John (Just call me Parsons) Ivison

Parsons was Winston's fellow-employee at the Ministry of Truth. He was a fattish but active man of paralysing stupidity, a mass of imbecile enthusiasms -- one of those completely unquestioning, devoted drudges on whom, more even than on the Thought Police, the stability of the Party depended.

1984
Part 1 Chapter 2
George Orwell

So I started the day ready to call "As if" on Don Martin's claim that he just happened to get stopped by a policeman who just happened to volunteer a viewpoint that nicely tied into the theme of his blog entry.  Yeah, I'm sure it happened just like that.   Mr. Martin once again proved himself worthy of the honorific "Head Harper Hagiographer"

But that post had to be tossed aside once Par-vison hit submit on this opus:The Tory guide to a blue Canada (MEIB) (Typos in quote are all his)

Anew opinion poll put the Conservatives 10 points ahead of their Liberal rivals yesterday, but the real cause for celebration in Tory ranks is their creeping victory in the brand war they believe is the foundation for long-term electoral success.

...

The new guide is a 60-page potted history lesson that walks the reader through the highlights of Canada's pre-and post-Confederation story, pointing out the symbols, values and heroes who have made this country what it is -- that is, one currently run by the Conservatives.

It might easily be dismissed as a glossy brochure, but that underestimates the thought and effort that went into it. This is not tinsel, it's symbolism and is yet another incremental step in the re-branding of Canada into a conservative country, full of people more inclined to vote Conservative.

 Ivison lays out the evidence that taxpayers money is being used to cement the Harper Party's hold on power (aka propaganda).  As a member of The Fourth Estsate he is surely going to denounce this with all the sound and fury he can muster.

I am afraid not.  Rather than excoriate Conservatives for propaganda he ridicules Liberals for

choosing leaders on the basis of their ability to weigh the evidence, and put forward the best facts, issues and policies.

To Ivison this is a bad thing.  Back to 1984 and life imitating art.

Parsons, his attention caught by the trumpet call, sat listening with a sort of gaping solemnity, a sort of edified boredom. He could not follow the figures, but he was aware that they were in some way a cause for satisfaction.

Repeat after Ivison:

"Canada appears content to become a second-tier socialistic country, boasting ever more loudly about its economy and social services to mask its second-rate status."

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