Formal Complaint to the CBC Ombudsman

Here is a copy of the complaint against Don Newman that I've just sent to the CBC Ombudsman, Vince Carlin:


Dear Mr. Carlin:

As you very well know, our great country has gone through the most significant constitutional crisis of our lifetime. To say that it was, and still is, an extremely serious situation would be the understatement of the millennium. The actions of Don Newman throughout all of this have been nothing short of despicable, divisive, and downright dangerous. If he were merely an editorial pundit then I could offer little objection. But a major portion of his role at the taxpayer supported CBC is to be a fair & balanced moderator. In this capacity he earns an 'F'.

His behaviour has been nothing short of highly partisan in support of the Coalition and against the Conservatives. Examples are aplenty. Let me provide you two. On the one hand he was antagonistic, rude, and utterly dismissive of Conservative MP John Baird in the recent interview with him. On the other hand, here's a description of what transpired when he interviewed Liberal MP Derek Lee:

Big Loser: Derek Lee. CBC was desperate to fill air time as they waited for Stephen Harper to finish his chat with Michaelle Jean, so they made the mistake of interviewing Lee, who promptly compared Harper's request to suspend Parliament to the burning of the German Reichstag by the Nazis in 1933. Yeah Derek, they're exactly alike: a party of murderous thugs burning Parliament to the ground is just like the Prime Minister driving to Rideau Hall to request a temporary halt in proceedings while he prepares a budget. How astute of you to spot the similarities.

Source: http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2008/12/04/winners-and-losers.aspx

It is imperative to note that Mr. Newman did not object to this outrageous comment whatsoever. Yet, he seemed to have no problem objecting to most everything said by MP Baird. Would viewers be wrong to conclude that Mr. Newman actually shares a similar view as MP Lee that Stephen Harper's recent actions are comparable to those of Adolf Hitler's Nazis in 1933? I ask this question not flippantly but absolutely literally.

To end this momentous week on a sour note, we get this very one-sided diatribe from Don Newman: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/12/05/f-vp-newman.html

In the realm of Journalistic Ethics at the CBC, is there not a basic requirement for your on-air staff to publicly disclose their clear biases before engaging in an interview? If I'm not mistaken, on every business program it is a mandatory requirement for all involved to fully disclose any stocks they own and/or other company interests they may have related to the discussion at hand. Let me assure you that in Mr. Newman's case, it is a widely held belief of many CBC viewers I've spoken with that he has direct loyalties to the Liberal Party of Canada.

To resolve this complaint to my satisfaction, any of the following would be sufficient:

• Move Don Newman into a role solely as a pundit and clearly have the words "Liberal Party Strategist" appear underneath his name each time he appears.
• Require that all interviews he undertakes be done with a conservative-leaning journalist as well, somewhat in the format of "Hannity & Colmes" on Fox News in the U.S.

Finally, please note that my insistence for fair & balanced reporting from Mr. Newman is in no way different from what your past head of CBC News, John Cruickshank, publicly stated a little over two months ago: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/09/28/f-vp-cruickshank.html

I eagerly and respectfully await your response.

Sincerely,

Robert W.
Vancouver, BC

Microsoft: Grrrrrr!

I have a love-hate relationship with Microsoft. Sometimes their products work just fine. But other times, it's just pure aggravation! Today, for example, I'm trying to reinstall Visual Studio 2005 and it's just not working. What should have taken 20 minutes is now taking 6+ hours. So while it's being installed on one computer, I'm posting photos on my blog with my other one.

Chicago Taxi Dispute - A Shimmer of Light?

Back in early February, when my mom & I were departing Chicago for Miami, the Chicago Carriage & Cab Company refused to pick us up from the home of our friends. Why is not certain but their proximity to Midway Airport was likely the prime factor.

I complained to the taxi company, twice actually, but received no response. I also complained to the City of Chicago. Lo and behold I just received a response from the latter, only two and a half months later:

Dear Mr. Werner:

Thank you for informing us of your extremely troubling cab experience. On behalf of the City of Chicago, I offer my deepest apologies. I do hope that this unfortunate incident will not dissuade you from continuing to visit Chicago in the future, as we have many enjoyable sights and activities to offer! I have forwarded your information to the supervisor of the Chicago Carriage & Cab Company’s dispatch office, who will be contacting you about your ordeal. Once again, please accept my apologies for your inconvenience, and please feel free to contact me if I can assist you in any other way.

Sincerely,
Kate Francis