Devion's Views #285 (Special Edition)
On Oct. 8, Ron gave a talk to the Sidney, BC, PROBUS Club members and guests.
Significant important issues were raised concerning our democracy. Read his presentation (below)
PRESENTATION TO THE SIDNEY PROBUS CLUB - OCT. 8, 2024
GOOD MORNING PROBUS MEMBERS - CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME CLEARLY?
KEN ASKED IF I WOULD SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT SOMETHING I KNOW ABOUT;
BELOVED MOTHER CORP, TELEVISION AND THE CURRENT STATE OF CANADIAN MEDIA.
SO HERE GOES AND PLEASE HOLD YOUR QUESTIONS UNTIL THE END.
DRESSED FOR THE OCCASION - THIS IS THE ORIGINAL CBC LOGO CREATED 88 YEARS
AGO. (DESCRIBE)
CONDUCT A SHOW OF HANDS “STRAW POLL”:
HOW MANY OF YOU LISTEN TO CBC RADIO?
HOW MANY OF YOU WATCH CBC TELEVISION?
HOW MANY OF YOU WATCHED THE PARIS OLYMPICS ON CBC?
HOW MANY OF YOU “CARE” IF CBC DISAPPEARS?
HOW MANY OF YOU SHELL OUT HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO WATCH NETFLIX OR OTHER
STREAMING SERVICES?
AND THAT CONCLUDES THIS MORNING’S “EXERCISE PERIOD”.
TO SET UP TODAY’S TALK, I’D LIKE TO TOUCH ON THREE RELATED THEMES:
STORYTELLING - PERCEPTION AND REALITY - AND WHY SPORTS IS THE MOST WATCHED
TYPE OF CONTENT ON TELEVISION.
THEME ONE: STORYTELLING
THE ESSENCE OF THE BUSINESS I SPENT 40-YEARS OF MY LIFE IMMERSED IN, CAN BE
EXPRESSED IN ONE WORD, STORYTELLING.
EVER SINCE HUMANS WALKED THIS EARTH AND LEARNED TO SPEAK, WE’VE BEEN
TELLING EACH OTHER STORIES.
WHETHER PASSING ON NEWS, GOSSIP, RUMOUR, INNUENDO, LIES OR WHAT WE
BELIEVE IS THE TRUTH (WHATEVER THAT IS ANYMORE), WE PASS IT ON IN THE FORM OF
A STORY.
DON HEWITT WAS AN AMERICAN TELEVISION PRODUCER WHO CREATED THE
INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM PROGRAM “60 MINUTES” (SIMILAR TO CBC’S FIFTH ESTATE,
MARKETPLACE AND CTV’S W5 PROGRAM).
HIS “60 MINUTES” TEAM OF JOURNALISTS (THAT INCLUDED AMERICAN MIKE WALLACE
AND CANADIAN MORLEY SAFER) WERE GIVEN STRICT GUIDELINES TO FOLLOW:
TELL ME A STORY, WITH A BEGINNING, MIDDLE AND END - WITH SOURCES THAT ARE
ROCK SOLID - AND YOUR “PIECE” CAN’T BE LONGER THAN EIGHT MINUTES.
OTHERWISE, IT WILL NEVER GET AIRED ON MY SHOW.
THE “PIECE” COULD TAKE A YEAR OR MORE TO PREPARE, BUT IF IT DIDN’T PASS THE
BOSS’ CRITERIA IT WAS DEAD.
POSSIBLY THE MOST IMPORTANT STORY EVER TOLD ON “60 MINUTES” WAS THE
FAMOUS WHISTLE-BLOWER AND FORMER DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH OF AMERICA’S
THIRD LARGEST TOBACCO COMPANY, DR. JEFFREY WIGAND.
HE TOLD MIKE WALLACE “WE’RE IN THE NICOTINE DELIVERY BUSINESS”.
ACKNOWLEDGING ON NATIONAL TELEVISION, THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY’S CLOSELY
GUARDED SECRET AND THE COORDINATED COVERUP.
NBC’S SENIOR MANAGEMENT BLOCKED THE STORY’S RELEASE FOR A YEAR, FEARING
LAWSUITS AND THE LOSS OF MILLIONS IN TOBACCO ADVERTISING.
TAKING ON POWERFUL INSTITUTIONS IS THE HARDEST PART OF JOURNALISM - THE
MOST EXPENSIVE AND THE MOST IMPORTANT.
WHETHER FACT OR FICTION, A STORY HAS TO BE “CREDIBLE”. A CHALLENGE FOR THE
MOST SKILLED STORY-TELLER.
TRY CONVINCING A “MILLENNIAL” WHAT LIFE WAS LIKE GROWING UP IN THE 1930’S AND
’40’S. THEIR FACIAL EXPRESSION WILL BETRAY WHAT THEY ARE THINKING, “THE OLD
GEEZER IS MAKING THIS SHIT UP - MILK, BREAD, ICE, DELIVERED TO YOUR HOME ONCE
A WEEK…IN A HORSE DRAWN CART - GIVE ME A BREAK.”
TO THEM YOUR TRUE STORY IS NOTHING MORE THAN A FAIRY TALE.
THEME TWO: PERCEPTION AND REALITY
TODAY’S QUANDARY IS CREDIBILITY. WHAT IS SEEN AND HEARD ON OUR SCREENS CAN
NO LONGER BE TRUSTED. WHAT IS REAL OR MANIPULATED BY A MACHINE?
NOBODY CAN TELL ANYMORE - PERCEPTION HAS BECOME REALITY.
IN 1960, DON HEWITT, PRODUCED THE FIRST-EVER TELEVISION PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE
BETWEEN RICHARD NIXON AND JOHN KENNEDY THAT CHANGED MODERN POLITICS.
DURING THE CAMERA CHECK HE NOTICED VP NIXON LOOKED UNSHAVEN, PALE AND
WAS PERSPIRING UNDER THE HOT STUDIO LIGHTS. WHILE SENATOR KENNEDY
APPEARED RELAXED AND TANNED - EVEN IN BLACK AND WHITE.
HEWITT SUGGESTED NIXON GET SHAVED AND HAVE TELEVISION MAKEUP APPLIED.
NIXON IGNORED HIS ADVICE.
THE AUDIENCE “LISTENING ON RADIO” FELT NIXON WON THE DEBATE.
VIEWERS “WATCHING ON TELEVISION” BELIEVED KENNEDY WAS THE WINNER.
THE TV AUDIENCE “PERCEIVED” JOHN KENNEDY TO BE MORE CONFIDENT, COMPOSED,
“PRESIDENTIAL” AND RICHARD NIXON AS HAGARD, SULLEN AND NERVOUS WITH BEADS
OF SWEAT ON HIS UPPER LIP.
A SIMILAR REACTION OCCURRED DURING THE 1979 LEADERS DEBATE BETWEEN PIERRE
TRUDEAU, JOE CLARK AND ED BROADBENT. TRUDEAU POSSESSED THE “X FACTOR”;
THAT “JE-NE-SAIS-QUOI” SOME PEOPLE HAVE THAT MAKES THE AUDIENCE “LIKE” THEM
MORE THAN OTHERS.
HIRING DON CHERRY IN 1980 FOR HNIC, HAPPENED FOR SIMILAR REASONS.
LIKE HIM OR NOT, DON HAD THE MAGIC “X FACTOR”. AS A RESULT HE BECAME FAMOUS,
ICONIC AND RICH.
AND CHERRY’S FAME GREW WELL BEYOND HOCKEY. SOME MAY RECALL, IN 2004 HE
WAS VOTED THE SEVENTH-GREATEST CANADIAN “OF ALL TIME” BY VIEWERS OF THE
CBC MINISERIES “THE GREATEST CANADIAN”; AHEAD OF SIR JOHN A MACDONALD,
ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL AND EVEN WAYNE GRETZKY. GO FIGURE.
THEME THREE: WHY SPORTS IS THE MOST WATCHED FORM OF CONTENT.
SPORT HAS ALL THE ELEMENTS OF A COMPELLING STORY:
IT’S IMMEDIATE (LIVE)
IT HAS A BEGINNING, MIDDLE AND END
IT’S HIGH DRAMA
IT’S UNPREDICTABLE
IT HAS HEROES AND VILLAINS
IT HAS MY TRIBE VS YOUR TRIBE
IT HAS A WINNER AND A LOSER
IT HAS A NEXT-TIME FOR THE LOSER
IT HAS PASSION - THE THRILL OF VICTORY AND THE AGONY OF DEFEAT
AND IT’S AWASH IN MONEY, CORRUPTION AND UNSCRUPULOUS CHARACTERS
STUFFING THEIR POCKETS.
ALL INGREDIENTS NECESSARY FOR A THRILLER CHOCK FULL OF PHYSICAL CONFLICT.
THE 2024 PARIS OLYMPICS WAS WATCHED BY A STAGGERING NUMBER OF HUMANS
(OVER 3 BILLION) MORE THAN HALF THE PEOPLE ON THE PLANET.
AND BEHIND THE CURTAIN - WHEN IT’S OVER - THE “CON-ARTISTS” WHO RUN THE IOC
SLIP QUIETLY OUT OF TOWN, LEAVING AN EQUALLY STAGGERING BILL FOR THE “HOST”
NATION TO PAY.
“HOSTING” IS CODE FOR “YOUR TAXPAYERS PAY FOR OUR PARTY”.
IT TOOK “US” 30-YEARS TO PAY OFF THE DEBT INCURRED FOR THE 1976 MONTREAL
SUMMER OLYMPICS. TAXPAYERS MIGHT ASSUME OUR POLITICAL LEADERS WOULD
“SMARTEN UP” FOLLOWING THAT FINANCIAL FIASCO.
BUT NO SUCH LUCK - INCREDIBLY, THE IOC “CARPETBAGGERS” CONNED THEM INTO
PAYING FOR TWO MORE; THE 1988 (CALGARY) AND 2010 (VANCOUVER) WINTER GAMES.
AND RECENTLY THEY WERE “SUCKERED” AGAIN. THIS TIME BY THE FIFA “HUCKSTERS”.
BLINDLY AGREEING TO PAY (UNKNOWN-MILLIONS) FOR 13 MATCHES TO BE PLAYED (IN
TORONTO AND VANCOUVER) DURING THE 2026 WORLD CUP OF FOOTBALL.
WHAT’S WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE? ARE THEY NAIVE? INCOMPETENT? ON THE TAKE?
WHO CAN’T SAY NO “CANADIANS CAN’T AFFORD THIS, GO CONN SOMEBODY ELSE!”.
WHO REFUSE TO REVEAL WHAT THESE “GAMES” ACTUALLY COST US.
ALBERT EINSTEIN STATED “INSANITY IS DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN
AND EXPECTING DIFFERENT RESULTS.”
TRANSLATION: WE’RE BEING ROBBED BY CRAZY PEOPLE. SOMEBODY CALL THE COPS.
SWITCHING GEARS TO PRESENT DAY
EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM IS FROM ANOTHER CENTURY; ANOTHER TIME AND PLACE.
AND LIKE ME, STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP WITH THE DIZZYING PACE OF CHANGE
SPURRED ON BY WARP-SPEED TECHNOLOGY, IN A WORLD SEEMINGLY GONE MAD AND
BEYOND ANYONE’S CONTROL.
EVERYBODY NOW HAS A “GADGET” THAT FITS IN A POCKET. A MAGICAL BOX THAT
CONTAINS AN ENCYCLOPEDIA, A DICTIONARY, A REFERENCE LIBRARY, A MUSIC
LIBRARY, A TRANSLATOR, A PHONE, THE WORLD’S NEWSPAPERS, THE WORLD’S RADIO
AND TV STATIONS, A MOVIE THEATRE, A CAMERA, A BOOK STORE, A GPS TRACKER AND
GOD ONLY KNOWS WHAT ELSE.
BEWILDERING TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS THAT LEAVE MANY OF US “OLDER
FOLKS” GOBSMACKED AND OVERWHELMED.
ON NOV. 30, 2022, SOMETHING NEW ROLLED INTO THE PUBLIC SQUARE THAT GOT
EVERYONE’S ATTENTION, “CHATGPT”. THAT GOT ‘ORDINARY FOLKS’ STARTED ASKING
PROBING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MYSTERIOUS WORLD OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.
ABOUT A MACHINE LIKE NO OTHER EVER INVENTED THAT CAN THINK LIKE HUMANS AND
EVEN OUT-THINK US.
A MACHINE THAT COULD SOLVE ALL OF THE WORLD’S PROBLEMS OR DESTROY EVERY
SINGLE HUMAN ON THE PLANET IN THE SNAP OF THE FINGER - OR BOTH.
A MACHINE STEPHEN HAWKING SAID “COULD BE THE BIGGEST EVENT IN THE HISTORY
OF OUR CIVILIZATION, BUT IT COULD ALSO BE THE LAST”.
ITS CREATORS HAVE WARNED - IF LEFT UNCHECKED AND UNREGULATED - THEIR
INVENTION WILL DISPLACE US. BRITISH-CANADIAN, GEOFFREY HINTON (CONSIDERED
THE GODFATHER OF AI AND JUST ANNOUNCED NOBEL PRIZE WINNER) SUGGESTS IT
WILL HAPPEN WITHIN THE NEXT 20-YEARS.
THE SCARY PART: COMPUTER SCIENTISTS ARE BAFFLED BECAUSE AI IS NOW
GENERATING ITS OWN CODE, CREATING A NEW GENERATION OF ITSELF, ARTIFICIAL
SUPER-INTELLIGENCE (ASI). THEY DON’T UNDERSTAND HOW AI IS CAPABLE OF WRITING
ITS OWN CODE OR WHAT “ITS” CREATING.
A BRIEF PAUSE, TO LET THAT SINK IN.
(RECOMMEND THE MIND-BLOWING NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY “WHAT’S NEXT” - THE
FUTURE WITH BILL GATES)
NOW, FOR SOME PERSPECTIVE, LET’S LOOK BACK AT THE PAST CENTURY.
THE 1930’S - THE GOLDEN AGE OF RADIO, NEWSPAPERS…AND DICTATORS.
BACK THEN AN AMERICAN MEDIA MOGUL, WILLIAM RANDOLPH HEARST, CONTROLLED
MUCH OF THE U.S. MEDIA.
HEARST WAS ASKED BY A REPORTER WHO HE THOUGHT WOULD BE ELECTED IN AN
UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. HIS RESPONSE “THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL
VOTE FOR WHO I TELL THEM TO”.
HIGHLIGHTING THE POWER AND INFLUENCE OF MEDIA CONTROL, WHEN LEFT IN THE
HANDS OF A FEW.
THE MEGALOMANIAC WAS EXPOSED BY A YOUNG STORY-TELLING GENIUS, ORSON
WELLES, WITH THE 1941 RELEASE OF HIS MOVIE “CITIZEN KANE”. BEFORE THE FILM’S
RELEASE HEARST TRIED TO HAVE THE ORIGINAL PRINT AND ALL COPIES DESTROYED.
TODAY’S VERSION OF TOO MUCH MEDIA POWER VESTED IN ONE ORGANIZATION IS
RUPERT MURDOCH’S NEWS-CORP EMPIRE.
THE MURDOCH FAMILY’S REACH AND POWER TO INFLUENCE ELECTIONS IS A CLEAR
AND PRESENT DANGER TO EVERY DEMOCRACY.
IN 1924, MACLEAN’S MAGAZINE DECLARED IN A HEADLINE “RADIO MAY REMAKE OUR
LIVES”. THE MAGAZINE’S EDITORS HAD NO WAY OF PREDICTING THE IMPACT OF THIS
NEW MEDIUM, SO THEY USED THE QUALIFIER “MAY”. “MAY” INDEED!
IN 1929, THE AIRD COMMISSION ON PUBLIC BROADCASTING RECOMMENDED THE
CREATION OF A NATIONAL RADIO BROADCAST NETWORK.
THE WORRY WAS THAT RADIO SIGNALS FROM THE UNITED STATES WERE BEING PICKED
UP IN CANADA AND THE POSSIBILITY EXISTED THAT AMERICANS WOULD END UP
CONTROLLING WHAT CANADIANS LISTENED TO. CAUSING A CULTURAL INVASION THAT
COULD ERODE OUR VALUES, TRADITIONS, LAWS, THE FRENCH LANGUAGE AND
POTENTIALLY OUR VERY SOVEREIGNTY.
CONSEQUENTLY (IN 1936) A CONSERVATIVE GOVERNMENT CREATED THE CANADIAN
BROADCASTING CORPORATION AND ITS FRENCH COUNTERPART, SOCIETE RADIO-CANADA,
TO TELL “OUR” STORIES.
CBC/RADIO CANADA IS A CROWN CORPORATION, REPORTING TO PARLIAMENT
THROUGH THE MINISTER OF HERITAGE. (PASCALE ST. ONGE)
ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS (REPRESENTING EACH PROVINCE AND TERRITORY) IS
APPOINTED FOR FIVE YEARS BY THE GOVERNMENT IN POWER.
THE PRESIDENT IS APPOINTED BY THE PRIME MINISTER FOR A TERM OF FIVE YEARS.
(CATHERINE TAIT) - REPLACEMENT SELECTED, ANNOUNCEMENT SOON.
TELEVISION BEGAN IN NORTH AMERICA FOLLOWING WWII.
AND LIKE RADIO, TV SIGNALS FROM THE UNITED STATES WERE BEING PICKED UP IN
CANADA PROVIDING A NEW TECHNOLOGICAL THREAT TO OUR CULTURAL
SOVEREIGNTY.
CONSEQUENTLY, CBC WAS AGAIN MANDATED BY PARLIAMENT, THIS TIME TO BUILD A
NETWORK OF TELEVISION STATIONS.
IN 1952 THE FIRST ENGLISH LANGUAGE TV STATION OPENED IN TORONTO AND THE
FIRST FRENCH LANGUAGE STATION OPENED IN MONTREAL.
CBC TELEVISION STATIONS THEN SPREAD WEST, EAST AND NORTH.
FOOTNOTE: VICTORIA REMAINS THE ONLY CAPITAL IN CANADA WITHOUT A CBC
TELEVISION STATION TO SERVE THE 864,000 CITIZENS ON VANCOUVER ISLAND.
FEW WILL KNOW (OR EVEN REMEMBER) THAT BACK IN THE 1970’S, A BUILDING WAS
CONSTRUCTED IN VICTORIA TO HOUSE A CBC RADIO AND TELEVISION STATION.
THE PROJECT WAS SUDDENLY ABANDONED. THE BUILDING-SHELL REMAINED
UNOCCUPIED FOR YEARS, UNTIL IT WAS SOLD TO PRIVATE BROADCASTER CHEK-TV.
IT WASN’T UNTIL SEPTEMBER 1998 FOR CBC TO FINALLY OPEN A RADIO STATION IN THE
CAPITAL OF BRITISH COLUMBIA.
IN A BIZARRE TWIST OF FATE, TODAY CBC RENTS STUDIO AND OFFICE SPACE FROM
EMPLOYEE-OWNED INDEPENDENT STATION CHEK-TV, IN THE VERY BUILDING CBC BUILT
IN THE 1970’S.
NOW, LETS REVIEW WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO “CANADA’S MEDIA” SINCE 2008.
TRADITIONAL MEDIA (PRINT, RADIO AND TELEVISION) HAS BEEN SEVERELY IMPACTED BY
AN AVALANCHE OF CHANGE AND CHOICE, DRIVEN BY TECHNOLOGY.
THE OLD BUSINESS MODEL (ADVERTISING) HAS BEEN SHATTERED. A VIABLE OPTION
REMAINS ELUSIVE AS REVENUE CONTINUES TO PLUMMET.
EYE-BALLS AND EARS (ESPECIALLY THE UNDER-50’S) HAVE MIGRATED EN-MASSE TO
PREFERRED ALTERNATIVES, ALONG WITH BILLIONS OF AD REVENUE DOLLARS.
“YOUNGER-FOLK” CONSUME INFORMATION, ENTERTAINMENT, DISINFORMATION AND
LOTS OF GOOD OLD FASHION BULLSHIT ON PLATFORMS THAT USE ALGORITHMS TO
TRACK THEIR EVERY MOVE.
THE COST-CUTTING BINGE THAT FOLLOWED (HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS VANISHING
FROM THE BOOKS OF TRADITIONAL MEDIA COMPANIES) RESULTED IN THE CLOSING OF
42 LOCAL RADIO STATIONS, 11 LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS, 40 DAILY NEWSPAPERS
AND 400 COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS. TENS OF THOUSANDS OF LOCAL-MEDIA-WORKERS
LAID OFF, GONE.
THIS MASSIVE MEDIA RETRENCHMENT HAS LEFT COUNTLESS COMMUNITIES WITHOUT
ESSENTIAL LOCAL COVERAGE, CONTRIBUTING TO FURTHER POLARIZATION.
MORE THAN EVER BEFORE, NEWS AND INFORMATION IS BEING FILTERED THROUGH A
“CENTRAL-CANADA-CENTRIC” LENS; PROVIDING A “DISTORTED” REPRESENTATION OF
THE COUNTRY.
TO PARAPHRASE MARTHA STEWART “AND THAT AIN’T A GOOD THING”.
THE MEDIA CARNAGE (TO DATE) IS WAY BEYOND “WORRISOME”.
(BING) 519 CANADIAN NEWS OUTLETS HAVE CLOSED SINCE 2008.
(BANG) ONE THIRD OF JOURNALISM JOBS HAVE DISAPPEARED.
(BOOM) IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS 10,000 CANADIAN JOURNALISTS HAVE BEEN LAID OFF.
MEANWHILE “UNREGULATED” POWERFUL FOREIGN MEDIA-GIANTS CONTINUE TO
HOLLOW OUT WHAT REMAINS OF THE NATIONS MEDIA.
GOOGLE AND META (FORMERLY FACEBOOK) NOW CONTROL 80 PERCENT OF CANADA’S
$10 BILLION ONLINE ADVERTISING BUDGET.
AND LEST WE FORGET - PIERRE POILIEVRE HAS “PROMISED” TO “DEFUND THE CBC”
WHEN HE TAKES POWER.
HE CHOOSES TO CONVENIENTLY IGNORE THAT “MOTHER CORP” IS OWNED BY ALL
CANADIANS, NOT BY A POLITICAL PARTY.
HOW DARE POILIEVRE “UNILATERALLY DECIDE” TO “DEFUND THE CBC” WITHOUT FIRST
CONSULTING (VIA NATIONAL REFERENDUM) HER OWNERS AND SHAREHOLDERS; US!
WHO THE HELL DOES HE THINK HE IS, DONALD TRUMP?
SOME NUMBERS YOU MAY NOT BE ACQUAINTED WITH:
HOW MUCH DOES “MOTHER CORP” COST US?
$1.3 BILLION (THIS YEAR). THAT’S $34 PER CANADIAN.
WHAT DOES SHE SPEND $1.3 BILLION ON?
RUNNING A NETWORK OF 88 RADIO STATIONS, 27 TELEVISION STATIONS, 14 FOREIGN
NEWS BUREAUS, ONLINE SERVICES AND CABLE NEWS CHANNELS. IN ENGLISH, FRENCH
AND 8 ABORIGINAL LANGUAGES IN THE NORTH; ACROSS SIX TIME ZONES.
AND (IN CASE YOU WEREN’T AWARE) ALL FOR-PROFIT CANADIAN MEDIA COMPANIES
RECEIVE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM GOVERNMENT AND ARE IN DIRE NEED OF MORE.
MOST OF US SHELL OUT OVER TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS (EVERY YEAR) IMPORTING
CONTENT FROM AMERICAN-OWNED STREAMING SERVICES, WHILE COMPLAINING
ABOUT FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR OUR OWN NEWSPAPERS, RADIO, TV. A RATHER
STRANGE AND SELF-DESTRUCTIVE DOUBLE STANDARD, N’EST-CE-PAS?
SOME REFLECTION.
WITHOUT JOURNALISTS, WHO KEEPS WATCH ON THOSE IN POWER?
WITHOUT JOURNALISTS, IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO HAVE A FUNCTIONING DEMOCRACY.
IT’S OBVIOUS, IF THE CARNAGE IS ALLOWED TO CONTINUE UNABATED, CANADA’S
MEDIA WILL SHRIVEL AND DISAPPEAR. SWALLOWED INTO A VORTEX OF AMERICAN
MEDIA-GIANTS, CONTROLLED BY THE LIKES OF THE RUPERT MURDOCH FAMILY.
THE THREADS HOLDING TOGETHER THIS VAST, DIVERSE, DIVIDED AND INCREASINGLY
POLARIZED CONFEDERATION ARE VERY FRAGILE.
SURRENDERING CONTROL OF OUR MEDIA TO A FOREIGN POWER WILL CAUSE THE
LOSS OF CULTURAL IDENTITY AND ULTIMATELY SOVEREIGNTY - SOUNDING THE DEATH
KNELL OF A DEMOCRACY WE CALL HOME.
THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO CAN PREVENT THIS SIT IN THE PARLIAMENT OF CANADA.
AND “WE”, AS CITIZENS, HAVE TO BE WILLING TO PAY MORE TO SUPPORT “OUR” MEDIA.
ARISTOTLE WARNED “TOLERANCE AND APATHY ARE THE LAST VIRTUES OF A DYING
SOCIETY.”
IN 27 DAYS, AMERICANS DECIDE WHO LEADS THE COUNTRY “WE” RELY ON TO PROTECT
US.
THEIR CHOICE COULD NOT BE MORE STARK.
BEHIND DOOR #1: STANDS AN UNHINGED TYRANT.
BEHIND DOOR #2: STANDS A WOMAN WHO HARBOURS A SPECIAL SOFT SPOT AND
WARMTH TOWARDS CANADA HAVING SPENT PART OF HER TEENAGE YEARS IN
MONTREAL, WHERE SHE ATTENDED WESTMOUNT HIGH SCHOOL AND VANIER COLLEGE.
AN OLD MOVIE FAMILIAR TO OLD-TIMERS IS BEING RERUN TODAY WITH A BRAND NEW
CAST OF EVIL CHARACTERS. AND JUST LIKE THE LAST TIME, IT’S SCARY AS HELL.
BRITISH PHILOSOPHER OF HISTORY, ARNOLD TOYNBY SAID “HUMAN BEINGS DO HAVE
GENUINE FREEDOM TO MAKE CHOICES. OUR DESTINY IS NOT PREDETERMINED FOR US;
WE DETERMINE IT FOR OURSELVES.”
AND MARK TWAIN SAID “SOMETIMES I WONDER WHETHER THE WORLD IS BEING RUN
BY SMART PEOPLE WHO ARE PUTTING US ON, OR BY IMBECILES WHO REALLY MEAN IT.”
AND FINALLY, AI “INSISTED” THE FOLLOWING DISCLAIMER BE PASSED ON TO YOU:
“DEAR PROBUS MEMBERS AND GUESTS, THIS DISCLAIMER IS TO INFORM YOU THAT
CHATGPT-VERSION 4 DID NOT ASSIST THE HUMAN IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS TALK.
THEREFORE, BLAME HIM FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE,
SLIGHTS AND SLURS.”
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.
QUESTIONS