling his opponent's claims "laughable" and said that the only debate that he would get involved in "can debate me anytime and anywhere by running for public office."

Those kinds of comments are uncalled for by a Senior Cabinet Minister. Doesn't anyone in Dwight's camp understand that Duncan is making a complete fool of himself.

The Star editors are very aware of this. Oh sure, someone can say there was not enough space in the Star to put in this comment by the Minister. However, the Star needs Dwight around. You see the Star's real mission is to make sure that the Ambassador Bridge Company never gets to build its Enhancement Project.

And back in February, Dwight said in a news story:

• "Local MPP Dwight Duncan (Windsor Tecumseh) agreed public ownership must be in place at the new bridge.
  
  "There is an opportunity for private investment," Duncan said. "But at end of day this is a major piece of infrastructure that should belong to all people on both sides of the border.
  
  "We will proceed on that basis."

Why take a chance and have Dwight lose because of some ridiculous remark that he made concerning a citizen's group that has captured the imagination of the public.

After all, what we don't know won't hurt Dwight and the Star's "change, positive change."